The name of the journal:

The Nicholai Studies: International Journal for Research of Theological and Ecclesiastical Contribution of Nicholai Velimirovich / Николајеве студије: међународни часопис за истраживање богословског и црквеног доприноса Николаја Велимировића

The theme and the purpose of the journal:

The Nicholai Studies are an international journal for research of theological and ecclesiastical contribution of Nicholai Velimirovich (1881–1956), as well as the wider context in which he lived and created, i. e. the reception of his ideas and his heritage in general.

Nicholai Studies are open for research of philosophy and theology, for works on the subject of ecclesiastical and social history, for ecumenical treatises, literary analyses, politicological research, sociological and religious studies, and in principal, for every critical research of theological-ecclesiastical, socio-political and cultural climate in which Nicholai Velimirovich lived and worked.

Besides Nicholai Velimirovich, Nicholai Studies also focuses on the individuals who were his friends and associates, as well as on the people who criticized him and on those people he was connected to, such as Archpriest Aleksa Ilić (Алекса Илић, 1842–1920), Serbian Patriarch Dimitrije Pavlović (Димитрије Павловић, 1846–1930), historian and diplomat Čedomilj Mijatović (Чедомиљ Мијатовић, 1842–1932), Christian Catholic bishop of Switzerland Eduard Herzog (1841–1924), Archpriest Vojislav Janić (Војислав Јанић, 1890–1944), philosopher and theoretician of modern painting Dimitrije Mitrinović (Димитрије Митриновић, 1887–1953), journalist and novelist Stephen Graham (1884–1975), Metropolitan of Skopje Josif Cvijović (Јосиф Цвијовић, 1878–1957), politician and diplomat Nikola Pašić (Никола Пашић, 1845–1926), Archbishop of Canterbury Randall Thomas Davidson (1848–1930), ethnologist and religious history scholar Veselin Čajkanović (Веселин Чајкановић, 1881–1946), doctor and suffragist Elsie Maud Inglis (1864–1917), Scottish divine and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland Rev. Alexander Whyte (1836–1921), diplomat and writer Jovan Jovanović Pižon (Јован Јовановић Пижон, 1869–1939), Oxford Anglo-Catholic theologian Rev. Leighton Pullan (1865–1940), Archimandrite Justin Popović (Јустин [Благоје] Поповић, 1894–1979), Bishop of Chichester George Kennedy Allen Bell (1883–1958), Bishop of Gloucester Arthur Cayley Headlam (1862–1947), Archimandrite Sebastian Dabovich (Севастијан [Јован] Дабовић, 1863–1940), Canon John Albert Douglas (1868–1956), scientist and inventor Mihajlo Idvorski Pupin (Михајло Идворски Пупин, 1858–1935), inventor and engineer Nikola Tesla (Никола Тесла, 1856–1943), pedagogist and psychologist Pavle Paja Radosavljević (Павле Паја Радосављевић, 1879–1958), Anglican bishop Herbert Bury (1854–1933), Archimandrite Rafailo (Stevanović) of Hilandar (Рафаило [Радосав] Стевановић Хиландарац, 1886–1937), Hegemon Rafailo (Topalović) of Nikolje (Рафаило [Бошко] Топаловић, 1899–1982), Serbian theologian and a historian Archpriest Stevan M. Dimitrijević (Стеван М. Димитријевић 1866–1953), Slovenian ethnologist and anthropologist Niko Županič (1876–1961), philosopher and theologian Archpriest Basil Zenkovsky (Василий Васильевич Зеньковский, 1881–1962), Christian Catholic bishop of Switzerland Adolf Küry (1870–1956), Episcopal Bishop of New York City William Thomas Manning (1866–1949), linguist and academic Aleksandar Belić (Александар Белић, 1876–1960), humanitarian Gertrude Carrington Wilde (c. 1865–1945), pioneer of ecumenism Robert Hallowell Gardiner III (1855–1924), humanitarian Dame Louise Margaret Leila Wemyss Paget — Lady Paget (1881–1958), Metropolitan