The Question of Toleration in Bulgarian Literary History: The Case of “Book of Three Religions” by Sofroniy Vrachanski
The Question of Toleration in Bulgarian Literary History: The Case of “Book of Three Religions” by Sofroniy Vrachanski

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses the reception of the volume “Book of Three Religions” by Sofroniy Vrachanski (1739–1813) in regard to the question of religious toleration. After an overview on the definitions of toleration and a description of the circumstances that lead to the appearance of the “Book of Three Religions”, this article delineates two main clusters of opinions on the attitude of Sofroniy Vrachanski in Bulgarian literary history during the late 20th and early 21st century. Several scholars are grouped together according to the way they interpret the volume as a gesture of toleration on the part of Sofroniy Vrachanski who was an Orthodox Christian and a bishop of Vratsa with a strong religious and political influence upon his flock. They consider this gesture as driven from his desire to know more about the religious Other and regard the volume as a step towards the appropriation of the ideas of European Enlightenment. The second group of scholars, however, does not regard the compilation of treatises on Christianity, Judaism and Islam as an expression of toleration. On the contrary, they regard Sofroniy as a political figure, and a man of letters who has proven that his goal is to provide doctrinal instruction for prevention of conversion than toleration. After the exploration of the philosophical perspectives on the notion of toleration and an overview of the Bulgarian historiography on this specific case, the present study offers argumentation in support of the position that the collection does not signify religious toleration.

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