The Grand Inquisitor Essay

Improved Essays
Show More
The idea of freedom being evident in every individual may seems obvious in the 21st century, but this was a highly controversial topic within the 19th and 20th centuries. Through the eyes of Fyodor Dostoevsky in The Grand Inquisitor, freedom within society, especially within Christianity, must be valued and maintained so there is no confusion of authority. Freedom for Dostoevsky is both a self-evident truth and a God given gift that can only be trusted in His hands and those who truly believe in Him. Dostoevsky uses the Catholic Church as his example for a belief in no freedom for the individuals, demonstrating the struggle for many to express their ideals and opinions during the 19th century because of the papacy. This entrusted authority, …show more content…
The church presented in The Grand Inquisitor has manipulated the people in such a way that they are now worshipping the church. Freedom to Dostoevsky was the most valued part of an individual and this is taken away if the church is worshipped rather than Jesus. Jesus’ teachings are absolute and can be chosen to be followed or rejected, but the church only seeks power and control, causing the people to lose sight of the truth. ‘“Christ’s remaining silent is clear: there is nothing more to be added to what he had said of old. His message has not changed, will not change, remains forever what it was, admits of no clarification or amendment”’ (Beauchamp 137). The grand inquisitor openly rejects the teachings of Jesus and even does so to His face. What he does not realize is the Christ gives him that freedom to choose but with that freedom, he takes away the chance for the people to decide for themselves. The grand inquisitor may believe that Jesus is too radical and too perfect for anyone to follow, but Dostoevsky demonstrates the corruption in the inquisitor’s thought. The grand inquisitor may have the freedom to choose whether to believe in Jesus, but allow the people of the church to decide whether to believe in Him or

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Enlightenment Dbq Essay
    • 461 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Enlightenment Dbq Essay

    There was once a time where people had no individual rights, also known as the enlightenment period. The enlightenment period was a time also referred to as “The age of reason” where people known as philosophers would meet and discuss politics, religion, economics, and social questions. Accordingly, the main idea of the enlightenment period was the philosophers who discussed ways to alter society. The four main philosophers were; John Locke, Francois-Marie Arouet (Voltaire), Adam Smith, and Mary Wollstonecraft. All four philosophers have different beliefs, but the one thing they all agree on is the believe of individual rights.…

    • 461 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Power In Bertolt Brecht's Galileo
    • 371 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Power In Bertolt Brecht's Galileo

    In Bertolt Brecht’s Galileo, the play argues that the church wrongfully wields too much power over society by being the governing body, unopposed in its decisions, and very controlling in many aspects of life. As the government, the church gained more power than it could use ethically. The church not only had authority in religious affairs, but also political authority as well. In a dialogue between Sagredo and Galileo, Sagredo cautions Galileo that in Florence “the monks are in power there” (64).With such an increase of power, the church was sure to become corrupt.…

    • 371 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Alant Hunt: Moral Panics
    • 338 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Alant Hunt: Moral Panics

    Alant Hunt, makes a point that moral panics are part of wider dynamics of “moral panics” in which some agents act to “problematize the conduct, values or culture of others and seek to act upon them though moralizing discourses, moralizing, practises, and religion. ”(cited in Krinsky, C. 2013, p.134)The contemporary example of moral panic issue surrounding ‘gay-propaganda’ law in Russia was justified by the Russian politician Vitaly Milonov, as the need to protect children from being corrupted and uphold Orthodox Christian moral values as gay people stand as threat to those values. (Available at: http://sputniknews.com/analysis/20120830/175525037/Vitaly-Milonov-Laying-Down-Gods-Law-in-Russia.html) The agent of the moral panic is an Orthodox Church,…

    • 338 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Dystopian In Ayn Rand's Anthem
    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Dystopian In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    That is freedom. That and nothing else” (pg. 101). This quote shows the concept in which only other men can take away a man’s freedom and to ensure that a man truly free, he must. Some important realizations that drove the protagonist; Equality 7-2521, to be unique was that he can only depend upon his own mind to make moral judgements and that his individuality was nothing to fear.…

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Argical Analysis Of Solzhenitsyn's Men Have Forgotten God
    • 912 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Argical Analysis Of Solzhenitsyn's Men Have Forgotten God

    Solzhenitsyn’s Men Have Forgotten God, reflects upon the spiritual life of Soviet Russia in 1970. At the time of his speech, Soviet Russia was taking away parents from the children so the children could not adopt the faith of their parents. At the same time, they were also taking away priest, nuns, and monks were rounded up and killed either by shooting or by freezing to death. With all this religious persecution and time of mass chaos, the church was weak if existent at all. Note that the already religious personnel were not weak but the church was weakened by the massacres.…

    • 912 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Tartuffe And Candide Analysis
    • 1406 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Tartuffe And Candide Analysis

