The Religion of the Moderns in G.E. Lessing’s Work

The Foundation of an Active Tolerance

Abstract

The issue of the evaluation of the essence of authentic religion and humanity must be regarded as the theoretical foundation of active tolerance and ecumenical meeting among religious men. The search for a method, the principle of individuality, and the research of communion among religions: these are Lessing’s contributions to the Religion of the Moderns. Lessing’s primary message in the drama Nathan the Wise, a classical text of tolerance and ecumenical literature, is that the key focus should be the value of individuals as human beings and that group membership is secondary to this. This is the concept of active tolerance.