This research was conducted within the framework of a communicative approach to the exploration of the academic community. Reviews, which are published in specialized historical and theological journals, are considered a vital facet of scholarly communication. In this article, we analyze these reviews not only as a means to assess scientific innovations but also as tools for establishing certain norms within the realm of research activities. By examining the reviews of the book “Russian Religious Mind” penned by the renowned Russian émigré historian George Fedotov, we identify two distinct groups of reviewers: foreigners and Russian emigrants. We highlight both commonalities and differences in their approaches to evaluating Fedotov’s concept. Almost all the reviews shared a consistent structure, encompassing references to the academic milieu in which the historian was nurtured, positioning him within the scholarly tradition, evaluating the precision and originality of his definition of the research subject and methodology, and assessing the comprehensiveness of the sources and literature employed. Furthermore, it becomes evident that a critique of Fedotov’s concept was an inherent component of these reviews, ranging from minor critical observations and clarifications to complete dismissal. The majority of reviewers adhered closely to the positivist tenets of historical research, which, in turn, impeded their ability to fully grasp Fedotov’s groundbreaking ideas, rooted in the development of the hermeneutic approach to the “subjective side of religion”. Additionally, political and religious factors exerted significant influence on the reviewers’ assessments. Émigré scholars generally harbored unequivocally negative sentiments toward Soviet historiography, while foreign researchers displayed a more tolerant attitude, allowing them to compare Fedotov's assertions with the observations of his Soviet counterparts. Notably, the most vehement criticisms, questioning the legitimacy of Fedotov’s concept, emanated from a Catholic Jesuit, revealing disparities in the interpretation of the dogmatic foundations of the Christian faith.
Key words: George P. Fedotov, Christianity, Russian religious mind, book reviews as sociomorphic instruments
DOI: 10.22250/2072-8662-2024-3-159-165
About the author
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Aleksandr V. Antoshchenko – Doctor in History, Professor, Petrozavodsk State University; 33 Lenin Street, Petrozavodsk, 185910, Russia; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |