reformation

«Beel» by Sixte Birck: Introductory Article, Translation, Commentary

Zinaida Andreevna Lurie PhD in History, associate professor, Pushkin Leningrad State University, Faculty of History and Social Sciences (Sankt-Peterburgskoe shosse, dom 10 lit.A, Pushkin, Sankt-Peterburg, Russia, 196605)
zinaidalourie@gmail.com

Lurie Z. A. «Beel» by Sixte Birck: Introductory Article, Translation, Commentary, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], pp. 242–327.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2025-14-238-323

Language: Russian

The present publication offers a translation of the Beautiful Tragedy Against Idolatry by Sixt Birck (ca. 1501–1554). This work is one of the first theatrical texts by evangelical authors based on the book of Daniel. Written within the context of the Reformation in Basel, it played a dual role. It was a product of school didactics and, at the same time, a tool for broad evangelical preaching and socio-religious satire aimed against Catholics. «Bееl» underwent several reprints and editions, including Latin versions, maintaining its relevance throughout the confessional era of the 16th and 17th centuries. For this translation, the Augsburg edition included in Birck’s collected works has been chosen. This publication gives the firtst possibility for Russian readers to become aware this remarkable author of the Reformation era.

Key words: Reformation, Basel, school, prophecy, reformers, iconoclasm, theater

URL: https://rcs-almanac.ru/lure2025-en/

Martin Luther’s Disputation Against Scholastic Theology (1517): Commentary and Translation

pdf

Danil Vladimirovich Andreev Bachelor of Theology, Theological Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (der. Kolbino, 25a, Leningrad region, Vsevolozhsk district, Russia, 188680)
franksandreev@yandex.ru

Andreev D. V. Martin Luther’s Disputation Against Scholastic Theology (1517): Commentary and Translation, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], pp. 220–241.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2025-14-216-237

Language: Russian

This work analyzes Martin Luther’s early treatise Disputation Against Scholastic Theology (1517) within the context of his intellectual evolution and his polemic with late medieval scholasticism. It examines the structural features of the text, its role in shaping Luther’s theological views, as well as the problems of translating and interpreting scholastic terminology. Particular attention is given to Luther’s critique of Aristotelian logic, the concept of natural love for God, the doctrine of predestination, and preparation for grace. The publication includes a detailed commentary based on contemporary academic research and seeks to address gaps present in the previous translation.

Key words: Luther, Gabriel Biel, scholasticism, Reformation, theology, disputation, medieval philosophy, Aristotelianism

URL: https://rcs-almanac.ru/andreev2025-en/

Aristotelian Logic in the Reformation (Based on «Aristotelis Organi Parvi Prior»)

pdf

Dmitriy Ivanovich Weber PhD in History, senior scientific researcher, Russian National Research University; associate professor, Moscow State University of Economics in Chernyakhovsk and Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University (Pskovskaya St., 3, Veliky Novgorod, Novgorod Region, Russia, 173015)
weber-deutsch@yandex.ru

Daniil Pavlovich Tatsenko Bachalor, Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University (Pskovskaya St., 3, Veliky Novgorod, Novgorod Region, Russia, 173015)
s257521@std.novsu.ru

Weber D. I., Taschenko D. P. Aristotelian Logic in the Reformation (Based on «Aristotelis Organi Parvi Prior»), Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], pp. 178–199.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2025-14-174-195

Language: Russian

The article examines Aristotle’s logical corpus and the varying perspectives on it during the Reformation, specifically focusing on Aristotle’s place in 16th century European universities. The Organon (Aristot. Org. Pars prior, Basileae, 1573) was chosen as the primary source for this study; its prefaces contain valuable information regarding the humanist attitude toward Aristotle and his philosophy. The marginalia associated with Porphyry’s Isagoge demonstrate the book’s circulation and its probable use within European educational institutions. The study of this edition is significant for understanding the humanist stance toward scholasticism and Aristotle, as well as for analyzing humanist reforms in European universities. Based on these sources, conclusions are drawn regarding the educational purpose of the edition, the complex attitude of humanists toward Aristotelianism, and the active use of the Organon in both Catholic and Protestant universities.

Key words: Aristotle, Organon, Porphyry, Isagoge, Reformation, Humanism, Scholasticism, University of Basel, Johannes Hospinianus, Juan Luis Vives, Petrus Ramus, university education

URL: https://rcs-almanac.ru/veber2025-en/

Philip Melanchthon’s Catechesis puerilis of 1558 in the Context of Protestant Education

pdf

Alekaey Vital’evich Kargaltsev
associate professor, Pushkin Leningrad State University, Faculty of History and Social Sciences (Sankt-Peterburgskoe shosse, dom 10 lit.A, Pushkin, Sankt-Peterburg, Russia, 196605)
akargaltsev@gmail.com

Karagaltsev A.V. Philip Melanchthon’s Catechesis puerilis of 1558 in the Context of Protestant Education, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], pp. 102–115.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2025-14-98-111

