Nina Adamova | Saint-Petersburg State University (original) (raw)
Papers by Nina Adamova
Диалог со временем, 2023
The paper examines how early modern readers perceived and used the “Nuremberg Chronicle” (1493) ... more The paper examines how early modern readers perceived and used the “Nuremberg
Chronicle” (1493) by Hartman Schedel. The paper outlines creation of the “Nuremberg Chronicle”, discussing the intentions of its authors, and observes what readers actually possessed the “Nuremberg Chronicle” in early modern Europe. Finally, relying on the early modern readers’ marginalia in more than one hundred copies of the “Nuremberg Chronicle” held by the British, Russian, and German libraries, the paper explores the readers’ interests and reading practices. The paper especially focuses on how the readers of conflicting confessional affiliations interacted with Schedel’s narrative of “sacred history” in the context of Reformation.
Статья посвящена восприятию «Книги хроник» (1493) Хартмана Шеделя читателями раннего нового времени. В статье рассматриваются особенности создания «Книги хроник», то, каким видели будущего читателя ее нюрнбергские создатели, а также, кем были реальные владельцы экземпляров книги в Европе раннего нового времени. Наконец, на основе анализа читательских маргиналий конца XV-XVII вв. в ста экземплярах «Книги хроник» из британских, российских и немецких библиотек характеризуются интересы и практики читателей этой книги. Особое внимание уделяется тому, как в условиях Реформации читатели разной конфессиональной принадлежности взаимодействовали с нарративом Шеделя о «сакральной истории».
In: Communities of print : books and their readers in early modern Europe. Edited by Rosamund Oates, Jessica G. Purdy. Lieden: Brill, 2022
This chapter focuses on a captivating case of early modern reading: the Chetham's Library (Manche... more This chapter focuses on a captivating case of early modern reading: the Chetham's Library (Manchester, UK) copy of the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493). This copy of famous illustrated world and sacred history was heavily annotated by a Lancashire gentleman in the late 16th century, Thomas Gudlawe.
The chapter discusses the structure, meaning, and purpose of Thomas Gudlawe’s annotations. His seemingly unusual marginalia, when set in the local contemporary context and compared to other annotated copies of the Chronicle, do reflect general tendencies in reading, such as a profound interest in encyclopaedic knowledge. Gudlawe’s reading of sacred history also provides insights into the blurred confessional identity of a Protestant, living in one of the most Catholic counties of Elizabethan England.
Klio, 2020
The paper examines the sermon A Modell of Christian Charity by John Winthrop (1630), written at t... more The paper examines the sermon A Modell of Christian Charity by John Winthrop (1630), written at the outset of 'godly' migration to New England. This sermon had hardly influenced Winthrop's contemporaries, and was first published only two centuries later. However, in the second half of the 20 th century, the sermon and the metaphor "city upon a hill" rapidly made their way up to the corpus of the key texts of American national self. Analysing Winthrop's sermon in the context of contemporary sources (pamphlets, homilies, and correspondence concerning the emigration to New England), the paper explores its implied meanings: from being an argument in puritan controversy over the lawfulness of coming over to America-to the contemplations over the Christian love and its practical application. Paper also traces the 20 th century transformation of a 'city upon a hill' into a myth-the change, which was triggered both by long-continued failure to understand the Puritan discourse, as well as by political spirit of the Cold War.
В статье анализируется проповедь губернатора колонии Массачусетс Джона Уинтропа «Образец христианского милосердия» (1630), написанная в начале пуританской эмиграции из Англии. Эта проповедь почти не оказала влияния на современников и была впервые опубликована лишь два века спустя. Однако во второй половине ХХ в. она внезапно совершила головокружительную карьеру, став одним из ключевых текстов американского национального самосознания. На основе семиотического анализа текста проповеди и метафоры «город на холме» в сопоставлении с синхронными документами (памфлетами, проповедями, корреспонденцией) раскрываются смыслы этого документа – аргумента в пуританской полемике об оправданности эмиграции за океан во время религиозного кризиса, а также назидания в помощи ближнему в условиях переселения. На основе историографических дискуссий ХХ века демонстрируется динамика трансформации значения «город на холме» из метафоры в национальный миф, связанная как с ошибками интерпретации пуританского дискурса, так и с влиянием политических факторов Холодной войны.
