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: ''This article is about the Russian theologian and philosopher by this name. For the author of the ''Handbook for Church Servers'', see [[Sergius V. Bulgakov]].'' '''Fr. Sergei Sergius Nikolaevich Bulgakov''' was a [[priest]] of the [[Church of Russia]] in the early twentieth century. He was noted as an Orthodox [[theologian]], philosopher, and economist. After an early interest in Marxism, he returned to his religious roots in Orthodox Christianity. He wrote extensively, and after being exiled by the new Communist government of Russia, he became part of the community of Russians in Paris, taking part in the founding the of [[St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute (Paris, France)|St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute in Paris]].

Sergius Bulgakov was in born Livny, Russia , on [[June 16]], 1871 , into the family of an Orthodox priest. He studied first at the Orel [[Seminary]], followed by attending the Yelets Gymnasium. He then attended the Law School of the Moscow University where his studies included political economy. He graduated in 1894. While studying at the seminary, Bulgakov became interested in Marxism and took part in the Legal Marxism movement. After studying Marxism, Bulgakov became convinced in the impotence of the Marxist theory and returned to his religious beliefs, being influenced by the works of such Russian religious writers as Leo Tolstoy, [[Fyodor Dostoevsky]], and Vladimir Solovyov.  He became well known among the Russian intelligentsia of the time. He contributed to many books and journals, including the ''New Way'', ''Questions of Life'', and ''Way'', of which he was the publisher. He was elected to the Second Duma in 1906 as an independent ''Christian Socialist''. As a writer, he wrote monographs, including ''Philosophy of Economy'' and ''Unfading Light''. It was during this time that he began to develop his ideas that were based on a combination of the ''sophiology'' of Vladimir Solovyovand [[Pavel Florensky]] with ideas from the works of Schelling and his own ideas of Orthodoxy.  Bulgakov became prominent in the activities of the Church in Russia, taking part in the [[All-Russian Church Council of 1917-1918|All-Russia Sobor of 1917]] that elected [[Tikhon of Moscow]] to the restored position of [[Patriarch]] of Russia. In 1918, he was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[diaconate]] and then to the priesthood. He continued to write even as the Russian Civil War tore apart his Russia. Living in Crimea he wrote the ''Philosophy of the Name'' and ''Tragedy of Philosophy'' where he revised his views about relations between philosophy and dogmatism.  On [[December 30]], 1922, Bulgakov was among the approximately 160 prominent intellectuals, including also [[Nikolai Berdyaev|Nicholas Berdyaev]], who were exiled by the Bolshevik government. Bulgakov initially settled in Prague, Czechoslovakia. In May 1923, he was named professor of Church Law and Theology at the Russian Research Institute in Prague. From Prague he moved to Paris, which was his home until his death. In 1925, he participated in the establishment of the St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute. He became the head of the institute, where he also was the professor of Dogmatic Theology. In addition to his writing, he participated in the Anglican-Orthodox interchange that was formalized in the [[Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius]]. Bulgakov remained active in the large community of Russian expatriates in Paris until his death on [[July 12]], 1944, from throat cancer. His funeral was conducted at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Paris. He was buried at St. Geneviève-des-Bois near Paris. ==Controversy==Bulgakov’s teaching on sophiology is highly controversial. The attempt to understand it properly is hindered by the highly political controversy surrounding it in the 1930’s. <ref>For commentary, texts and a fuller account of the sophiological controversy see Antoine Arjakovsky, Essai sur le père Serge Boulgakov (1871-1944), philosophe et théologien chrétien (Paris: Les Éditions Parole et Silence, 2006), pp.99-125 and La génération des penseurs religieux de l’émigration Russe: La Revue ‘La Voie’ (Put’), 1925-1940 (Kiev/Paris: L’Esprit et la Lettre, 2002), pp.433ff., N. T. Eneeva, Spor o sofiologii v russkom zarubezh’e 1920-1930 godov (Moscow: Institut vseobshchei istorii RAN, 2001), Igumen Gennadii (Eikalovich), Delo prot. Sergiia Bulgakova: Istoricheskaia kanva spora o Sofii (San Francisco: Globus Pub., 1980), Bryn Geffert, ‘Sergii Bulgakov, The Fellowship of St Alban and St Sergius, Intercommunion and Sofiology’, Revolutionary Russia, 17:1 (June 2004), pp.105-41, ‘The Charges of Heresy Against Sergii Bulgakov: The Majority and Minority Reports of Evlogii’s Commission and the Final Report of the Bishops’ Conference’, ''St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly'', 49.1-2 (2005), pp.47-66 and especially Alexis Klimoff, ‘Georges Florovsky and the Sophiological Controversy’, ''St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly'', 49.1-2 (2005), pp.67-100.</ref> It should be noted that by 1931 there existed three separate Russian Orthodox jurisdictions in Europe: [[ROCOR|Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (Sremski Karlovtzy Synod)]] under [[Anthony (Khrapovitsky) of Kiev|Met. Anthony (Khrapovitsky)]]; the [[Church of Russia|‘Patriarchal’ church]] answering ultimately to [[Sergius I (Stragorodsky) of Moscow|Met. Sergius (Stragorodsky)]] of Moscow (of which the young [[Vladimir Lossky]] was a member); and the [[Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe|Russian Church in Western Europe]] (Bulgakov’s own jurisdiction as well as the church of [[Georges Florovsky]]) under [[Eulogius (Georgievsky) of Paris|Met. Evlogy (Georgievsky)]] that was under the jurisdiction of the [[Church of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]] -- though in 1934, Metropolitan Evlogy was privately reconciled to Metropolitan Anthony, and in 1935 he went to Karlovtzy for a special reunion conference, at which time the schism betwen him and ROCOR was healed<ref>[[Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia|Timothy Ware]], ''The Orthodox Church'' (London: Penguin Books, 1964)p. 184.</ref> In 1936, Metropolitan Evlogy again cut his ties with ROCOR, quite possibly because of the controversy over [[Sophianism]].<ref>Protopresbyter George Grabbe, ''Toward a History of the Ecclesiastical Divisions Within the Russian Diaspora'', Living Orthodoxy, Vol. XIV, No. 4, July-August, 1992, pp. 37-39</ref>

He became well known among the Russian intelligentsia In [[Sophianism#Decree_of_the_Moscow_Patriarchate|an ukaz of the time. He contributed to many books and journals24 August, including the ''New Way'', ''Questions 1935]] of Life''Met. Sergius, and ''Way'' of which he Bulgakov’s teaching on ‘Sophia’ was described as ‘alien’ to the publisherOrthodox faith. He was elected <ref>Bulgakov responded to the Second Duma ukaz in 1906 as an independent ''Christian Socialist''his O Sofii Premudrosti Bozhiei: Ukaz Moskovskoi Patriarkhii i dokladnye zapiski prot. As a writerSergiia Bulgakova Mitropolitu Evlogiiu (Paris: YMCA, he wrote monographs 1935), including ''Philosophy pp.20-51. [[Vladimir Lossky]] then published a well-known critical analysis of Economy'Bulgakov’s response to the ukaz as ' and ''Unfading LightSpor o Sofii''(Paris, 1936). It </ref> This ukaz was during this time that he began to develop his ideas that were largely based on a combination the epistolary reports of Alexis Stavrovsky, the president of the '''sophiology''' Brotherhood of Vladimir Solovyov and St Photius ([[Pavel FlorenskyVladimir Lossky]] with ideas from , was the vice-president, and Evgraf Kovalevsky, Leonid Ouspensky and (later monk and famous iconographer) Gregory Krug were also amongst the 12-15 young laymen who made up its numbers) whose members had left the works jurisdiction of Met. Evlogy for that of Met. Elevthery of Schelling Lithuania. This exodus was in reaction to Met. Sergius having removed, on 10 June, 1930, Met. Evlogy as the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Western Europe (since Met. Evlogy had continually refused to agree to the 30 June, 1927 Declaration of Loyalty to the Soviet government) and named Elevthery as his own ideas replacement. In late 1935, Met. Evlogy appointed a commission to look into the charges of Orthodoxyheresy leveled against Bulgakov.