of Thyateira Germanos Strinopoulos (Γερμανός [Γεώργιος] Στρηνόπουλος, 1872–1951), political activist and historian Robert William Seton-Watson — also known as Scotus Viator (1879–1951), missionary and ecumenical pioneer Clara Ruth Rouse (1872–1956), evangelist and activist John Raleigh Mott (1865–1955), Archbishop of Canterbury William Cosmo Gordon Lang (1864–1945), Canon Tissington Tatlow (1876–1957), activist Ruth Frances Woodsmall (1883–1963), Rev Henry Joy Fynes-Clinton (1875–1959), activist and humanitarian Grace Helena Saunders (1874–1970), founding First Hierarch of ROCOR Metropolitan Antony Khrapovitsky (Антоний [Алексей] Павлович Храповицкий, 1863–1936), Canon Oliver Chase Quick (1885–1944), Hegumen Cassian Korepanov (Кассиан [Константин] Тимофеевич Корепанов, 1867–1946), feminist and author Rebecca West — Dame Cicily Isabel Fairfield (1892–1983), King of Yugoslavia Alexander I Karađorđević (Александар Карађорђевић, 1888–1934), Queen of Yugoslavia Marija Karađorđević (Marie von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Марија Карађорђевић, 1900–1961), Elder Silouan the Athonite (Силуан [Семён] Иванович Антонов, 1866–1938), sculptor and architect Ivan Meštrović (Иван Мештровић, 1883–1962), translator and journalist Luka Smodlaka (1869–1956), Rev. Lloyd Burdwin Holsapple (1884–1959), philosopher and paleontologist Branislav Brana Petronijević (Бранислав Петронијевић, 1875–1954), politician and Roman Catholic priest Anton Korošec (1872–1940), Hegumenia of Kuveždin Melanija Krivokućin (Меланија Кривокућин [nee Белегишанин], 1886–1942), Archimandrite Kirik Maximov (Кирик [Константин] Никифорович Максимов, 1864–1938), writer and critic Isidora Sekulić (Исидора Секулић, 1877–1958), the Sitters family — Chaplain Percy Henry Sitters and his wife Kathleen M. Sitters, Metropolitan of Sofia Stefan [Stoyan] Popgeorgiev Shokov (Стефан I [Стоян] Попгеоргиев Шоков, 1878–1957), Bishop of Chicago and seventeenth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church Charles Palmerston Anderson (1865–1930), philosopher Ksenija Atanasijević (Ксенија Атанасијевић, 1894–1981), Bishop of Gibraltar and Bishop of Guildford John Harold Greig (1865–1938), Bishop of America and Canada Mardarijе Uskoković (Мардаријe [Иван] Ускоковић, 1889–1935), Bishop of Gibraltar and Bishop of Lincoln Frederick Cyril Nugent Hicks (1872–1942), general Milan Nedić (Милан Недић, 1877–1946), politician Dimitrije Ljotić (Димитрије Љотић, 1891–1945), professor Arnold Gilg (1887–1967), Serbian and Yugoslavian politician and economist Milan Stojadinović (Милан Стојадиновић, 1888–1961), general Dragoljub Draža Mihailović (Драгољуб Дража Михаиловић, 1893–1946), publisher Jovan Sekulović (Јован Секуловић, 1879–1950), a poet and diplomat Jovan Dučić (Јован Дучић, 1871–1943), activist and politician Vasilj Grđić (Васиљ Грђић, 1875–1934), hegumenias of Jovanje Irina Stefanović (Ирина Стефановић, 1908–1939) and Ekaterina Stanković (Екатерина Станковић, 1906–1943), Bishop of Gibraltar Harold Jocelyn Buxton (1880–1976), diplomat and statesman Winston L. S. Churchill (1874–1965), Archimandrite Andronik Elpidinskiy (Андроник [Андрей Яковлевич] Елпидинский / Эльпидинский, 1894–1959), Archbishop of Canterbury Geoffrey Francis Fisher (1887–1972), historian and lawyer Slobodan Jovanović (Слободан Јовановић, 1869—1958), Metropolitan of Zagreb Damaskin Grdanički (Дамаскин [Драгутин] Грданички, 1892–1969), Archimandrite Cyprian Kern (Киприан [Константин] Эдуардович Керн, 1899–1960), Bishop of Catania Kassian Bezobrazov (Кассиан [Сергей] Сергеевич Безобразов, 1892–1965), philosopher Leo [Lev] Zander (Лев Александрович Зандер, 1893–1964), Archbishop of Kamchatka