Ivan Zhelev Dimitrov
Bulgaria- Early Life and Education
- Academic Career
- Administrative Roles
- Editorial and Research Activities
- Awards and Recognition
- Collaboration with Bulgarian State Security
Early Life and Education
Ivan Zhelev graduated from the Faculty of Classical Philology at Sofia University. He subsequently specialized in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Athens (1972-1975), the Eastern Church Institute in Regensburg, Germany, and the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Academic Career
Zhelev served as Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, and Professor at the Faculty of Theology, Sofia University (formerly known as the Spiritual Academy). He became Professor of New Testament Holy Scripture in 1996.
Administrative Roles
Zhelev held various administrative roles within Sofia University, including Vice Rector and Dean of the Faculty of Theology (2000-2003). He also served as Director of the Directorate of Religions at the Bulgarian Government (2002-2007).
Editorial and Research Activities
Zhelev was the editor of the journal "Spiritual Culture" and the newspaper "Church Herald." He published extensively on biblical and theological topics.
Awards and Recognition
In 1990, Zhelev was awarded the title of "Archon" by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In 2008, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Athens.
Collaboration with Bulgarian State Security
Zhelev was an agent and secret collaborator with the Bulgarian Committee for State Security, holding the codename "Angelov." He worked in the First (Foreign Intelligence) and Sixth (Ideological) Directorates.
