The Kingdom of God Is Within You · Question
How does The Kingdom of God Is Within You develop the theme of Nonresistance to Evil?
Answer
The Kingdom of God Is Within You by Leo Tolstoy develops Nonresistance to Evil across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
The central theme of the book, arguing that Christ's commandment to not resist evil is the core of Christian teaching, and that all violence, including war and state coercion, is incompatible with true Christianity.
Central theme of the chapter; Tolstoy explores the Quaker and Garrisonian tradition of interpreting Christ's commandment literally, arguing that violence and war are incompatible with Christianity.
The central theme of the chapter; Tolstoy defends Christ's commandment against violence and refutes common objections.
Tolstoy defends the commandment of nonresistance to evil as essential to Christ's teaching, comparing it to a fundamental geometric principle and rejecting calls to moderate it.
Evidence in the book
- I
Central theme of the chapter; Tolstoy explores the Quaker and Garrisonian tradition of interpreting Christ's commandment literally, arguing that violence and war are incompatible with Christianity.
- Chapter II
The central theme of the chapter; Tolstoy defends Christ's commandment against violence and refutes common objections.
- Chapter IV: The Corrosive Power of Hypocrisy
Tolstoy defends the commandment of nonresistance to evil as essential to Christ's teaching, comparing it to a fundamental geometric principle and rejecting calls to moderate it.
- Chapter VIII: The Inevitable Choice
The central theme of the chapter: the necessity of choosing not to resist evil with violence as the only way to resolve the struggle and achieve salvation.
- Chapter IX: Christian Liberation from Human Power
Christians refuse to use violence or participate in state violence, even when threatened with suffering, following Christ's example of non-striving.
- Chapter II
Tolstoy implicitly advocates for nonresistance by exposing the moral corruption of state violence and the suffering it causes to all involved.
- III
Tolstoy argues that all forms of murder, including in self-defense or for justice, are incompatible with true morality.
- VI
The chapter condemns violence, military service, and state coercion, urging readers to refuse participation in killing and oppression.
