SOURCE: Ericson, Jr., Edward E. “Overview.” In The Apocalyptic Vision of Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita, pp. 9-24. Lewiston, Australia: Edwin Mellen Press, 1991.

In this excerpt, Ericson posits that Russian Orthodox Christian doctrine is the fundamental context in which The Master and Margarita must be understood.

The premise of this book [The Apocalyptic Vision] is that the key clue to discerning the pattern which runs through The Master and Margarita is orthodox Christian doctrine, particularly as it is expressed by Eastern (specifically, Russian) Orthodoxy. That theological context will be discussed in Chapter Three. This chapter sticks to the novel. However, for all of their apparent differences, these two chapters fit together as a unit and should be read as such.

It must be understood that all of orthodox Christian theology, whether Western (Catholic and Protestant) or Eastern, agrees on central doctrines. The Apostles' Creed is a fair...