Old believers’ use of the opponents’ essays

The article presents the results of an analysis of collections and works written by the Old Believers in the 17th - 18th centuries, in order to find out how they used fragments from the works of their ideological opponents. Attention is drawn to the fact that the first generation of defenders of the Old Believers has used quotations from works written in defense of the church reform in order to refute the argument justifying the changes introduced into the rite and the liturgical practice of the Russian Orthodox Church. This method, inherited from Ancient Russia became traditional for the Old Believers. Gradually they began to use parts from the writings of official church representatives to substantiate their point of view on controversial issues. Analysis of the collection of preparatory materials for the «Dyakon Answers» gave an opportunity to understand how the theoretical basis for such an attitude to fragments from opponents’ materials appeared. An analysis of the relevant texts of the collection made it possible to show that a fragment was usually taken out of context and interpreted according to the goals of the Old Believers. As a result, quotes from the works of opponents turned into arguments supporting the Old Believers' point of view in discussions. The texts were quoted «word-for-word», without context but with the appropriate interpretation. «Evidence» was selected in accordance with special principles, for example, «according to the ancient Saints» or «enemies are correct in saying». It was stressed that the enemies were doing it «involuntarily» and «unwillingly». All this allowed the Old Believers to use fragments from anti-Old Believer works in authors writings and collections as authoritative arguments to confirm their interpretation of the church reform initiated by Patriarch Nikon.