Calvinism – RCS

Space of meanings of the biblical drama «The Sacrifice of Abraham» by Theodore de Beza

Zinaida Andreevna Lurie PhD in History, assistant lecturer, Institute of foreign modern languages, St. Petersburg State University (Universitetskaia nab., 7/9, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199034)
z.lurie@spbu.ru

Lurie Z. A. Space of meanings of the biblical drama «The Sacrifice of Abraham» by Theodore de Beza, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2022, vol. 10, pp. 158–183.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2022-10-158-183

Language: Russian

The article examines the tragedy «The Sacrifice of Abraham» (1550) by Theodore de Beza, the reformer of Lausanne and Geneva, that was one of the first tragedies in French. This text was republished many times and influenced other evangelical Biblical dramas of the 16–17th centuries. Potentially, using the example of the Old Testament patriarch, many moral and social topics can be revealed. However, de Beza focuses on the most important issue in the life of a Christian, i.e. fight against temptation. This spiritual test, the struggle of the Spirit with the Flesh and victory over sin and devil are the signs of a true believer, who has been chosen for Salvation. Thus, the plot about the Old Testament righteous man who decided to violate the Commandment and trampled his natural attachment to his son actualizes the doctrine of predestination. This aspect of the confrontation between the individual and society was very important for de Beza himself. Besides, in the visual layer of tragedy — which we can be reconstructed in parts — the importance of Satan, who has lost part of his comic persona in comparison with the folk theater, the lack of imagery of God and other elements of confessional propaganda can be marked out.

Key words: patriarchs, Biblical drama, humanism, Calvinism, predestination, faith, the Apostle Paul, Isaac, Sarah, urban stage space

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/en/lurie-2022-en/

Pretences of hatred: The accession of Henri IV seen by Sébastien Le Pelletier, priest, theologian, grammarian of the choir boys of chapter of Chartres from his original manuscript (1579–1592)

pdf

Xavier Le Person PhD in History, associate professor, Early Modern History at Sorbonne Université (Paris IV) (rue Victor Cousin, 1, Paris, France, 75230)
xavier.le_person@paris-sorbonne.fr

Le Person X. Pretences of hatred: The accession of Henri IV seen by Sébastien Le Pelletier, priest, theologian, grammarian of the choir boys of chapter of Chartres from his original manuscript (1579–1592), Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2019, vol. 8, pp. 232–251.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2020-00010

Language: Russian

The priest, theologian, grammar teacher of choir boys of chapter Sébastien Le Pelletier was an eyewitness to a Catholic world in peril. In 1589, he started writing the history of Chartres and the surrounding area during the warsof the League. He lived daily near the cathedral, in the heart of the communityof canons of Notre-Dame, protected by the cloister. He took care of the choirboys of Chartres. In this environment, he attended masses where the maininhabitants of the city thronged. He was in a privileged position to glean information. The chapter of Chartres was closely involved in the municipal government of the city. His lordship included a large part of the city. The canons wererepresented by reigning aldermen and deputies, both at townhouse meetingsand at general assemblies. Le Pelletier gives a detailed description of the siegeof the town by Henri IV’s army, the League’s resistance, and the firm takingin hand by the royal side. He also gives his impressions of his Calvinist adversaries and of the French king’s religious policy. Contained for a long time bymemorable deeds of brave and prestigious defenders of the Catholic faith sincethe treacherously murdered hatred of the heretic was unleashed against Chartres in 1589. For fear of the destruction of his religion and of the desecrationof his church, priest, theologian, grammar teacher of choir boys of chapter,Le Pelletier puts in writing what goes behind the schismatic policy of the Kingof Navarre, a policy similar to the earlier one of Henry VIII. Under an appearance of objectivity, the writing of Le Pelletier dissimulates a violent hateagainst heresy and its proponents.

Key words: King of Navarre, the League, Notre-Dame, canons, Calvinism

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/en/le-person-2020-en/

Review of the monography by V. A. Bachinin «Europeamn Reformation as spiritual war» (Kiev, 2017)

pdf

Sergey Aleksandrovich Isaev PhD in history, senior researcher, Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of History (Petrozavodskaya ulitsa, 7, Saint-Petersburg, 197110) , isayevsviir@yandex.ru

Isaev S. A. Review on the monography by V. A. Bachinin «European Reformation as spiritual war» (Kiev, 2017), Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2017, vol. 6, pp. 406–417.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2017-00020

Language: Russian

The book is considered as a product of culturological scholarship created by Russian Calvinist. Vladislav Bachinin is sure that the Roman Catholic Church in the late medieval Europe was infected by Renaissance ideas — paganistic and anti-Christian. According to Bachinin, the Reformation saved the European Christianity from this threat. The main savior, according to Bachinin, was John Calvin. Martin Luther is considered as the great «pathfinder» of Reformation and harbinger of Calvin.

Key words: Luther, Calvin, Jan Huss, theology, culture, Calvinism, Europe

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/isaev-2017-en/

«Here we stand. Who are the Lutherans?» by Herman Sasse: Why this is not a good book should be translated into Russian [Zasse G. Na tom stoim. Kto takie lyuterane? [Here we stand. Who are Lutherans?] (Transl. K. Komarov; Ed. A. Komarov), Saint-Petersburg: 1994

pdf

Isaev Sergey Aleksandrovich, Sergey Aleksandrovich Isaev, PhD in history, principal scientist, Saint-Petersburg Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Petrozavodskaja ulitsa, 7, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 197110)

isayevsviir@yandex.ru

Isaev S. A. “Here we stand. Who are the Lutherans?” by Herman Sasse: Why this is not a good book should be translated into Russian [Zasse G. Na tom stoim. Kto takie lyuterane? [Here we stand. Who are Lutherans?] (Transl. K. Komarov; Ed. A. Komarov), Saint-Petersburg: 1994, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2014, vol. 3, pp. 337–340.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2014-00021

Language: Russian

Translation of the book “Here we stand. Who are the Lutherans?” by Hermann Sasse appeared twenty years ago and was thought, as follows from its title, to clarify the features of confessional identity for Russian Lutherans. However, the author argues that the title is absolutely misleading and can cause perplexity of a neophyte reader. The translation made by K. Komarov was highly inaccurate and fool of annoying errors and misspellings, while the interpreter itself as well as the editor demonstrated complete ignorance of historical and theological realities. H. Sasse’s book appeared immediately after Nazis coming to power and their attempts to create a unified Protestant church under their leadership. Among Nazis opponents were many Christian denominations — Catholics, Lutherans and Calvinists. H. Sasse himself found a middle path lashing both Nazis and Christian-antifascists. This allowed him to speak out openly on issues of the Church conversions, keeping loyalty to the regime and pursuing a career of lecturer. Thus, reading this book without understanding the context of its creation, which is partially reflected in the review, can hardly contribute to the understanding of the features of the Lutheran beliefs. The author gives the brief amount of the historical background and analyses some errors, made by translators.

Key words: Barmen Declaration, Karl Barth, Hermann Sasse, Bekennende Kirche, Calvinism, Lutheranism, Prussian Union

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/isaev-2014-en/