Guarding the Faith or Resisting Dialogue?: Anti-Ecumenical Tendencies in Bulgarian Orthodoxy

This paper explores the historical, theological, and ideological roots of anti-ecumenical tendencies within the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC), especially in the post-communist period. It examines whether the BOC's resistance to ecumenical dialogue genuinely reflects a defense of Orthodox tradition or represents a reactionary posture shaped by national, political, and ecclesiastical factors. Tracing the development of anti-ecumenism from the 19th-century schism with the Ecumenical Patriarchate through the communist era to the post-1990s resurgence of neo-traditionalist rhetoric, the study reveals how the convergence of ecclesial nationalism, ideological manipulation under communism, and theological exclusivism has produced a deep mistrust of ecumenical engagement. Influential figures such as Seraphim Alexiev are shown to promote a Manichaean and absolutist theology that misrepresents the dialogical legacy of the Church Fathers. Through theological analysis and historical documentation, the paper argues that genuine Orthodox tradition is not inherently anti-ecumenical, but dialogical and eschatological in essence. It concludes by advocating for a theological renewal that reclaims this authentic spirit, calling for reforms in theological education and a rediscovery of Orthodoxy's universal mission through responsible and faithful ecumenical dialogue.