---
title: "Briefly on imiaslavie"
author: "Stan Voo"
url: https://www.99rabbits.com/blog/briefly-on-imiaslavie
published: 2011-01-16
summary: "If saying God's name is a divine act, who would ever give that power up? A short note on a heresy that fulfilled a boyish dream of omnipotence."
---

# Briefly on imiaslavie

[Imiaslavie](http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%98%D0%BC%D1%8F%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B5), the "name-glorifying" teaching of early-20th-century Orthodox monks, was an invincible heresy. Its infected apologists would never in the world have renounced the idea. Why? Because it fulfills a boyish dream of omnipotence.

> The name of God is God himself.

Pronouncing God's name, then, is the same as creating God (or, at the very least, a divine act).

How could anyone give up such power?

In my view, imiaslavie and the "official church's" fight against it are a very telling example. An example of religious obscurantism. And of obscurantism as a fundamental **property** of religion.