The migration to the Massachusetts Bay Colony had crucial consequences for the seventeenth centur... more The migration to the Massachusetts Bay Colony had crucial consequences for the seventeenth century England and her colonies. It provided momentum for the Great Migration on the eve of the English Civil Wars of the 1640s, it preconditioned the advance of theocracy and local exceptionalism in Massachusetts, and finally, it fostered the development of ‘New England Puritanism’, which influenced the both sides of Atlantic. However, these impressive outcomes could not be known at the very start of emigration to Massachusetts in 1628–1631. Did English men and women ever notice this migration? Was it seen as something exceptional? Did it have any impact on domestic issues in England? Relying on promotional literature, sermons, and correspondence, this paper places migration to Massachusetts within transatlantic context of the early Stuart period and explores the views of its participants and observers. It argues that migration to Massachusetts between 1628 and 1631 was never regarded as an exceptional opportunity. Although mobility was not uncommon for English society, its discourse generally favoured other destinations such as Ireland, the Netherlands or the West Indies. Even the ‘godly’ regarded Massachusetts as just one of the suitable settlements and stressed its unexceptional nature. However, the paper outlines two crucial impacts, the discourse of early Massachusetts migration did have on the English society. First, it improved public perception of potential emigrants by upgrading their image from the ‘idle drones’ of John Smith to the respectful ‘godly’. Secondly, it introduced contemporary religious controversy into the discussions of migration to America, thus setting the discourse of Reformation in transatlantic perspective.
Within the past two decades, ' American exceptionalism' has become a trendy term both in politica... more Within the past two decades, ' American exceptionalism' has become a trendy term both in political debates and academic discussions. Today, the words ' American exceptionalism' generally imply either the uniqueness or superiority of a number of American features over those of the rest of the world. However, the term originally had little in common with such interpretations when it was coined in a controversy among American Communists in 1920s. Relying on the publications of various Marxist factions in the USA and documents of the Comintern, this paper aims to trace the early history of the term ' American exceptionalism' in the 1920 and 1930s and to deconstruct related concepts. It is argued that even solely within Marxist discourse the term ' American exceptionalism' had several meanings and all of them differed considerably from contemporary definitions. First, it was used sarcastically to address the members of the Communist Party who did not believe that the crisis of capitalism had already started in America. Then, the interpretations of the term ranged from the belief in the exceptional impeccability of the Comintern under the Soviet leadership, to the claims that exceptional features of American imperialism should be taken as evidence of Lenin's theory of uneven development. The paper also outlines the concepts, which ' American exceptionalism' tended to imply later, from the 1940s to 1960s both inside and outside Marxist discourse. In addition, the paper employs a range of methods suitable for analysing any myths of exceptionalism, with special attention to Roland Barthes' theory of mythological systems. Finally, the paper suggests a definition of exceptionalism, which may be used as a starting point for the historical study of similar myths.
This article deals with the perception of emigration experienced by the first settlers of the Ply... more This article deals with the perception of emigration experienced by the first settlers of the Plymouth colony, known as “Pilgrim Fathers”. To overcome the identity crisis caused by removal from their native land, the colonists had to explain the meaning of their emigration to themselves and to their excountrymen. The settlers attempted to find the answers by comparing their experience to the Scripture and ecclesiastical history. Such attempts can be arranged in three “typological” patterns of emigration images: exodus, pilgrimage and mission. The analysis shows that each of those patterns aimed to
strengthen emigrants’ identity. Firstly, comparisons to pilgrims which “don’t have mother country except heavens” legitimized colonists’ emigration from their native land. Secondly, settlers considered
migration to be a respected mission inspired and approved by God, a perception, which helped them to raise their social and political status. And thirdly, Pilgrim Fathers reconstructed their territorial identity which was partly lost after emigration, by incorporating America into their worldview: America was considered either a trying ordeal on their way to God (compared to Egypt and wilderness), or an extension of England (as a possession of the British Monarch), but never a final destination of the settlers. Thus emigrants did not identify themselves as exiles, refugees or outcasts, but they believed they were pilgrims, missionaries and the instruments of God’s will.