Nestor Anisimov (Нестор [Николай Александрович] Анисимов, 1885–1962), Bishop of Washington and Florida Gregory Grabbe (Григорий [Юрий (Георгий) Павлович] Граббе, 1902–1995), Archbishop of San Francisco John Maximovitch (Иоанн [Михаил] Борисович Максимович, 1896–1966), Hegumenia of Vraćevšnica Ana Adžić (Ана Аџић, 1900–1975), Serbian Patriarch Varnava Rosić (Варнава [Петар] Росић, 1880–1937), first secretary general of WCC Willem Adolph Visser ‘t Hooft (1900–1985), Bishop of Banja Luka Platon Jovanović (Платон [Миливоје] Јовановић, 1874–1941), executive of the International YMCA Paul Bernard Anderson (1894–1985), Orthodox theologian and historian Protopresbyter Georges Vasilievich Florovsky (Георгий Васильевич Флоровский, 1893–1979), Hieromonk Mihailo Đusić (Михаило Ђусић, 1911–1945), Protosyncellus Jovan Rapajić (Јован Рапајић, 1910–1945), Metropolitan of Zagreb Dositej Vasić (Доситеј [Драгутин] Васић, 1877–1945), diplomat Hermann Neubacher (1893–1960), monk Jakov Arsović (Јаков [Радоје] Арсовић, 1894–1946), secretary of WSCF and ecumenical activist Pastor Henry-Louis Henriod (1887–1970), Romanian Orthodox theologian Archimandrite Iuliu Scriban (1878–1949), Serbian Patriarch Gavrilo Dožić (Гаврило [Ђорђе] Дожић, 1881–1950), Bishop of Dalmatia Irinej Đorđević (Иринеј [Милан] Ђорђевић, 1894–1952), Bishop of Bačka Irinej Ćirić (Иринеј [Јован] Ћирић, 1884–1955), Hegumenia of Koporin Sara Đuketić (Сара Ђукетић, 1904–1964), Bishop of Žiča Vasilije Kostić (Василије [Тихомир] Костић, 1907–1978), Hegumenia of Ljubostinja Varvara Milenović (Варвара Миленовић, 1910–1995), Bishop of Hvosno Varnava Nastić (Варнавa [Војислав] Настић, 1914–1964), Hegumenia of Drača Jelena Jokić, Bishop of America and Canada Dionisije Milivojević (Дионисије [Драгољуб] Миливојевић, 1898–1979), Canon Edward Nason West (1909–1990), artist and iconographer Ivan Melnikov (Иван Иустинович Мельников, 1896–1969), iconographer Nicholas B. Meyendorff (Николай Феофилович (Богданович) Мейендорф, 1887–1969), Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York Anastasius Gribanovsky (Анастасий [Александр] Алексеевич Грибановский, 1873–1965), historian Vladislav Al’bionovich Maevskii (Владислав (Владимир) Альбинович Маевский, 1893–1975), the Zernov family — philosopher and theologian Nicholas (Николай Михайлович Зёрнов, 1898–1980), his sister, humanitarian Sophia (Софья Михайловна Зёрнова, 1899–1972) and his wife, iconographer Militza (Милица Владимировна Зёрнова, 1899–1994), Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America John Shahovskoy (Иоанн [Дмитрий] Алексеевич Шаховской, 1902–1989), Bishop of Edmonton Sava Saračević (Сава [Јован] Сарачевић, 1902–1973), Archpriest Dušan Šukletović (Душан Шуклетовић), Archpriest Dušan Popović (Душан Поповић, 1921–1972), Archpriest Dimitrije Najdanović (Димитрије Најдановић, 1897–1986), Priest Mirko Maksimović (Мирко Максимовић), Bishop of Šabac and Valjevo Jovan Velimirović (Јован Велимировић, 1912–1989), Archpriest Aleksa Todorović (Алекса Тодоровић, 1899–1990), Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov (Софроний [Сергей] Семёнович Сахаров, 1896–1993), Bishop of San Francisco Basil Rodzianko (Василий [Владимир] Михайлович Родзянко, 1915–1999), psychologist Ratibor Đurđević (Ратибор Ђурђевић, 1915–2011), Archpriest Vlastimir Tomić (Властимир Томић), photographer Milan M. Karlo (Милан М. Карло (Карајловић)), historian Đoko Slijepčević (Ђоко Слијепчевић, 1907–1993), Hegemon Kalist Milunović (Калист [Добривоје] Милуновић, 1896–1991), Metropolitan of Libertyville and Chicago Christopher Kovacevich (Христофор [Велимир] Ковачевић, 1928–2010), biblical scholar Veselin Kesich (Веселин Кесић, 1921–2012) and others.

The journal Nicholai Studies is focused on the work and thought of Nicholai Velimirovich and on the whole context in which he created and worked — starting with his education and service in the Kingdom of Serbia (1881–1904), then his studies in Western Europe (1905–1909), the beginning of his monastic life, his service in the seminary and study times in Russia (1909–1912), his activities during war times (1912–1918), service as a diocesan bishop (1919–1940), his destiny during World War II (1941–1945), to his life in exile (1946–1956), and his legacy.

The intention and the validity of the journal:

In the eyes of his venerators, Nicholai Velimirovich is one of the most notable figures in the history of 20th century. Velimirovich is recognized as a saint in the Orthodox Church and he is venerated as an exceptional preacher and outstanding pastor. On the other hand, Nicholai’s critics see him as an anti-Semite, Nazi, misogynist, barbaric and primitive person, and a dark and retrograde figure. His name is entered in the World Fascism: A Historical Encyclopedia, and that is not the only place where he is described as a notorious anti-Semite, collaborationist etc. Since his personality is the subject of controversy, the editorial board of the journal Nicholai Studies addresses the authors to shed the light on his contribution — primarily his theological and ecclesiastical contribution and then his cultural and social contribution in the wider sense, i. e. on the authentic insight of Velimirovich’s role in the history of the 20th century and to do so objectively, by studying the life and work of Nicholai Velimirovich. The critics and apologists of Velimirovich’s personality and opus are also invited to contribute. In this regard, the journal Nicholai Studies can be a platform for dialogue and comparison of different research results and different conclusions and opinions for the purpose of acquiring a more objective idea and clearer insights. In the past couple of decades, the life Nicholai Velimirovich has been actively researched and a lot has been written about him (in the meantime two doctoral theses have been defended, several master and bachelor theses on Nicholai Velimirovich, and a few dozens of monographies and thousands of articles about him and his contribution), but it seems that the groups of researchers who made different conclusions did not communicate between themselves enough and had not compared their insights in a critical manner.

The desire to change this and to promote dialogue between researchers was one of the key motives for starting the journal Nicholai Studies. The editorial board of the journal is facing a great challenge, having an idea like that in mind. As a logical step forward, one of the main tasks of the journal would be to collect and organize current Nicholai’s bibliography. As there are unanswered questions in regard to the authorship, editions and versions of Nicholai’s work, as well as the materials which are about to be published, creating a bibliography of Nicholai’s work, as well as the articles and journals published in Nicholai’s surroundings, then the work attributed to him, translations, and articles on Nicholai and individuals connected to him, would be a necessary step towards establishing a more systematical methodological framework for research of Nicholai Velimirovich’s work. The editorial board of the journal will make sure that domestic and foreign literary and scientific production is being tracked and to collect and organize bibliographical materials relevant for research of Nicholai’s contribution.

Journal editing:

The editorial board of the journal Nicholai Studies holds up to high ethical and academic standards for publishing scientific papers (see Ethical and scientific standards).

The journal Nicholai Studies primarily publishes original scientific papers dedicated to research of theology and spirituality. The journal is open for scientific papers and review articles based on research in other areas, like social sciences and humanities, philosophy, sociology, philology, literature, history, historiography, archival research etc. — as long as they correspond with the topic of the journal. Nicholai Studies also publishes relevant archival and documentary material, with accompanying studies and notes as well as bibliographies, shorter notes, reviews, comments and reviews of new publications.

Nicholai Studies primarily publishes articles in English and Serbian language. Every article published in Nicholai Studies is reviewed two times and anonymously before being published (see Guide for Authors and Peer Reviewer Instructions).

The journal Nicholai Studies is edited in accordance with the Act for Editing Scientific Journals passed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, i. e. in accordance with appropriate international ISO standards. The universal decimal catalogisation (UDC) of the journal Nicholai Studies is done by the National library of Serbia. The journal Nicholai Studies is also equipped with DOI numbers. Both printed and digital edition of the journal Nicholai Studies is being stored in the Repository of the National library of Serbia.

The publisher of the journal:

The publisher of the journal Nicholai Studies is the Christian Cultural Centre “Dr Radovan Bigović” based in Belgrade, i. e. the institution named by the first person who wrote his doctoral thesis researching the work of Nicholai Velimirovich and who reflected on Nicholai in his studies throughout his entire life — Rev Prof. Dr Radovan Bigović (1956–2012).

The tempo of publishing:

The journal Nicholai Studies is published in two issues a year. The first issue is published in English in the first half of a year, and the second in English and Serbian in the second half of a year.

The format of the journal:

The journal is published in two ways: as a classical printed journal, printed in A5 format on recycled paper in the Printing office of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with a symbolic circulation of 200 copies, and at the same time as an online journal, with open access on the website of the journal http://nicholaistudies.org/.