British Historiography of the 1980s–1990s on Humanism and the Reformation in England in the 16th Century
British Historiography of the 1980s–1990s on Humanism and the Reformation in England in the 16th Century
Khazhakyan Vachagan
Summary
Key words: humanist, reformist, ideology, religion, theologian, doctrine, worldview, ethics
During the 1980s and 1990s, several British historians focused primarily on the worldview and ideology of English humanists and reformers of the 15th and 16th centuries. In contrast to Marxist historiography, these scholars sought to reinterpret the formation and development of the humanist worldview, as well as the fundamental problems of the English Reformation, through a comprehensive analysis of the ideology, philosophy, and ethical views of various Renaissance humanists and reformers.
British historians placed particular emphasis on the history of social thought in England during this period, which allowed humanism and the Reformation to be examined as evolving and interacting ideological movements. This approach revealed not only the fundamental differences between English humanists and reformers on key ideological and political problems, but also demonstrated the existence of a historical continuity and mutual influence between humanism and the Reformation.