В статье анализируется восприятие эмиграции поселенцами Нового Плимута, известными в историографии как «отцы-пилигримы». Чтобы преодолеть кризис самоидентификации, выз-ванный переселением из родной страны, колонисты пытались объяснить себе и своим бывшим соотечественникам значение эмиграции. Для этой цели они использовали параллели со Свя-щенным Писанием и историей церкви. Среди таких объяснений, приведенных колонистами в различного рода сочинениях, автор выделяет три вида «типологических» образов эмиграции: исход, паломничество и миссия. Исследование показывает, что все три интерпретации были призваны укрепить чувство положительной идентичности эмигрантов. Во-первых, сравнение с пилигримами, у которых «единственной отчизной были небеса», оправдывало отъезд из своей родной страны. Во-вторых, колонисты изображали переселение как почетную миссию, вдохнов-ленную Богом, что помогало им поднять свой социальный и политический статус. И, в-третьих, с помощью типологических параллелей «отцы-пилигримы» объясняли свою новую «террито-риальную» идентичность: они воспринимали Америку либо как испытание на пути к Господу (сравнивая ее с Египтом и пустыней), либо как продолжение Англии (как владение английского монарха), и никогда не описывали ее как место назначения своего путешествия. Тем самым эми-гранты избегали самоотождествления с изгнанниками и беженцами и, напротив, считали себя пилигримами, миссионерами и орудиями Божьей воли.
Колонисты Новой Англии занимают особое место в американском самосознании и национальной истории. ... more Колонисты Новой Англии занимают особое место в американском самосознании и национальной истории. За четыре века образы эмигрантов-пуритан XVII в. подверглись мифологизации, которая фактически превратила их в «святых» американской «гражданской религии». В XVII-XIX вв. историческая наука в США способствовала процессу идеализации колонистов Новой Англии.
В статье анализируется этногосударственная идентичность английских пуритан в раннестюартовскую эп... more В статье анализируется этногосударственная идентичность английских пуритан в раннестюартовскую эпоху. Именно в это время, когда в связи с Реформацией общеевро-пейское христианское единство уже распалось, а национальные идентичности в Европе только начали формироваться, особенно интересно взглянуть на Англию, население ко-торой, в связи с островным положением и особенностями исторического развития, чаще разделяло изоляционистские идеи, нежели его континентальные соседи. Проблема, раз-бираемая в статье, заключается в следующем. В пуританских источниках этой эпохи встречаются, казалось бы, противоречивые высказывания. С одной стороны, многочис-ленны «англоцентристские» заявления (Англия – «избранный народ»), что позволило ря-ду историков говорить о раннем английском «национализме». С другой стороны, пури-тане всегда стремились доказать свою общность с европейским протестантским сообще-ством. Автор статьи приходит к выводу, что кажущаяся «противоречивость» идентично-сти пуритан – представления об «исключительности» Англии и одновременно о европей-ском единстве – объясняется протестантским учением о церкви. Церковь Англии, к кото-рой принадлежали пуритане, была государственной, и потому понятия этнической и ре-лигиозной принадлежности для англичан сливались воедино. В связи с этим, вопрос об идентичности для пуритан фактически был вопросом о том, насколько Церковь Англии отличается от европейских церквей. На основе анализа пуританских богословских сочи-нений и проповедей автор делает вывод о том, что пуритане прежде всего чувствовали свою принадлежность к европейскому протестантскому миру: они считали церковь Ан-глии органической частью кафолической церкви (в христианском контексте представле-ния об «исключительности» церкви приравнивались бы к расколу). Уверенность же в особой милости Бога к церкви Англии вызывала у пуритан не чувство превосходства над европейскими церквями, а обеспокоенность в связи с ответственностью своей церкви за судьбы христианства. Таким образом, говорить об англоцентричности пуритан в ранне-стюартовскую эпоху кажется преждевременным.
The article examines the ethnical and civil identity of the English Puritans in the Early Stuart epoch. This period, characterized by the collapse of the European confessional unity due to Reformation, and the rise of national identities in Europe, is especially interesting for investi-gation of identity-building process in England, as her people due to the insularity of their country and distinctive traits of historical process, more often than their European neighbours claimed the isolationist ideas. The main issue dealt with in the article, is as following. The Puritan sources of the period provide a researcher with seemingly controversial ideas. On the one hand, there are numerous “anglocentric” statements (like England being a “chosen nation”), which made some historians state the existence of the early English “nationalism”. On the other hand, the sources make it evident, that the Puritans sought to prove their unity with the European Protestant communion. The author of the article arrives to the conclusion that the contradiction of the Puritans’ identity (the concepts of the English exceptionalism and of the European unity at the same time) are explained well by the Protestant ecclesiology they shared. The Church of England, to which the Puritans belonged, has been a national church, and this is why the concepts of national and religious identities merged into one for her members. This is why the issue of identity, in fact, meant to a Puritan an extent, to which the Church of England differed from the European churches. Basing on the analysis of the Puritan theological works and sermons, the author arrives to the conclusion that, first of all, the Puritans felt they belonged to the European Protestant world, as they considered the Church of England to be an integral part of the “Catholic” univer-sal church (according to the Christian ecclesiology, a church exceptionalism would mean a schism). The belief in God’s grace granted to England did not arouse among them the feeling of superiority over the European churches, but caused a concern of the responsibility for the future of the Christianity their church assumed. Thus, it seems not appropriate to claim the existence of anglocentric identity of the Puritans in the early Stuart epoch.
The article deals with the concepts of “sainthood”, “predestination” and “exceptionalism”, typica... more The article deals with the concepts of “sainthood”, “predestination” and “exceptionalism”, typical for the outlook of English puritans in the early seventeenth century. The author concludes, contrary to the existing stereotypes, that during that period the doctrine of predestination still had not become the source for the feeling of superiority over the others, which flourished in the Puritan-Independent community by the middle of the century.
В статье анализируются представления о «святости», «предопределении» и «исключительности», характерные для английских пуритан первой трети XVII в. Автор приходит к выводу, что, вопреки сложившимся стереотипам, в этот период учение о предопределении все еще не стало основой чувства превосходства над остальными, которое разовьется в пуританско-индепендентской среде ближе к середине столетия.
Thesis Chapters by Nina Adamova
This is a published abstract of the thesis. American exceptionalism is widely believed to be roo... more This is a published abstract of the thesis.
American exceptionalism is widely believed to be rooted in the Puritan New England. This point of view is objected in the thesis. By examining Puritan and Separatist attitudes to their own communities and to their motherland and New England, the author suggests that both Puritans and Separatists did not consider any of the entities mentioned above to be exceptional. It is argued that the both religious groups, although in a slightly different way, conceived themselves as an integral part of a wider, reformed or even "universal catholic (meaning protestant)" community. In the very beginning of their colonial enterprise, American lands apparently were not considered to be exceptional, and were regarded as a temporal shelter or a "wilderness" of temptations.
Диалог со временем, 2023
The paper examines how early modern readers perceived and used the “Nuremberg Chronicle” (1493) ... more The paper examines how early modern readers perceived and used the “Nuremberg
Chronicle” (1493) by Hartman Schedel. The paper outlines creation of the “Nuremberg Chronicle”, discussing the intentions of its authors, and observes what readers actually possessed the “Nuremberg Chronicle” in early modern Europe. Finally, relying on the early modern readers’ marginalia in more than one hundred copies of the “Nuremberg Chronicle” held by the British, Russian, and German libraries, the paper explores the readers’ interests and reading practices. The paper especially focuses on how the readers of conflicting confessional affiliations interacted with Schedel’s narrative of “sacred history” in the context of Reformation.
Статья посвящена восприятию «Книги хроник» (1493) Хартмана Шеделя читателями раннего нового времени. В статье рассматриваются особенности создания «Книги хроник», то, каким видели будущего читателя ее нюрнбергские создатели, а также, кем были реальные владельцы экземпляров книги в Европе раннего нового времени. Наконец, на основе анализа читательских маргиналий конца XV-XVII вв. в ста экземплярах «Книги хроник» из британских, российских и немецких библиотек характеризуются интересы и практики читателей этой книги. Особое внимание уделяется тому, как в условиях Реформации читатели разной конфессиональной принадлежности взаимодействовали с нарративом Шеделя о «сакральной истории».
In: Communities of print : books and their readers in early modern Europe. Edited by Rosamund Oates, Jessica G. Purdy. Lieden: Brill, 2022
This chapter focuses on a captivating case of early modern reading: the Chetham's Library (Manche... more This chapter focuses on a captivating case of early modern reading: the Chetham's Library (Manchester, UK) copy of the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493). This copy of famous illustrated world and sacred history was heavily annotated by a Lancashire gentleman in the late 16th century, Thomas Gudlawe.
The chapter discusses the structure, meaning, and purpose of Thomas Gudlawe’s annotations. His seemingly unusual marginalia, when set in the local contemporary context and compared to other annotated copies of the Chronicle, do reflect general tendencies in reading, such as a profound interest in encyclopaedic knowledge. Gudlawe’s reading of sacred history also provides insights into the blurred confessional identity of a Protestant, living in one of the most Catholic counties of Elizabethan England.
