First published 2009
In his final decades, Leo Tolstoy abandons the Russian Orthodox Church and develops his own understanding of Christianity. The great novelist examines each teaching of Jesus and concludes that institutional Christianity has corrupted Christ's original message. Tolstoy builds his argument methodically, contrasting what Jesus actually said with what the Church teaches. He rejects rituals, sacraments, and clerical authority in favor of direct engagement with scripture. The author explains how this spiritual transformation changed how he lived and wrote. Tolstoy offers readers his personal roadmap for following Christ without the mediation of organized religion. This Scriptoria Books edition reproduces the complete original text through careful transcription and editing rather than automated scanning.
Genres: 20th-century, religion, christianity, 19th-century
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: religious-critique, spiritual-transformation
Setting: Russia, Russian Orthodox Church
Period: 19th-Century, 20th-Century
194 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform