61-83

• Ηλιόπουλος, Νικόλαος Κ.

According to Neophytos Vamvas (1766/70-1855), the Greek State in which he lives is not religiously homogenous. Vamvas thinks that within the borders of this state one can find, in addition to the faithful Orthodox majority, religious minorities that he classifies as “faithless”. How, according to Vamvas, should the faithful Orthodox majority of the Greek State treat these minorities? Vamvas teaches that Greek Orthodox Christians should not hate and persecute their faithless minorities. Rather they should treat them in accordance with the biblical commandment “Love thy neighbour”. According to Vamvas, such love demands that Greek Orthodox Christians work for the conversion of the faithless to Orthodoxy. This seems to suggest that we should think of Vamvas as an advocate of religious intolerance; but this is wrong. Vamvas’ “Love thy neighbour” is – or at least can be interpreted as being – a call for religious toleration. However, it is unlikely that minorities living in a Greek State organised in accordance with Vamvas’ conception of toleration will be happy with their treatment.

• Philosophy, Ethics and Religion

• Religious pluralism

856:https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/historicalReview/article/view/4057, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/hr.276

• http://historicalreview.org/index.php/historicalReview/article/view/276