ON THE QUESTION OF “THE BEGINNINGS OF SPECIFIC PROTESTANTISM” IN THE WORKS OF IVAN VYSHENSKY

Abstract

The article proposes a verification of the frequent arguments used by those researchers who insisted on I. Vyshensky’s tendency to reproduce the ideas of Protestantism. Their motivational factors are revealed. The fundamental works of I. Vyshensky are subject to interpretation, in which similarities with the doctrinal provisions of Protestantism are noticeable. The role of an analytical tool for verifying such similarities is performed by the hermeneutic method. It is argued that I. Vyshensky’s works can be identified as belonging to the genre of invective. In the perspective of identifying possible Protestant influences, the content of I. Vyshensky’s declarations about salvation by faith, about a pastorless church, about the perception of Orthodox believers as a “royal priesthood”, and about sola scriptura is revealed. On the other hand, I. Vyshensky’s statements about the need to venerate icons and his apologetics of the monastic way of life seem inconsistent with the spirit of Protestantism. The article summarizes the problematic nature of the researchers’ declarations about I. Vyshensky’s inclination towards «specific Protestantism» and his ambiguous use of the term “evangelists”. The version about I. Vyshensky’s familiarity with the ideas of Christopher Philalet’s treatise “Apokrysys” is recognized as appropriate. This is precisely where the similarity of several of his statements with some provisions of the Protestant creed should be seen.