Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov) and ecclesiastical censorship in the 19th century

Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov) is one of the most eminent bishops of the 19th century. He was best known, not only in the Russian Empire but also beyond its borders, for his fundamental studies in dogmatic theology and church history. During his years as inspector and professor of St. Petersburg Teological Academy, he made his first encounters with ecclesiastical censorship, with which he was connected for a long period thereafer: first as member of the St. Petersburg Ecclesiastical Censorship Commitee, which was based in the Academy, and then as the author of a number of works in theology and church history. His status as an authoritative bishop notwithstanding, the ecclesiastical censors were stern in their evaluation of the works of Metropolitan Macarius. He was forced to rework certain of his publications and to await permission to print the publication over several years. In 1870, at the initiative of the Ober-Procurator of the Holy Synod, a Commission for the reconsideration of the Statute of Ecclesiastical Censors was established, and Metropolitan Macarius was appointed as the president of this commission. Te recommendations of this commission, brought before the Holy Synod for consideration, allow us to evaluate Metropolitan Macarius as a person of broad ranging views who, in some respects, was ahead of his time.