Language: Russian

Philip Melanchthon began work on his catechism in the 1520s, almost simultaneously with Martin Luther. However, it was intended for a different audience: pupils and students at evangelical educational institutions in Germany. The work was completed with the publication of the final edition in 1558. All editions were used as teaching aids for Latin and rhetoric, as well as serving as simple textbooks on Christian dogmatics. While the sections of Luther’s catechism begin with the well-known phrase ‘We must fear and love God’, Melanchthon asks, «Why are we certain that God exists?» As a humanist and educator, Melanchthon not only adapted Martin Luther’s teachings to suit school education, but also developed what appears to be the ideal form of a school catechism through trial and error. All sections of the catechism explain biblical texts and examine them from the perspective of the embodiment of the Law and the Gospel in Holy Scripture as the fundamental elements of the relationship between God and humanity. This is supplemented by numerous examples from ancient and sacred history. References to heroes from classical antiquity, treated on a par with Old Testament figures, play a special role in the text. This paper will analyse this pedagogical approach, which is characteristic of 16th century German humanists, and draw conclusions regarding the nature of school education during that era.

Key words: humanism, Reformation, education, gymnasiums, didactics, commandments, Decalogue

URL: https://rcs-almanac.ru/karagaltsev2025-en/

The problems of Eucharist celebration, according to Liturgia Svecanæ by King John III: analysis of sources and theological content

pdf

Nikita Dmitrievich Lakhtinen bachelor of History, bachelor of Theology, Theological Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (der. Kolbino, 25a, Leningrad region, Vsevolozhsk district, Russia, 188680)
niko.lahtinen18@gmail.com

Lahtinen N. D. The problems of Eucharist celebration, according to Liturgia Svecanæ by King John III: analysis of sources and theological content, 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, 2024, vol. 13, pp. 288–312.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2024-13-288-312

Language: Russian

The article is devoted to the analysis of a part of the Liturgy of the Faithful (Missa Fidelium) of the rite of the Liturgia Svecanæ (the Red Book) of 1576 by King John III. Using the example of the prayers of the Offertory and the Canon, we see a more conservative approach to the reform of liturgical texts, where the sacrificial language of the Eucharist is used. However, an analysis of the content of these prayers indicates their evangelical character, which corresponds to the views expressed in the confessional books of the Lutheran Church. Moreover, the study of the peculiarities of the celebration of the Eucharistic Liturgy, according to the Liturgia Svecanæ, allows to look at the Lutheran Mass through the prism of the patristic heritage.

Key words: Reformation, Church of Sweden, King John III, The Red Book, historical liturgics, Eucharistic theology, Offertory, Canon of the Mass

URL: https://rcs-almanac.ru/lakhtinen-2024-en/

Ulrich Zwingli’s «Brief Instruction» on Christian Education and Upbringing: Introductory Article, Translation and Commentary

pdf

Maria Alexandrovna Polyakova doctor of pedagogy, director, Kaluga State Universtity named after K. E. Tsiolkovsky, Institute of History and Law (Lenina str., 83, Kaluga, Russia, 248001)
mariap71@rambler.ru

Zinaida Andreevna Lurie PhD in History, research fellow, Higher School of Economics, Institute of Education, (Potapovskiy per., 16, bld. 10, Moscow, Russia, 101000)
zlure@hse.ru, zinaidalourie@gmail.com

Polyakova M. A., Lurie Z. A. Ulrich Zwingli’s «Brief Instruction» on Christian Education and Upbringing: Introductory Article, Translation and Commentary, 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, 2023, vol. 12, pp. 302–327.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2023-12-302-327

Language: Russian

This publication contains the text of Ulrich Zwingli’s «Brief Instruction» written in 1523 and undergone several reprints. This important source for the pedagogical thought of the Reformation era has not been translated into Russian, and in general is almost unknown to the reader. The preface to the text gives an overview of the circumstances surrounding the creation of the text, including Zwingli’s personal situation and marriage to the mother of his student Herold Mayer, and the beginning of educational reform in Zurich. Then the sources of Zwingli’s pedagogical ideas are considered, and a general description of the structure of the work and the main content is given. The text of the «Instruction» reflects its time, first of all, by abundant biblical quotations, references to which mainly constitute the commentary.

Key words: Reformation, education, school, Münster, Zurich, Glarean, Myconius, Herold Mayer, Anna Reinhard

URL: //rcs-almanac.ru/en/en-poliakova-lurie-2023/

Eucharistic Divine Service of Church of Ingria, according to the order of the Service Book of 1629: Introduction, Translation, Comment

pdf

Nikita Dmitrievich Lakhtinen bachelor of history, bachelor of theology, Theological Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (der. Kolbino, 25a, Leningrad region, Vsevolozhsk district, Russia, 188680)
niko.lahtinen18@gmail.com

Lakhtinen N. D. Eucharistic Divine Service of Church of Ingria, according to the order of the Service Book of 1629: Introduction, Translation, Comment, 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, 2023, vol. 12, pp. 328–365.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2023-12-328-365

Language: Russian

The presented material is devoted to the analysis of the order of the Service of 1629 and its comparison with the modern Eucharistic worship of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria. The uniqueness of the Service Book of 1629 is caused by its fundamental significance for liturgical ministry of the Church of Ingria. It has influenced the practice of liturgical worship for many years to come. The presented Service Book has never been translated into Russian before, and thus, for the first time, readers have the opportunity to know more about traditions associated with liturgical vestments, the order of the Eucharist and other issues of practical liturgics.

