[Literature Reflection] The Brothers Karamazov: Response to the Theological Challenge from Ivan's "Grand Inquisitor"

Response to the Theological Challenge from Ivan's "Grand Inquisitor”

After Ivan’s recital of his provocative poem “The Grand Inquisitor,” I stood mesmerized at the depth of intellect and a perceivable tension of the Atheist. Indeed, it was the most blasphemous and, at the same time, intriguing piece ever written. 

“Ivan, you are blaming Jesus that he delivered freedom to the sinful and incompetent mass of men, thereby excluding them from redemption. Well, I understand your viewpoint; freedom indeed is not free. It brings in countless sufferings that may be unendurable by the ‘mass of incompetent people.”

At my response, Ivan faintly smiled, expectant of my rebuttal. 

“Alyosha, I knew you would recognize the cruel nature of freedom. Freedom, ironically, is not free at all. How cruel is it that some men, less than a cow in their intellectual and spiritual capacity, are given a monstrous license called “freedom” and are required to persist through it to attain redemption? How could the Ultimate Goodness have done that to his poor insufferable herds?” 

I replied, “Yes, freedom is suffering, in a sense. However, you overlook where the suffering originates. Change the whole perspective of how you see this matter. Is it God who wanted His beloved children to be thrown into the hands of mischief and vice? Is it God who had Adam to pick up the forbidden fruit? Is it God who chained man and all his descendants to an irrevocable slavery of imperfection and sin? You have mistaken the source of such suffering. Yes, freedom is not free. God expects his ignorant children not to worship Him because of their submissive nature; He wants them to free themselves from the bond of sin and voluntarily commit themselves to serfdom, which is laborious indeed. Still, God gives such a brutal fate of freedom in the hope that it may save at least the ones who follow and persevere with him from the slavery of vice. Despite our disobedience and disloyalty to our own rightful master, the Master sacrificed himself to unbind or at least give us a chance to unbind, us from irreversible slavery. It is the desperate heart of the Father that reversed the irreversible. Tell me, is Jesus to be blamed for the freedom he has given us?” 

Ivan responded, “Well then, He does want his foolish flocks to follow Him, Alyosha. Yet, do you recall the Grand Inquisitor’s condemnation of Jesus? If Jesus chose only to turn stones into bread, fall from the mountain unharmed, or kneel to the devil, which one from the vast flock of humanity, even the most foolish ones, would not believe in Him? He would have led much more of his beloved children to the Father, showing his power. Is it that His dignity is so important to the point that He would rather have his children die than sacrifice His dignity? Or, if he had at least prohibited the evil in the world with his omnipotence… If he had only displayed to the world his power…”

“Jesus could never compromise to such temptation of the devil because it is against the essence of redemption itself. People would have praised and submitted to Him if He showed them His power. However, how does such submission differ from a mere and superficial submission to power and force? Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Yet God’s system runs differently from the Golden Rule of the world. The essence of redemption is knowing and loving God by heart and mind, not a mere submission out of need. Miracles and signs may trigger faith but a genuine understanding of God the Logos must accompany the submission. This is why God could not compromise with the devil. 

Moreover, God does not abandon His flocks unattended and dumbfounded by such complexities: he prepares his believers and gives them a divine mission to enlighten the rest of the world. The Grand Inquisitor and his church associated with the enemy of God to show signs and superficial ceremonies, which only binds the believers stronger to the slavery of sin. On the other hand, the true apostles of Christ are striving to enlighten and save men not merely with miracles and powers but by preaching to dwell on God’s incomparable love. From then the responsibility falls on individual men: God has given them freedom, which you once denounced as cruel, and a guide, the believers and their ardent evangelism, so the people must responsibly strive towards the truth, the freedom, and the noble submission, ultimately to redemption from their unalterable bondage to the evil. Your Grand Inquisitor fails to recognize God’s love and regard for him and lures His children into a swamp. Regardless, Ivan, Jesus kisses him, awaiting and expecting him, the corrupted and horrendous slave of the devil, with ardent love.”