Assen Ignatov: The Theomachist and the God-Seeker

This article aims to trace the evolution of Assen Ignatov’s attitude towards religion and to outline the main features of this change – from an intellectual whose worldview was initially Marxist to being a dissident philosopher known also for his respect for Christianity. The first part of the study is devoted to the early professional stages of Assen Ignatov’s life (as a lecturer at Sofia University), when he attacked the “Bourgeois” philosophy for its affinity to religion. Gradually, these initial attitudes were seriously shaken, partly because he was one of the very few erudite thinkers in Bulgaria during the “socialist” period who witnessed the dogmatism and narrow interests of the Party philosophers. In addition, his escape to Western Europe was a radical break with the past, specifically with regard to religion. Assen Ignatov interpreted communism as a pseudo-religion from the viewpoint of Christian personalism and existentialism. The author concludes that the radical change of Ignatov’s attitude towards religion shows the measure of his general change of worldview.