Aleksei Khomiakov—poet, playwright, literary critic, theologian, and journal publisher—was one of the founders of the Slavophile movement in Russia. He believed in the fundamental role of the Russian Orthodox Church in bringing authenticity to Russian culture; he also believed in the distinctive nature of Russian history that, in his view, would lead Russians toward an understanding of themselves and their destiny. He believed that the Russian Orthodox Church and its historical evolution make Russians and Russia a divine nation whose mission is to extend its own salvation to the rest of the world, delivering other nations from their sins. He expressed these ideas throughout his works, regardless of genre—poetry, essays, or religious writing.

Aleksei Stepanovich Khomiakov was born on 1 May 1804 in Moscow at Ordynka to Stepan Aleksandrovich Khomiakov, a landowner. The Khomiakov name is first recorded in the court book of Basil III (1505-1533). The...