The article analyzes the specifics of the perception of Catholicism in the periodicals of the theological academies of the Russian Empire in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. In contrast to the general trends, which were characterized by a decrease in the polemical tone, on the pages of periodicals, polemic was a key component of the look at contemporary events, which took place within the Catholic Church. In general, the articles of the second half of the 19th century can be divided into three groups. The first one includes texts of an openly polemical nature, which contain criticism of the First Vatican Council, the dogma of Papal infallibility, etc. The second group includes translations of Western articles, letters or appeals that were placed in publications with the aim of conducting hidden polemics through demonstrating disagreement with current events by some authors who were inside the Catholic Church. Particular attention in articles of this kind was paid to J. J. I. von Dellinger, one of the leaders of the Old Catholic movement. The third group includes articles in which Catholicism was considered from the historical point. This type of articles was closer to the general tendencies of the epoch. By the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries there was a shift in emphasis not only in the controversy about the “Old Catholic Issue”, but also about Catholicism in general. Christianity in its various manifestations began to be perceived as a social regulator that could help in overcoming social instability. In this context, a revision of established view of the Roman Catholic Church began to rise slowly.
Key words: periodicals of theological academies of the late 19th – early 20th centuries, Catholicism, Old Catholicism, Church periodicals of the late 19th – early 20th centuries, “Theological Bulletin”, “Christian Reading”
DOI: 10.22250/20728662_2023_4_117
About the author
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Elizaveta G. Bruk – assistant, St. Petersburg State University; 5 Mendeleevskaya liniya, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |