Tom Lock - The Kingdom Of God Is Within You

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

IS WITHIN YOU

CHRISTIANITY NOT AS A MYSTIC RELIGION

BUT AS A NEW THEORY OF LIFE

TRANSLATED FROM THE RUSSIAN OF

LEO TOLSTOY

BY

CONSTANCE GARNETT

NEW YORK

CASSELL PUBLISHING COMPANY

1894

FORMATTED AND EDITED

WWW.NONRESISTANCE.ORG

2006

ii

CONTENTS

THE DOCTRINE OF NON-RESISTANCE TO EVIL BY FORCE HAS BEEN

PROFESSED BY A MINORITY OF MEN FROM THE VERY FOUNDATION

OF CHRISTIANITY

CRITICISMS OF THE DOCTRINE OF NON-RESISTANCE TO EVIL BY

FORCE ON THE PART OF BELIEVERS AND OF UNBELIEVERS

CHRISTIANITY MISUNDERSTOOD BY BELIEVERS

CHRISTIANITY MISUNDERSTOOD BY MEN OF SCIENCE

CONTRADICTION BETWEEN OUR LIFE AND OUR CHRISTIAN

CONSCIENCE

ATTITUDE OF MEN OF THE PRESENT DAY TO WAR

SIGNIFICANCE OF COMPULSORY SERVICE

DOCTRINE OF NON-RESISTANCE TO EVIL BY FORCE MUST

INEVITABLY BE ACCEPTED BY MEN OF THE PRESENT DAY

THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE CHRISTIAN CONCEPTION OF LIFE WILL

EMANCIPATE MEN FROM THE MISERIES OF OUR PAGAN LIFE

EVIL CANNOT BE SUPPRESSED BY THE PHYSICAL FORCE OF THE

GOVERNMENT THE MORAL PROGRESS OF HUMANITY IS BROUGHT

ABOUT NOT ONLY BY INDIVIDUAL RECOGNITION OF THE TRUTH, BUT

ALSO THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PUBLIC OPINION

THE CHRISTIAN CONCEPTION OF LIFE HAS ALREADY ARISEN IN OUR

SOCIETY, AND WILL INFALLIBLY PUT AN END TO THE PRESENT

ORGANIZATION OF OUR LIFE BASED ON FORCE WHEN THAT WILL BE

CONCLUSION REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND

iii

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:32

Do not fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matt. 10:28

You have been bought with a price; so do not be the servants of men.

I Cor. 7:23

iv

PREFACE

The book I have had the privilege of translating is, undoubtedly, one of the most remarkable studies of the social and psychological condition of the modern world that has appeared in Europe for many years, and its influence is sure to be lasting and far-reaching. Tolstoys genius is beyond dispute. The verdict of the civilized world has pronounced him as perhaps the greatest novelist of our generation. But the philosophical and religious works of his later years have met with a somewhat indifferent reception.

They have been much talked about, simply because they were his work, but, as Tolstoy himself complains, they have never been seriously discussed. I hardly think that he will have to repeat the complaint in regard to the present volume. One may disagree with his views, but no one can seriously deny the originality, boldness, and depth of the social conception that he develops with such powerful logic. The novelist has shown in this book the religious fervor and spiritual insight of the prophet; yet one is pleased to recognize that the artist is not wholly lost in the thinker. The subtle intuitive perception of the psychological basis of the social position, the analysis of the frame of mind of oppressors and oppressed, and of the intoxication of Authority and Servility, as well as the purely descriptive passages in the last chapter these could only have come from the author of War and Peace.

The book will surely give all classes of readers much to think of, and must call forth much criticism.

It must be refuted by those who disapprove of its teaching, if they do not want it to have great influence.

One cannot of course anticipate that English people, slow as they are to be influenced by ideas, and instinctively distrustful of all that is logical, will take a leap in the dark and attempt to put Tolstoys theory of life into practice. But one may at least be sure that his destructive criticism of the present social and political regime will become a powerful force in the work of disintegration and social reconstruction that is going on around us. Many earnest thinkers who, like Tolstoy, are struggling to find their way out of the contradictions of our social order will hail him as their spiritual guide. The individuality of the author is felt in every line of his work, and even the most prejudiced cannot resist the fascination of his genuineness, sincerity, and profound earnestness. Whatever comes from a heart such as his, swelling with anger and pity at the sufferings of humanity, cannot fail to reach the hearts of others. No reader can put down the book without feeling himself better and more truth-loving for having read it.

Many readers may be disappointed with the opening chapters of the book. Tolstoy disdains all attempts to captivate the reader. He begins by laying what he considers to be the logical foundation of his doctrines, stringing together quotations from little-known theological writers, and he keeps his own incisive logic for the later part of the book.

One word as to the translation. Tolstoys style in his religious and philosophical works differs considerably from that of his novels. He no longer cares about the form of his work, and his style is often slipshod, involved, and diffuse. It has been my aim to give a faithful reproduction of the original.

CONSTANCE GARNETT, January 1894

My aim has been the same to give a faithful reproduction of the original but why perpetuate obvious mistakes or doggedly adhere to an antiquated style, particularly in a translation? Please refer to the preface of What I Believe for additional remarks. Once again, point out any errors I have made so that I can fix them. This transcription is under no copyright protection. It is my gift to you. You may freely copy, print, and transmit it, but please do not change or sell it.

TOM LOCK, February 2006

v

INTRODUCTION

In the year 1884 I wrote a book under the title What I Believe, in which I did in fact make a sincere statement of my beliefs.

In affirming my belief in Christs teaching, I could not help explaining why I do not believe, and consider as mistaken, the Churchs doctrine, which is usually called Christianity.

Among the many points in which this doctrine falls short of the doctrine of Christ I pointed out as the principal one the absence of any commandment of non-resistance to evil by force. The perversion of Christs teaching by the teaching of the Church is more clearly apparent in this than in any other point of difference.

I know as we all do very little of the practice and the spoken and written doctrine of former times on the subject of non-resistance to evil. I knew what had been said on the subject by the fathers of the Church Origen, Tertullian, and others I knew too of the existence of some so-called sects of Mennonites, Herrnhuters, and Quakers, who do not allow a Christian the use of weapons, and do not enter military service; but I knew little of what had been done by these so-called sects toward expounding the question.

My book was, as I had anticipated, suppressed by the Russian censorship; but partly owing to my literary reputation, partly because the book had excited peoples curiosity, it circulated in manuscript and in lithographed copies in Russia and through translations abroad, and it evoked, on one side, from those who shared my convictions, a series of essays with a great deal of information on the subject, on the other side a series of criticisms on the principles laid down in my book.

A great deal was made clear to me by both hostile and sympathetic criticism, and also by the historical events of late years; and I was led to fresh results and conclusions, which I wish now to expound.