The name Jehovah on trial in Russia : Is it an inappropriate and disqualifying addition made to the Bible, or has the Russian nation been deprived of the awareness of its origin?

Abstract: Because of the recent ban on a Bible translation, in part because of the renderingof God’s name as Jehovah, this thesis analyses what can be learned on the topic of the attitude in Russia towards that name from a historic viewpoint. Early occurrences of the name within the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as examples of prominent authors’ usage of the name in the secular literary sphere, are being discussed. Particular interest is paid to the literature of the 19th century, in an attempt to determine what knowledge the authors had access to, as well as to establish how familiar this rendering of the name was to the society. The analysis continues with literary examples from the 20th century, searching for indications that could reveal the time and possible reason for the altered connotations to the name. My interest is the cultural and historical perspective on the awareness of the name, whether it was a natural part of the cultural and religious heritage or not. And if it was – when and why was the general public deprived of that heritage?I believe that this interdisciplinary approach can provide a valuable picture, impossible to gain if the discussion would have been solely about religiousminorities’ rights.