Skepticism and Faith

Where it surfaces

• III: Pantheism

  Marek, a staunch atheist, is forced to confront the existence of God through his own invention, while Bondy oscillates between rational explanation and acceptance of the transcendent.

• IV: God in the Cellar

  Marek's initial disbelief in miracles contrasts with his firsthand experience of the Absolute, while Bondy pragmatically considers negotiating with God.

• Bishop Linda

  Bishop Linda experiences the Absolute's manifestations but rejects them as heretical, highlighting the tension between personal experience and institutional doctrine.

• VI: The Board-Meeting

  Dr. Hubka's skepticism of the Karburator contrasts with Machat's newfound religious fervor.

• VIII: The Dredge

  Characters like Hudec and the gamekeeper arrive as skeptics but are gradually drawn into belief through visible miracles and personal revelation.

• Doctor Blahous

  Dr. Blahous begins as a skeptical academic dismissing religious phenomena as atavism, but ends with a personal mystical experience and a call to faith in the Absolute.

• XIII: The Chronicler’s Apology

  The chronicler's preference for individual cases over grand narratives reflects a skeptical view of historical synthesis, while the 'religious wave' and 'heavenly grace' point to faith as a personal, varied experience.

• XVI: In the Mountains

  Bondy's struggle with religious love and his subsequent rejection of it, alongside Marek's analytical skepticism, frame the tension between faith and reason.

• XVII: The Hammer and Star

  Brothers express skepticism about the miracles while others defend them as divine, reflecting tension between doubt and belief.

• XVIII: In the Night Editor’s Room

  Father Jost's initial skeptical leader is overturned by the Bishop's pragmatic embrace of the Absolute, illustrating the tension between doubt and institutional faith.

• XIX: The Process of Canonization

  Scientific experts provide testimonies for miracles, blending empirical analysis with acceptance of supernatural intervention, while freethinkers and monists claim the Absolute for their own secular movements.

• XX: St. Kilda

  Diplomats debate whether to recognize or deny the Absolute, showing a mix of skepticism and opportunistic faith.

• At Seven Cottages

  Grandfather Blahous questions the divine origin of the war, suggesting it was invented by humans to blame God, while also recounting tales of God appearing in machines.

• XXX: The End of Everything

  The characters debate the rationality of different religions, with Canon Jost asserting reason for his own faith while dismissing others, and Binder and Brych arguing for belief in fellow humans.