Religious tolerance:theoretical and empirical levels

The article examines the problem of religious tolerance in two aspects: on the one hand, as a theoretical analysis of the essence of this phenomenon, and, on the other hand, as a view to the dichotomy of tolerance and intolerance empirically from the point of view of the real religious people’s experience. Initially, the concept of tolerance is analyzed through the works of P. Nicholson, A. Margalit, and other authors, comparing the vectors of development according to Plato (ascent) and Aristotle (descent), and substantiating the factors that influence the formation of internal religious (metaphysical) tolerance in individuals and groups. In the empirical section, the personal experiences of religious individuals regarding tolerance and intolerance are examined as confirmation of the effectiveness of three important factors affecting religious tolerance in society (development vector, perceptual shift in the development vector, intensity of interaction among subjects). In conclusion, the article summarizes the discussion and suggests exploring the prospects of actualizing interfaith interaction methods in the religious sphere, such as communication, dialogue, service, management, as well as deepening the understanding of the concept of salvation based on perceptual shifts