# Nonresistance to Evil in The Kingdom of God Is Within You

> Theme guide for The Kingdom of God Is Within You by Leo Tolstoy.

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.

## Where it surfaces

- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/chapters/ii): The central theme of the chapter; Tolstoy defends Christ's commandment against violence and refutes common objections.
- [Chapter IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/chapters/iv): 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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/chapters/viii): 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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/chapters/ix): Christians refuse to use violence or participate in state violence, even when threatened with suffering, following Christ's example of non-striving.
- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/chapters/ii): Tolstoy implicitly advocates for nonresistance by exposing the moral corruption of state violence and the suffering it causes to all involved.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/chapters/iii): Tolstoy argues that all forms of murder, including in self-defense or for justice, are incompatible with true morality.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/chapters/vi): The chapter condemns violence, military service, and state coercion, urging readers to refuse participation in killing and oppression.
- [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/chapters/endnotes): Tolstoy defends the literal interpretation of Christ's commandment against resisting evil, criticizing those who dismiss it as impractical or extreme.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/themes/nonresistance_to_evil
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kingdom_of_god_is_within_you_se/themes