Key words: Reformation, lutheran orthodoxy, worship, mass, historical liturgics, high church, Church of Ingria

URL: //rcs-almanac.ru/en/en-lahtinen-2023/

Brief Catechism of Johann Brenz: History of Creation and Translation

pdf

Zinaida Andreevna Lurie, Mariya Aleksandrovna Polyakova PhD in History, assistant lecturer, Institute of foreign modern languages, St. Petersburg State University (Universitetskaia nab., 7/9, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199034) PhD in Pedagogy, assistant professor, Leading Analyst, Russian Academy of Education, Education Development Center (Pogodinskaya st., 8, Moscow, Russia, 119121)
z.lurie@spbu.ru, marussia71@yandex.ru

Mariya Aleksandrovna Polyakova PhD in Pedagogy, assistant professor, Leading Analyst, Russian Academy of Education, Education Development Center (Pogodinskaya st., 8, Moscow, Russia, 119121)
marussia71@yandex.ru

Lurie Z. A., Polyakova M. A. Brief Catechism of Johann Brenz: History of Creation and Translation, 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. 318–335.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2022-10-318-335

Language: Russian

This publication examines the Brief Catechism of Johann Brenz, a prominent figure in the Lutheran Reformation. His Questions on the Christian Faith was the second most common after Luther’s catechism, although its having a number of significant differences. The translation of the most famous edition of 1535 is presented with to the Russian reader, with the introductory article also introducing a short biography of Brenz and the history of the creation of the catechism. The relationship between the school reform carried out by the reformer and the content of the catechetical instruction is shown within the city space of Gall. In the content of Brenz’ Catechism, the starting point of instruction is the sacrament of baptism, while the Eucharist is the goal of Christian teaching.

Key words: Reformation, schools, urban Reformation, education, educational texts and practices, Gall, Heidelberg, Swabia, charter

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

Preface to the Latin Edition of the Collected Works of Martin Luther (1545): Introduction, Translation, Сomment

pdf

Rodion Valentinovich Savinov PhD in Philosophy, associate professor, Saint-Petersburg State Academy of Veterinary Medicine (ulitsa Chernigovskaya, 5, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 196084)
savrodion@yandex.ru

Savinov R. V. Preface to the Latin Edition of the Collected Works of Martin Luther (1545): Introduction, Translation, Сomment, 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. 336–356.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2022-10-336-356

Language: Russian

The material is devoted to the problem of interpreting a number of sources on the history of the Reformation, in particular, Martin Luther’s autobiographical texts. These sources have recently become into researchers’ scopus, because they contain unique information about the personality of the author and his worldview, which allows reconstructing the author’s personality. Martin Luther’s personality is inseparable from his theology, and an attempt is made to show that those texts that are traditionally historical are in fact precisely such ego-documents, and they are significant in their subjective definiteness, which makes it difficult for historical comment on these materials. At the same time, the reconstruction of the context, which is possible on the basis of the historical method, makes it possible to identify the fundamental features of ego-documents, which, on the one hand, differ in the specific ranking of events, but vary by linking them to certain concepts that are significant for the author of this text. One of the most famous ego-documents is Martin Luther’s «Preface» to his own collected works of 1545, where he describes the events preceded the beginning of the Reformation and took place at its first stage (1517–1520). It is shown that the text combines a number of key ideas that determine the nature of material grouping and its assessment. It is concluded that this text, although not an artifact for historiography, is an important source of both theological and historical order.

Key words: Reformation, Theology, Early Modern, Luther, History, Eschatology, Biography

URL: //rcs-almanac.ru/en/savinov-2022-en/

Littera scripta manet: a new view on well-known texts

pdf

Polyakova M. A. Littera scripta manet: a new view on well-known texts, 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. 358–367.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2022-10-358-368

Language: Russian

he review provides a critical brief of the monograph Nova schola. Temi e problemi di pedagogia protestante nei primi testi della Riforma (2018) by the Italian researcher of education Luana Salvarani, which, as the tiltle implies, gives an analysis of the first Reformation texts on education and school organization. The author notes, in general, the traditional set of sources involved, but the original interpretation of tje historical material, as well as the rich and metaphorical style of the book.

Key words: Luther, Melanchthon, Bugenhagen, school regulations, education reform, Reformati

URL: //rcs-almanac.ru/en/polyakova-2022-en/