Bulgakov became prominent in the activities The commission quickly broke into factions. In June of 1936 the Church in Russiamajority report (prepared by Vasilii Zenkovskii, taking part in Anton Kartashev and others) rejected the All-Russia Sobor charge of 1917 that elected [[Tikhon of Moscow]] to the restored position of [[Patriarch]] heresy but had serious objections about Sophiology. The minority report of Russia. In 19186 July, he 1936 was ordained to the prepared by Fr Sergei Chetverikov and signed by Fr [[diaconateGeorges Florovsky]] and then to the priesthood, who despite his personal respect for Fr. He continued to write even as Sergius, remained an ardent critic of Sophianism for the Russian Civil War tore apart remainder of his Russialife. Living in Crimea he wrote Meanwhile, the ''Philosophy Church Abroad formally accused Bulgakov of the Name'' and ''Tragedy of Philosophy'' where he revised his views about relations between philosophy and dogmatismheresy in 1935.

On [[December 30Sophianism#Decree_of_ROCOR|The 1935 decision of the Church Abroad]] was based on Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev) of Boguchar’s Novoe uchenie o Sofii (Sofia, 1935), as well as on the arguments of St. [[John Maximovitch|John (Maximovitch)]].<ref>Protopresbyter George Grabbe, ''Toward a History of the Ecclesiastical Divisions Within the Russian Diaspora'', Living Orthodoxy, Vol. XIV, No. 4, July-August, 1992, p. 38</ref> St. John, in his book ''The Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God'', discusses at length why the [[sophianism]] of Sergius Bulgakov is [[heresy]], 1922specifically one as destructive as [[Nestorianism]]. Speaking of those who attempt to deify the Theotokos, he wrote: :In the words [of Fr. Sergius Bulgakov ], when the Holy Spirit came to dwell in the Virgin Mary, she acquired "a dyadic life, human and divine; that is, She was completely deified, because in Her hypostatic being was among manifest the living, creative revelation of the Holy Spirit" (Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov, The Unburnt Bush, 1927, p. 154). "She is a perfect manifestation of the approximately 160 prominent intellectualsThird Hypostasis" (Ibid., p. 175), "a creature, including but also Nicholas Berdyaevno longer a creature" (P. 19 1)....But we can say with the words of St. Epiphanius of Cyprus: "There is an equal harm in both these heresies, both when men demean the Virgin and when, on the contrary, they glorify Her beyond what is proper" (Panarion, "Against the Collyridians"). This Holy Father accuses those who were exiled give Her an almost divine worship: "Let Mary be in honor, but let worship be given to the Lord" (same source). "Although Mary is a chosen vessel, still she was a woman by nature, not to be distinguished at all from others. Although the Bolshevik governmenthistory of Mary and Tradition relate that it was said to Her father Joachim in the desert, 'Thy wife hath conceived,' still this was done not without marital union and not without the seed of man" (same source). "One should not revere the saints above what is proper, but should revere their Master. Bulgakov initially settled Mary is not God, and did not receive a body from heaven, but from the joining of man and woman; and according to the promise, like Isaac, She was prepared to take part in Praguethe Divine Economy. But, Czechoslovakiaon the other hand, let none dare foolishly to offend the Holy Virgin" (St. In May 1923Epiphanius, "Against the Antidikomarionites"). The Orthodox Church, he was named professor highly exalting the Mother of God in its hymns of Church Law praise, does not dare to ascribe to Her that which has not been communicated about Her by Sacred Scripture or Tradition. "Truth is foreign to all overstatements as well as to all understatements. It gives to everything a fitting measure and Theology at fitting place" (Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov)."