    Moliere 's Tartuffe, and Voltaire 's Candide are each praiseworthy abstract works of the eighteenth century in their own particular rights. Fraud is a sarcastic drama, and Candide a provocative travelog. While each sticks somberly to its type, different similitudes and also differentiating contrasts can be followed among the previously mentioned works. Composed amid the Age of Enlightenment, each of these works mirrors the belief system of the period and subsequently, has different likenesses. Firstly, each of these works commends reason over religion and the hypothesis that man is in charge of his own behavior.…

    • 1406 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Man In The High Castle Essay
    • 1140 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Man In The High Castle Essay

    World War II: A Different Look Imagine a world in which America had actually lost World War II. Consider the impact the Nazi’s would have had on the world if they were to win. It can be hard to determine as there can be multiple scenarios to how this would play out. Along with this, there is no true way to determine what would have happened. The book, “The Man in The High Castle” takes a look at what the world would be like if the Axis powers had won World War II.…

    • 1140 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    The Crucible Argumentative Essay
    • 838 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Crucible Argumentative Essay

    That is true. That is what makes the sacrifice of one’s life so special. It is an ultimate act of selflessness. However, not anything is worth dying for. Because life is such a precious gift, it should only be given up when appropriate.…

    • 838 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Enlightenment Thinkers Essay
    • 726 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Enlightenment Thinkers Essay

    The majority of people tend to look at morals as a set of rules laying out what is right and what is wrong when it comes to behavior, that they should abide by. during the period of time known as the Enlightenment people questioned religious doctrines and traditional values. Immanuel Kant, Adam Smith, Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all wrote may papers detailing their beliefs and philosophes. These authors all share in the belief that humans have the ability if they choose to, to change not only their life circumstances and ways of thinking but that of others too, all for the better. All the authors of these documents were all outside the box thinkers of their time.…

    • 726 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    One Nation Under God Summary
    • 1733 Words
    • 7 Pages

    One Nation Under God Summary

    Kruse takes every chapter to look specific topics within this religious revival scene during this time period. Kruse places each chapter in chronological order so that each chapter leads into one another while also making sense to the reader. Each chapter takes on a topic then Kruse goes in depth about that topic. In the first chapter, the author first introduces the basic premise of the book which is evident within the title which is “ Freedom Under God”.…

    • 1733 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Similarities Between The Crucible And Civil Disobedience
    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Similarities Between The Crucible And Civil Disobedience

    Elie Wiesel, a writer and Holocaust survivor says during his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” This idea states that the act of keeping quiet and not questioning an immoral authority only gives power to the oppressors. By speaking up for what is right, the power is given to the people to repair an unjust government.…

    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Analysis Of Jonathan Rauch's Article 'Kindly Inquisitors'
    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Analysis Of Jonathan Rauch's Article 'Kindly Inquisitors'

    In the article titled, “Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought,” Jonathan Rauch concludes that hate speech should not be censored on campus. Rauch believes that students have a right to academic freedom. He believes that students will not feel free to explore or question topics that may be taboo, if they are fearful of reprimand, limiting their ability to learn about the world during a crucial time in their education. First Rauch argues that gaining knowledge is painful and Knowledge cannot be separated from pain, even the most “scientific” criticism can be painful. For example, Physicist Ludwig Boltzmann committed suicide following criticism of his ideas.…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Gnostic Gospels
    • 945 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Gnostic Gospels

    The Gnostic gospels have been the subject of much debate for centuries, especially regarding the Orthodox Church’s opposition to the validity of gospels outside of those canonized gospels of the New Testament. Author Elaine Pagels consolidated her research on this topic in the book titled The Gnostic Gospels. This text provides some insight into the struggles that helped shape beliefs of the Gnostics and the early Orthodox Church as they responded to attacks of heresy from one another. The purpose of this review is not an all-inclusive review of the entire book, but a focused look at two important chapters: one that addresses various interpretations of the resurrection of Christ and another that deals with the question of which church should…

    • 945 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Great Debaters Essay
    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Great Debaters Essay

    During the Great Depression whites people were still discriminate against colors people. African American started to fight back with racial riots, protest on civil right movement. White people had another thing coming, African American were building a union to let other know that we are human and should be treated equally. Each movement of African American union leaders inspire young and old our brother and sister to do better for themselves. In 1935 in little small town Marshall, Texas the Wiley college powerhouse debate team, related to the movie “The Great Debaters”, discussion of issue directed by union finders motivating our culture, education out of poverty.…

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Indulgences In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales
    • 1437 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Indulgences In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

    Before Martin Luther posted his 95th thesis on a church door in Worms, Germany so as to publicly air his grievances against the Church, another prominent figure also criticized the abuses of the Church. This man was no clergyman or ruler; he was a prominent literary figure of his time. This man was Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, in part, deals greatly with the abuses and scandalous behaviors of authority figures in the Catholic Church. Before Luther and before changes were made, Chaucer’s novel sheds light on some of the more questionable behaviors of those in the Catholic Church.…

    • 1437 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings