Dear one,
As you might recall, in my recent rereading of The Brothers Karamazov ,I have found the Grand Inquisitor’s observations regarding humankind and his accusation against Christ thought-provoking:
“Hadst Thou [Christ] accepted that last counsel of the [devil], Thou wouldst have accomplished all that man seeks on earth … [especially] some means of uniting all in one unanimous and harmonious ant-heap, for the craving for universal unity is the third and last anguish of men” (The Brothers Karamazov, “Book 5”).
According to the Inquisitor, if Jesus had worshipped the devil, then He, Jesus, could have united all humanity under His reign and thereby fulfill our human longing for universal unity. In some regards, the Inquisitor’s observations are fully consistent with Genesis 1&2: we are communal beings, created to live in harmonious union, and so reflect the image of God (Genesis 1:27). However, in Genesis 3 that union fractured horribly: our forebears freely chose to be their own, autonomous gods.
Within my little world, when I communicate with pastors overseas, and when they ask me about George Floyd and/or about the coronavirus, I sense that they are also asking: Are you experiencing unity and freedom, or unity or freedom? In my responses to them, I offer: ours is a tradition, which seeks to navigate between both, upholding both, but it remains to be seen whether or not we’ll wreck upon the shoals of one or the other.
Thus, regarding the Inquisitor’s observation, we Americans do seek unity; but counter that impulse is another and equally strong impulse: we seek freedom. That is, as popularly formulated:
“You may do as you wish, given that I can do as I want—as long as you ‘neither [pick] my pocket nor [break]my leg’ (Thomas Jefferson: Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVII, “Religion”); but if I suffer financial or physical harm, then I will freely curtail your freedom” (e.g. much of American foreign policy?).
From my perspective, the Inquisitor’s critique fails on two counts: Jesus did inaugurate a Kingdom based upon His rule alone: self-sacrificing love and service; and secondly, His subjects will experience unity, as they freely confess their brokenness and failures, both to Him and to one another, thus forsaking their heritage: to be autonomous gods. As Mark recorded: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near; repent [i.e. allow Him to redirect your hearts and minds], and believe [i.e. live] the good news” (Mark. 1:15).
Praying for the peace of unity and freedom,
Stan