Well Read Christian

Within The Brothers Karamazov is a chapter so powerful, vivid, and shocking that it has since impacted the course of Western Civilization. The chapter, called The Grand Inquisitor, expresses Dostoyevsky’s worst fears about the human condition, and discusses how man desperately wants to give his free will to any tyrant who will give him food and existential security, regardless of whether that tyrant is the church or the state. In this fascinating chapter, The Grand Inquisitor declares that Jesus Christ has actually acted cruelly towards man for giving him free will, when he knows so many are too weak to follow Christ. Is that true? Does God expect too much from mere mortals? Are his rules, precepts and teachings simply too hard? Or are Christ’s commandments actually the gateway to a relationship with God? Perhaps even the road to virtue, even the destination of peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is about the journey rather than the destination.

The Brothers Karamazov (1880) is the pinnacle of Dostoyevsky’s literary and intellectual work. His critique of European Enlightenment ideas, including atheism, utilitarianism, socialism and utopianism, find their culmination in this profound tome. Dostoyevsky wrestles with the problem of evil, unlike in his previous major novels, and also perfects his summary of the problem of atheism: “Without God, anything is permissible.” Dostoyevsky also ventures forth into existential territory, asking and answering questions regarding the goodness of life in the face of suffering and whether free will is a gift or a curse. All of this and more in a riveting murder mystery, featuring love triangles and prison escapes, pious monks and the lowest sinners.

Debate between Mark Stanley and Alex Defoist on November 19th, 2019 on "Why I Am / Why I Am Not a Christian."

Notes From Underground (1864) is a blistering assault on utopianism, socialism, and Marxism based on Dostoyevsky’s view of human nature. Even if a utopian society was attainable, says Dostoyevsky, we would not be satisfied by endless food, comfort and pleasure. If you satisfied every human desire, we would throw it all away just for something interesting to happen, just to give ourselves a challenge to overcome and prove that we are human beings and not lap dogs. According to Dostoyevsky, we would rather wallow in misery and self-pity than be handed everything on a silver-platter! It is our unique proclivity for destructive decisions that make us human, and we wouldn’t give that up for anything… even heaven on earth.

The prolific Russian author Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) explores the key themes of vanity and the meaninglessness of existence. A young lawyer finds himself in solitary confinement after accepting a bet, and has nothing but time to read every great book written by man. Yet in the end, he realizes that everything will be swallowed by death. The only guarantee is that you will die be completely forgotten. All the pleasures, wealth and prestige you could ever have will amount to nothing. Ecclesiastes has a similar premise, but unlike Chekhov, offers two solutions designed to work in tandem: (1) Work hard and appreciate what you have, and (2) be thankful to God, and remember Him all your days.

Christian thinkers have argued for millennia that only God can give objective grounds for the transcendent moral law. Fyodor Dostoyevsky flips that equation in the face of the death of God in Russia, “Without God, anything is permissible.” That is, if God doesn’t exist, there is no such thing as an act that is off limits, immoral or evil. Dostoyevsky warned that if Russia tries to live out the European Enlightenment’s worldview, then society will quickly realize that a godless universe is a lawless universe.

In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov lives out the logical conclusions of atheism, utilitarianism, and Nietzsche’s view of morality by murdering a useless old pawnbroker. Despite the logical justifications for his crime, Rodion realizes that moral laws are fixed in the universe, and he cannot escape his guilty conscience regardless of his rationalizations. An atheistic worldview says that sin is a construct, and Raskolnikov is a hero. But this is clearly wrong. Will Raskolnikov confess, repent, and turn to Christianity for forgiveness? Or will narcissism and ideology drive him to utter despair while his mind and his heart wreak havoc on what is left of his sanity?

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–1881) is often regarded as one of the best novelists to ever live. He is known for his penetrating grasp of psychology, his understanding of the dark side of human nature, and his unbelievably accurate predictions of what the 20th century would hold if the socialist revolutionaries came to power. Dostoyevsky made an enormous impact on modern the modern worldview, contributing to 20th century realism, existentialism and literary criticism. His unsurpassed delivery of philosophical concepts in narrative form makes him a truly unique author in world history. Among his most famous works, Crime and Punishment is an excursion into the practical consequences of utilitarian ethics, an atheistic worldview and the absurdity of objective morality without a higher authority––all displayed in the form of a captivating murder mystery with engaging characters, plot twists and masterful prose.

A painter, a philosopher and a poet walk into a bar. The painter already knows what the poet has to say. The poet says it eloquently. Then the philosopher listens, sits down, orders a drink, and spends ten hours figuring out what they meant. This is “the Great Conversation” that Western Civilization has given us and continues to give, as thinkers and visionaries offer their ideas and propel culture forward. These thoughts are often expressed in towering works of fiction, which unveil the eyes of the individual to the world. But conversation can’t even begin without non-fiction, and the rivalry between philosophers and writers continues. Lucky for us, we get to benefit from both sides, and the dialogue is riveting.

Is Christianity a good or bad influence on society? Did Christianity inspire science, liberty, equality, morality and charity, or was it actually an obstacle to cultural progress? The late Christopher Hitchens said that religion poisons everything. Alvin Schmidt, among others, credit Christianity with the birth and growth of diplomacy, democracy, the sovereignty of the individual, and more. In the quest for truth, goodness can be a powerful witness.