To Space with God : A Conversation with Hero of Russian Federation cosmonaut Valery Korzun

  1. Lemma
  2. С Богом в космос. Беседа с Героем Российской Федерации космонавтом Валерием Корзуном.
  3. Russian
  4. Asliturk, Miriam
  5. Modes of interaction - Orthodox view on technology and engineering - Various approaches to the problem of correlation between science and theology
  6. 18-12-2017
  7. Филатов, Никита [Author]. С Богом в космос: беседа с Героем Российской Федерации космонавтом Валерием Корзуном
  8. Православие.Ru
  9. Cosmonaut - Outer Space - Space exploration - Russian Orthodox Church
  10. Click Here
    1. <p>Филатов, Никита, С Богом в космос: беседа с Героем Российской Федерации космонавтом Валерием Корзуном, <em>Православие.Ru</em>, 2016. Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.pravoslavie.ru/92375.html">http://www.pravoslavie.ru/92375.html</a> </p>

    1. The article deals with the ideas of cosmonaut Valery Korzun on space, science, and faith. Valery Korzun who has been to space twice and currently trains a detachment of cosmonauts, is a believer and was one of the initiators in building an Orthodox temple in Zvyozdny Gorodok (also known as Star City in English), in the Moscow Oblast. The cosmonaut comes from a religious Orthodox family. As a military pilot he remembers asking God for help in stressful and dangerous situations and thanking Him afterwards. He became particularly interested in Orthodox Christianity after contacts were established between clergymen of Zvyozdny Gorodok and the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius in Sergiev Posad, in the Moscow Oblast. Korzun confesses that after meeting the clergy his faith became more grounded.

      Korzun believes that people should go to space not in search of glory or for the sake of human pride and vanity, but in order to serve God and glorify him. Therefore, Korzun does not like the fact that cosmonauts are called "conquerors of the cosmos" (the term often used in Soviet propaganda posters). He points out that humans cannot “conquer” even their own selves (meaning human passions and sins). It is thus ridiculous to speak about the conquest of nature or space. The cosmonaut is convinced, however, that God blesses new discoveries, science and technical progress as long as they serve the good cause.

      Korzun believes that anyone who has gone to space, even if they do not speak about it openly, has felt the presence of God, as did the American astronaut James Irwin. Likewise, in his view, a serious scientist cannot be an atheist. Korzun points out that even many prominent Soviet scientists were believers, and many concepts of today's science emphasize that the universe and life were not created accidentally.

      The cosmonaut is satisfied with the current state of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Space Agency. Churches have been built in Baikonur, in Kazakhstan, and in Zvyozdny Gorodok. Most spaceships are blessed by priests before taking flight; and cosmonauts and the space agency administration regularly communicate with priests. Moreover, during flights, the Patriarch calls cosmonauts on Christmas and Easter.