Klio, 2020
The paper examines the sermon A Modell of Christian Charity by John Winthrop (1630), written at t... more The paper examines the sermon A Modell of Christian Charity by John Winthrop (1630), written at the outset of 'godly' migration to New England. This sermon had hardly influenced Winthrop's contemporaries, and was first published only two centuries later. However, in the second half of the 20 th century, the sermon and the metaphor "city upon a hill" rapidly made their way up to the corpus of the key texts of American national self. Analysing Winthrop's sermon in the context of contemporary sources (pamphlets, homilies, and correspondence concerning the emigration to New England), the paper explores its implied meanings: from being an argument in puritan controversy over the lawfulness of coming over to America-to the contemplations over the Christian love and its practical application. Paper also traces the 20 th century transformation of a 'city upon a hill' into a myth-the change, which was triggered both by long-continued failure to understand the Puritan discourse, as well as by political spirit of the Cold War.
В статье анализируется проповедь губернатора колонии Массачусетс Джона Уинтропа «Образец христианского милосердия» (1630), написанная в начале пуританской эмиграции из Англии. Эта проповедь почти не оказала влияния на современников и была впервые опубликована лишь два века спустя. Однако во второй половине ХХ в. она внезапно совершила головокружительную карьеру, став одним из ключевых текстов американского национального самосознания. На основе семиотического анализа текста проповеди и метафоры «город на холме» в сопоставлении с синхронными документами (памфлетами, проповедями, корреспонденцией) раскрываются смыслы этого документа – аргумента в пуританской полемике об оправданности эмиграции за океан во время религиозного кризиса, а также назидания в помощи ближнему в условиях переселения. На основе историографических дискуссий ХХ века демонстрируется динамика трансформации значения «город на холме» из метафоры в национальный миф, связанная как с ошибками интерпретации пуританского дискурса, так и с влиянием политических факторов Холодной войны.
The migration to the Massachusetts Bay Colony had crucial consequences for the seventeenth centur... more The migration to the Massachusetts Bay Colony had crucial consequences for the seventeenth century England and her colonies. It provided momentum for the Great Migration on the eve of the English Civil Wars of the 1640s, it preconditioned the advance of theocracy and local exceptionalism in Massachusetts, and finally, it fostered the development of ‘New England Puritanism’, which influenced the both sides of Atlantic. However, these impressive outcomes could not be known at the very start of emigration to Massachusetts in 1628–1631. Did English men and women ever notice this migration? Was it seen as something exceptional? Did it have any impact on domestic issues in England? Relying on promotional literature, sermons, and correspondence, this paper places migration to Massachusetts within transatlantic context of the early Stuart period and explores the views of its participants and observers. It argues that migration to Massachusetts between 1628 and 1631 was never regarded as an exceptional opportunity. Although mobility was not uncommon for English society, its discourse generally favoured other destinations such as Ireland, the Netherlands or the West Indies. Even the ‘godly’ regarded Massachusetts as just one of the suitable settlements and stressed its unexceptional nature. However, the paper outlines two crucial impacts, the discourse of early Massachusetts migration did have on the English society. First, it improved public perception of potential emigrants by upgrading their image from the ‘idle drones’ of John Smith to the respectful ‘godly’. Secondly, it introduced contemporary religious controversy into the discussions of migration to America, thus setting the discourse of Reformation in transatlantic perspective.
Within the past two decades, ' American exceptionalism' has become a trendy term both in politica... more Within the past two decades, ' American exceptionalism' has become a trendy term both in political debates and academic discussions. Today, the words ' American exceptionalism' generally imply either the uniqueness or superiority of a number of American features over those of the rest of the world. However, the term originally had little in common with such interpretations when it was coined in a controversy among American Communists in 1920s. Relying on the publications of various Marxist factions in the USA and documents of the Comintern, this paper aims to trace the early history of the term ' American exceptionalism' in the 1920 and 1930s and to deconstruct related concepts. It is argued that even solely within Marxist discourse the term ' American exceptionalism' had several meanings and all of them differed considerably from contemporary definitions. First, it was used sarcastically to address the members of the Communist Party who did not believe that the crisis of capitalism had already started in America. Then, the interpretations of the term ranged from the belief in the exceptional impeccability of the Comintern under the Soviet leadership, to the claims that exceptional features of American imperialism should be taken as evidence of Lenin's theory of uneven development. The paper also outlines the concepts, which ' American exceptionalism' tended to imply later, from the 1940s to 1960s both inside and outside Marxist discourse. In addition, the paper employs a range of methods suitable for analysing any myths of exceptionalism, with special attention to Roland Barthes' theory of mythological systems. Finally, the paper suggests a definition of exceptionalism, which may be used as a starting point for the historical study of similar myths.
