Predestinazione ed esistenza. Lev Šestov e Jacques Maritain a confronto

Abstract

This essay compares Lev Šestov and Jacques Maritain to explore the connection between the doctrine of predestination and existentialism. Šestov, through fideistic irrationalism, reveals how the anarchic freedom of existence is unveiled through the paradox of grace, aligning his thought with a trajectory rooted in the doctrine of predestination. Maritain, by contrast, develops a ‘metaphysical existentialism’ that integrates the mystery of existence with Christian onto-theological rationality, attributing modern nihilism to a rupture in the harmony between essence, existence, and grace due to irrationalist views of predestination and divine freedom. Both thinkers examine the tension between grace and autonomy, offering contrasting yet complementary insights into existentialism and theology. Predestination thus appears as a catalyst for revolutionary rethinking Western metaphysics, emphasizing the uniqueness of existence and the mystery of freedom.

English title: Predestination and Existence. A Comparison between Lev Šestov and Jacques Maritain