Bažnyčios istorija Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Teologijos-filosofijos fakulteto profesorių Antano Aleknos ir Jono Totoraičio apibendrinamojo pobūdžio darbuose

Straipsnyje analizuojami istorikų, Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Teologijos-filosofijos fakulteto profesorių Antano Aleknos ir Jono Totoraičio sintetinio pobūdžio darbai ir vadovėliai lyginant kontroversiškiausių Bažnyčios istorijos temų, tokių kaip kryžiaus karai, inkvizicija, reformacija, pateikimą.

Author of this article concluded that J. Totoraitis was much more cautious than A. Alekna in his historical works. J. Totoraitis was familiar with the historical methodology, especially from Ernst Bernheim works. A. Alekna pointed out that the Crusades involved only knights of “high moral”, J. Totoraitis highlighted that during this historical process two worlds had clash and Western Europe has not reached its goal to liberate the Holy Sepulchre but suffered from a cultural influence. A. Alekna could be relatively considered as a historian of “traditionalistic” view, J. Totoraitis – as of “pluralistic” one. Writing about the Inquisition two historians followed the principle of historicism, which requires showing things how they were in the past, but not “judging” from modern perspective. A. Alekna as the main cause of the Reformation identified poor education of the clergy; J. Totoraitis tried to avoid categorical statements as much as possible in order to maintain the standards of critical historiography. Although in J. Totoraitis textbooks ideas of Christian Eurocentrism were significant (“white race” as “culture bearer”). It matched the academic discourse of their era.