This article deals with the perception of emigration experienced by the first settlers of the Ply... more This article deals with the perception of emigration experienced by the first settlers of the Plymouth colony, known as “Pilgrim Fathers”. To overcome the identity crisis caused by removal from their native land, the colonists had to explain the meaning of their emigration to themselves and to their excountrymen. The settlers attempted to find the answers by comparing their experience to the Scripture and ecclesiastical history. Such attempts can be arranged in three “typological” patterns of emigration images: exodus, pilgrimage and mission. The analysis shows that each of those patterns aimed to
strengthen emigrants’ identity. Firstly, comparisons to pilgrims which “don’t have mother country except heavens” legitimized colonists’ emigration from their native land. Secondly, settlers considered
migration to be a respected mission inspired and approved by God, a perception, which helped them to raise their social and political status. And thirdly, Pilgrim Fathers reconstructed their territorial identity which was partly lost after emigration, by incorporating America into their worldview: America was considered either a trying ordeal on their way to God (compared to Egypt and wilderness), or an extension of England (as a possession of the British Monarch), but never a final destination of the settlers. Thus emigrants did not identify themselves as exiles, refugees or outcasts, but they believed they were pilgrims, missionaries and the instruments of God’s will.
В статье анализируется восприятие эмиграции поселенцами Нового Плимута, известными в историографии как «отцы-пилигримы». Чтобы преодолеть кризис самоидентификации, выз-ванный переселением из родной страны, колонисты пытались объяснить себе и своим бывшим соотечественникам значение эмиграции. Для этой цели они использовали параллели со Свя-щенным Писанием и историей церкви. Среди таких объяснений, приведенных колонистами в различного рода сочинениях, автор выделяет три вида «типологических» образов эмиграции: исход, паломничество и миссия. Исследование показывает, что все три интерпретации были призваны укрепить чувство положительной идентичности эмигрантов. Во-первых, сравнение с пилигримами, у которых «единственной отчизной были небеса», оправдывало отъезд из своей родной страны. Во-вторых, колонисты изображали переселение как почетную миссию, вдохнов-ленную Богом, что помогало им поднять свой социальный и политический статус. И, в-третьих, с помощью типологических параллелей «отцы-пилигримы» объясняли свою новую «террито-риальную» идентичность: они воспринимали Америку либо как испытание на пути к Господу (сравнивая ее с Египтом и пустыней), либо как продолжение Англии (как владение английского монарха), и никогда не описывали ее как место назначения своего путешествия. Тем самым эми-гранты избегали самоотождествления с изгнанниками и беженцами и, напротив, считали себя пилигримами, миссионерами и орудиями Божьей воли.
Колонисты Новой Англии занимают особое место в американском самосознании и национальной истории. ... more Колонисты Новой Англии занимают особое место в американском самосознании и национальной истории. За четыре века образы эмигрантов-пуритан XVII в. подверглись мифологизации, которая фактически превратила их в «святых» американской «гражданской религии». В XVII-XIX вв. историческая наука в США способствовала процессу идеализации колонистов Новой Англии.
