The creation of the Holy Venerable Joseph of Volotsk, “The Enlightener,” took shape in the fight against the heresy of the Judaizers, which shook Russia at the turn of the 15th–16th centuries. This capacious body of Orthodox theology unites in a coherent system fragments of Holy Scripture and patristic works, episodes from the lives of saints and the history of the Church. Polemically sharp, theologically deep, lively and vividly written, this book for centuries remained a living phenomenon of Russian culture and a weapon of ideological struggle. The attacks on the Orthodox faith, which St. Joseph had to repel in the 16th century, are repeated today with renewed vigor from countless sects, heresies and “new” religious and non-religious teachings, therefore “The Enlightener”, for the first time completely translated from Church Slavonic into Russian, relevant and today.

against the new heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who say that God the Father Almighty has neither the Son nor the Holy Spirit, Consubstantial and Co-Altars, and that there is no Holy Trinity. Here is evidence from the Holy Scriptures that God the Father Almighty has a Son and a Holy Spirit, Consubstantial and Co-Almighty with Him, and that the Holy, Life-giving and Almighty Trinity was attested in ancient times by the patriarchs, prophets and all Holy Scripture

< p>against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who say that Christ has not yet been born, but the time will come when He will be born; and He whom Christians call Christ God is a simple man, and not God. Here is evidence from the Holy Scriptures that Christ God is the One who was born in Bethlehem of Judea from Virgin Mary in the days of King Herod of Judea and for the sake of our salvation, he voluntarily endured crucifixion, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and will come again to judge the living and the dead

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who say that we must adhere to the Mosaic Law, preserve him, perform sacrifices and be circumcised. Here is an explanation from the Holy Scriptures that the Mosaic law was given before the coming of Christ; for even at the beginning God did not want sacrifices and allowed them only out of necessity and not everywhere, but only in one temple in Jerusalem; after the coming of our Lord Christ, the law of Moses ceased, sacrifices and circumcision were abolished

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who said: “Couldn’t God have saved Adam and his race, didn’t He really have heavenly armies, prophets, righteous people, to send to fulfill His will - but He Himself descended in the form of a poor man, became human, suffered and thereby defeated the devil? It’s not fitting for God to do this!” Here evidence is given from the Holy Scriptures that for God everything is possible, no one can resist His Divine power; but from the depths of His wisdom and love for mankind, for the sake of our salvation, He deigned to become human, suffer, descend into hell, rise from the dead, bring Adam and his race out of hell - and so, with Divine wisdom, he defeated the devil, saved the world and is still saving.

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who say that the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity should not be depicted on holy icons, for it is said in Scripture that Abraham saw God with two angels, and not Trinity. Here, evidence is given from the Holy Scriptures that Abraham saw the Holy Trinity and that the Holy and Life-Giving Trinity should be depicted on all-honorable icons

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who say that man-made objects should not be worshiped. Here evidence is given from the Holy Scriptures that even in the Old Law people worshiped man-made things that the Lord God commanded to be created for His glory; and in our time, all the more should we worship man-made objects, that is, holy icons, the Honest and Life-Giving Cross and other divine and consecrated objects that the Lord our God Jesus Christ commanded to be created for His glory

Testimony of the holy books about that how and why it is appropriate for Christians to worship divine icons and to honor them, and the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of Christ, and the Holy Gospel, and the Most Pure Divine Mysteries, and the consecrated vessels in which the Divine Sacraments are performed, and the honorable relics of saints, and God’s churches; and also about how it is appropriate for us to honor each other, and how it is appropriate to honor a king or prince and serve him, and how it is appropriate now to worship the Lord God and serve Him alone

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who say that there are seven Thousands of years have passed since the creation of the world and Paschal has ended, but there is no second coming of Christ - therefore, the writings of the holy fathers are false. Here evidence is given from the Holy Scriptures that the works of the holy fathers are true, for they are consistent with the writings of the prophets and apostles

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who say: “Why there is no second coming of Christ, although its time has already come? After all, the apostles wrote that Christ was born in recent years, and one thousand five hundred years have already passed since the birth of Christ, and there is no second coming of Christ, - therefore, the writings of the apostles are false.” Here evidence is given from the Holy Scriptures that the writings of the holy apostles are true, since they were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who blaspheme the creations of Saint Ephraim and say that his creations are false. Here we also provide evidence from the Holy Scriptures that the works of Saint Ephraim are true and correspond to the prophetic, evangelical and apostolic writings

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics who blaspheme the monastic life

About those who say that the monks have retreated from the commandments of God and from prophetic, evangelical and apostolic writings, according to their own invention and self-taught, they have arranged a life for themselves and adhere to human tradition.

Others say that if the monastic life had been pleasing to God, then Christ Himself and the divine apostles would have remained in the monastic life image, but now we see Christ, as well as the holy apostles, depicted in a worldly image, and not in a monastic one.

Others say that the monastic image of the schema was not transmitted to Pachomius by a holy angel: if it were angel of God, he would have appeared bright, but he appeared black - and this is a sign of demonic action.

Others distort the words of the holy Apostle Paul, which he wrote to Timothy: “The Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of false talkers, seared in their conscience, forbidding marriage and eating what God created to be eaten with thanksgiving by those who are faithful and know the truth” (1 Tim. 4:1-3). Heretics say that the holy Apostle Paul said this about monks: after all, they forbid marriage and abstain from food, and about such it is supposedly written: “Cursed is everyone who does not raise seed in Israel.” Here are collected the words of Holy Scripture, refuting and denouncing all these heretical speeches.

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who say that if a bishop is a heretic and does not bless or curse any of the Orthodox, God's judgment will follow his judgment . Here is evidence from the holy books that if a heretic, even being a bishop, does not bless or curse any of the Orthodox, then God's judgment will not follow the judgment of the heretic.

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who say that neither a heretic nor an apostate can be condemned. Here is collected evidence from the holy books that a heretic and an apostate should not only be condemned, but also cursed, while kings and princes and judges should send them into captivity and subject them to cruel executions.

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics , who say that one should not particularly inquire, find out and inquire about heretics and apostates if they themselves do not confess their heresy and apostasy. Here is collected the evidence of the holy books that all who love Christ should show every diligence, effort and prudent cunning in recognizing heretics, looking for them and finding out about them, having learned same - do not hide; the one who tries to hide a heretic is an accomplice of heretics.

against the heresy of the Novgorod heretics, who say that if a heretic or apostate repents, then he should soon enter the holy church and partake of the Divine Mysteries. Here is collected evidence from the holy books about which heretics and infidels, if they repent, should soon enter the holy church and partake of the Mysteries of Christ, and what heretics and apostates, even if they repent, should not enter the holy church and partake of the Divine Mysteries until everything that the Divine rules command in this case will be done to them; and also that the Novgorod heretics and apostates who have appeared now are the most evil and filthy of all the heretics and apostates who lived under heaven.

against the Novgorod heresy heretics who say that if heretics or apostates, convicted of their heresies and apostasy and condemned, begin to repent, then one should accept their repentance and honor them with mercy. Here is collected evidence from the holy books that if a heretic or apostate begins to repent not of his own free will, but only after being exposed and condemned, then such repentance cannot be accepted; after all, thieves, robbers, murderers, grave robbers, and other villains repent when they are exposed and condemned, but their repentance is not accepted.