<ref>St. John Maximovitch, [http://www.ortodoks.dk/On_Orthodox_Veneration_of_the_Mary.htm ''The Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God''], (Platina, Ca: St. Herman Press, 1978), p. 40f</ref>  Bulgakov responded to the Russian Research Institute heresy accusation in Praguehis ''Dokladnaia zapiska Mitropolitu Evlogiiu prof. From Prague he moved to prot. Sergiia Bulgakova'' (Paris which , 1936). Archbishop Seraphim then rebutted Bulgakov in his ''Zashchita sofianskoi eresi'' (Sofia, 1937). No final report was prepared on the sophiology controversy by the commission set up by Bulgakov’s own jurisdiction. However, Met. Evlogy convoked a bishop’s conference on 26-9 November 1937 to bring closure to the matter. The bishops in their statement were working from reports by Archimandrite Cassian (Bezobrazov) and Chetverikov and they concluded that the accusations of heresy against Bulgakov were unfounded but that his home until his deaththeological opinions showed serious flaws and needed correction. In 1925Vladimir Lossky responded to Bulgakov's self-apology in a large and deep study : ''Spor o Sofii'' (The Debate on Sophia, Paris, 1936), he participated pointing out the various dogmatic errors of Bulgakov's theology. ==Books in English==*''The Bride of the Lamb''. Eerdmans, 2001. (ISBN 978-0802839152)*''The Burning Bush: On the Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God''. Eerdmans, 2009 (ISBN 0802845746)*''Churchly Joy: Orthodox Devotions for the Church Year''. Eerdmans, 2008. (ISBN 0802848346)*''The Comforter''. Eerdmans, 2004. (ISBN 978-0802821126)*''The Eucharistic Sacrifice''. University of Notre Dame, 2021. (ISBN 0268201412)*''The Friend of the Bridegroom: On the establishment Orthodox Veneration of the Forerunner''. Eerdmans, 2003. (ISBN 978-0802849793)*''The Holy Grail and the Eucharist''. Lindisfarne, 1997. (ISBN 978-0940262812)*''Icons and the Name of God''. Eerdmans, 2012. (ISBN 0802866646)*''Jacob’s Ladder: On Angels''. Eerdmans, 2010. (ISBN 080286516X)*''The Lamb of God''. Eerdmans, 2007. (ISBN 978-0802827791)*''The Orthodox Church''. StVladimir's, 1997. (ISBN 978-0881410518)*''Philosophy of Economy''. Yale, 2000. Sergius Orthodox (ISBN 978-0300079906)*''Relics need Miracles: Two Theological InstituteEssays''. He became Eerdmans, 2011. (ISBN 0802865313)*''Sophia, the head [[Holy Wisdom|Wisdom]] of InstituteGod: An Outline of Sophiology''. Lindisfarne, 1993. (ISBN 978-0940262607)*''The Sophiology of Death: Essays on Eschatology: Personal, where he also was the Professor Political, Universal''. Cascade, 2021. (ISBN 1532699654)*''Spiritual Diary''. Angelico, 2022. (ISBN 16211388506)*''The Tragedy of Dogmatic TheologyPhilosophy (Philosophy & Dogma)''. Angelico, 2020 (ISBN 1621385582)*''Unfading Light: Contemplations and Speculations''. Eerdmans, 2012.(ISBN 0802867111) ==Notes== <div class="references-small"> <references /> </div>

* [[w:Sergei Bulgakov|''Sergei Bulgakov: '' on Wikipedia ]]*[httphttps://enweb.wikipediaarchive.org/wikiweb/20120425133411/Sergei_Bulgakov]* Sergius Bulgakov Society [http://www.geocitiesbyzantineimages.comorg/sbulgakovsociety/] St John Maximovich, in his book, The Orthodox Veneration of the Virgin Mary devotes an entire chapter on why the Sophiology of bulgakov.htm Sergius Bulgakov is heresy. This heresy is as destructive as the Nestorian Heresy. Society]