В статье анализируется этногосударственная идентичность английских пуритан в раннестюартовскую эп... more В статье анализируется этногосударственная идентичность английских пуритан в раннестюартовскую эпоху. Именно в это время, когда в связи с Реформацией общеевро-пейское христианское единство уже распалось, а национальные идентичности в Европе только начали формироваться, особенно интересно взглянуть на Англию, население ко-торой, в связи с островным положением и особенностями исторического развития, чаще разделяло изоляционистские идеи, нежели его континентальные соседи. Проблема, раз-бираемая в статье, заключается в следующем. В пуританских источниках этой эпохи встречаются, казалось бы, противоречивые высказывания. С одной стороны, многочис-ленны «англоцентристские» заявления (Англия – «избранный народ»), что позволило ря-ду историков говорить о раннем английском «национализме». С другой стороны, пури-тане всегда стремились доказать свою общность с европейским протестантским сообще-ством. Автор статьи приходит к выводу, что кажущаяся «противоречивость» идентично-сти пуритан – представления об «исключительности» Англии и одновременно о европей-ском единстве – объясняется протестантским учением о церкви. Церковь Англии, к кото-рой принадлежали пуритане, была государственной, и потому понятия этнической и ре-лигиозной принадлежности для англичан сливались воедино. В связи с этим, вопрос об идентичности для пуритан фактически был вопросом о том, насколько Церковь Англии отличается от европейских церквей. На основе анализа пуританских богословских сочи-нений и проповедей автор делает вывод о том, что пуритане прежде всего чувствовали свою принадлежность к европейскому протестантскому миру: они считали церковь Ан-глии органической частью кафолической церкви (в христианском контексте представле-ния об «исключительности» церкви приравнивались бы к расколу). Уверенность же в особой милости Бога к церкви Англии вызывала у пуритан не чувство превосходства над европейскими церквями, а обеспокоенность в связи с ответственностью своей церкви за судьбы христианства. Таким образом, говорить об англоцентричности пуритан в ранне-стюартовскую эпоху кажется преждевременным.
The article examines the ethnical and civil identity of the English Puritans in the Early Stuart epoch. This period, characterized by the collapse of the European confessional unity due to Reformation, and the rise of national identities in Europe, is especially interesting for investi-gation of identity-building process in England, as her people due to the insularity of their country and distinctive traits of historical process, more often than their European neighbours claimed the isolationist ideas. The main issue dealt with in the article, is as following. The Puritan sources of the period provide a researcher with seemingly controversial ideas. On the one hand, there are numerous “anglocentric” statements (like England being a “chosen nation”), which made some historians state the existence of the early English “nationalism”. On the other hand, the sources make it evident, that the Puritans sought to prove their unity with the European Protestant communion. The author of the article arrives to the conclusion that the contradiction of the Puritans’ identity (the concepts of the English exceptionalism and of the European unity at the same time) are explained well by the Protestant ecclesiology they shared. The Church of England, to which the Puritans belonged, has been a national church, and this is why the concepts of national and religious identities merged into one for her members. This is why the issue of identity, in fact, meant to a Puritan an extent, to which the Church of England differed from the European churches. Basing on the analysis of the Puritan theological works and sermons, the author arrives to the conclusion that, first of all, the Puritans felt they belonged to the European Protestant world, as they considered the Church of England to be an integral part of the “Catholic” univer-sal church (according to the Christian ecclesiology, a church exceptionalism would mean a schism). The belief in God’s grace granted to England did not arouse among them the feeling of superiority over the European churches, but caused a concern of the responsibility for the future of the Christianity their church assumed. Thus, it seems not appropriate to claim the existence of anglocentric identity of the Puritans in the early Stuart epoch.
The article deals with the concepts of “sainthood”, “predestination” and “exceptionalism”, typica... more The article deals with the concepts of “sainthood”, “predestination” and “exceptionalism”, typical for the outlook of English puritans in the early seventeenth century. The author concludes, contrary to the existing stereotypes, that during that period the doctrine of predestination still had not become the source for the feeling of superiority over the others, which flourished in the Puritan-Independent community by the middle of the century.
В статье анализируются представления о «святости», «предопределении» и «исключительности», характерные для английских пуритан первой трети XVII в. Автор приходит к выводу, что, вопреки сложившимся стереотипам, в этот период учение о предопределении все еще не стало основой чувства превосходства над остальными, которое разовьется в пуританско-индепендентской среде ближе к середине столетия.
This is a published abstract of the thesis. American exceptionalism is widely believed to be roo... more This is a published abstract of the thesis.
American exceptionalism is widely believed to be rooted in the Puritan New England. This point of view is objected in the thesis. By examining Puritan and Separatist attitudes to their own communities and to their motherland and New England, the author suggests that both Puritans and Separatists did not consider any of the entities mentioned above to be exceptional. It is argued that the both religious groups, although in a slightly different way, conceived themselves as an integral part of a wider, reformed or even "universal catholic (meaning protestant)" community. In the very beginning of their colonial enterprise, American lands apparently were not considered to be exceptional, and were regarded as a temporal shelter or a "wilderness" of temptations.