Bogomilism – Another Spiritual Impulse

Was it a Heresy, a Social-Religious Movement or an Occult Doctrine

Sep 20, 2009

Bogomilism was simply a synthesis of the ancient spiritual wisdom and the moral purity of the authentic Christianity

It is generally held that Bogomilism is “one of the significant Christian heresies that sprang up in Bulgaria during the rule of Tsar Peter I (927 – 969); a Gnostic dualistic sect which synthesized Armenian Paulicianism and an Orthodox Church reform movement.”

In various forms, this definition dominates the traditional Christian doctrine, history schoolbooks and even encyclopedia.

However, is this mantra-like statement really accurate and does it hold the full truth? The vast majority of scholars will affirm that “axiomatic” definition but there are some experts who do not share the same view. They are convinced that the Bogomils represent the second major esoteric spiritual impulse in Bulgaria, following on Thracian Orphism and preceding the Peter Deunov’s Fellowship of Light.

Bogomilism – One of the Social-Religious Movements, States Traditional Science

The terms Bogomilism and Bogomils are derived from the first name of Father (Priest) Bogomil (literally meaning “dear to God”), whom traditional history science has recognized as the founder of the movement.

It is difficult to determine the true character of Bogomilism for all the available information on it has been provided by its opponents. According to them, the doctrine, followed by the Bogomils, was based upon duality in the creation of the world: a principle which had been considered a heresy.

The Bogomils preached the virtues of Heaven (a creation of God) and rejected the sinful life on Earth (work of Satan): so, they refused to pay taxes, to work in serfdom, to fight for the state, to obey the official rules and the Church.

Bogomilism sprang up for different reasons – social, political and religious, mainly. The growing discontentment of the peasantry whose livelihood had been completely destroyed by the constant war campaigns waged during the rule of the Tsar Peter’s father, Tsar Simeon, and the high taxes they had to pay, were the most significant factors. In addition, the corrupt Byzantine-model church had been utterly disgraceful, especially through the forced Christianization of the Slavs and proto-Bulgarians by the Tsar Peter’s grandfather, Tsar Boris.

Boyan the Wizard – the Real Founder of Bogomilism

Some scholars accept that Bogomilism was a based on Christianity occult teaching, founded by the younger Tsar Peter’s brother Beniamin (Boyan.) When Peter was enthroned, Boyan went to Constantinople where he graduated the University of the place-hall of Magnaura. In the capital of the Byzantine Empire, the young Bulgarian prince joined a secret Egyptian society, where he had been taught the ancient knowledge of cosmogony, religion and philosophy, healing and developing of very sensitive abilities.

On his return to home, Boyan (called "the Wizard") founded a spiritual society named after his most faithful disciple Jeremiah (Bogomil.) The new movement was aimed at the restoring of the true Christian teaching principles, ethics and virtues such as kindness, humility, equality of rights (including women), respect for man’s work and dignity, modest living, etc.

Bogomilism was simply a synthesis of the ancient peoples’ spiritual wisdom and the moral simplicity and purity of the authentic Christianity. It attracted not only peasants, but also people of noble blood and within less than a decade, the number of bogomils and their followers grew to thousands. They turned into a menace to the state and church and soon the Tsar and the clergy began to persecute them, to torture and to burn them. Even the prince, Boyan the Wizard, was brutally murdered in Constantinople in a February night in 970.

Nevertheless, Bogomilism survived the violence. The survivors spread westwards and settled in Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Italy and France where in different forms, Bogomilism had been in existence for about five centuries.

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