Службові листи як джерело з історії протестантського руху на українських землях (1905–1917 рр.)

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to analyze the official letters of the authorities as a source on the history of the Protestant movement in Ukraine in 1905–1917. The following scientific tasks are envisaged: source analysis of official letters, determination of types of available source information, introduction of new documents into scientific circulation and provision of their characteristics for the purpose of further scientific retrospective. The methodology is based on the principles of historicism and objectivity. During the writing of the article the method of system source analysis, archival heuristics, descriptive method and method of analysis and synthesis were used. The textual method made it possible to study the structure of the text, given the specificity of its presentation. The novelty of the research is the introduction into scientific circulation of new sources, determining their scientific relevance and expanding the boundaries of research in aspects of the issue. An analysis of documents revealing the peculiarities of conducting services and prayer meetings by religious communities of the Protestant movement, the rules of transition to non-Orthodox faiths and the principles of implementing political decisions on Protestants as an opposition to the government. The processed sources have a great informative potential on the government's policy towards the religious opposition, various aspects of the activities of certain areas of the Protestant movement, and the sources provide an opportunity to study in detail the phenomenon of Protestant movement popularity in Ukraine during the study period. The introduction of official letters into scientific circulation as a source for covering the history of the Protestant movement will contribute to an objective study of the peculiarities of its manifestation and the policy of the authorities. The scientific value of the article is due to the formulation and study of current sources on the history of the Protestant movement in Ukraine.