The Brothers Karamazov

Last night I went to APU's Main campus in Azusa for several reasons. One of the driving reasons I came was to attend a discussion about Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov with some fellow theology nerds, Dr. Craig Keen, and a brilliant English Lit. professor, Dr. Noble, from APU. Though I have never read the book, it is so rich in its conceptions that I and the others were really able to speak to and wrestle with the ideas and suggestions held in it's pages (as long as someone who had read was able to start us off). It was a fantastic conversation that made it's way from discussing what it means to actively love all the way to discussing whether it's possible to truly "love the sinner, hate the sin." every passage that was read and every topic that was covered was like music to me. I am now compelled to read this book and to read it carefully. Here are a couple of powerful passages from it:

"There is only one salvation for you: take yourself up, and make yourself responsible for all the sins of men. For indeed it is so, my friend, and the moment you make yourself sincerely responsible for everything and everyone, you will see at once that it is really so, that it is you who are guilty on behalf of all and for all. Whereas by shifting your own laziness and powerlessness onto others, you will end by sharing in Satan's pride and murmuring against God."
- Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

"Is there in the whole world a being who would have the right to forgive and could forgive? I don't want harmony. From love for humanity I don't want it. I would rather be left with the unavenged suffering. I would rather remain with my unavenged suffering and unsatisfied indignation, even if I were wrong. Besides, too high a price is asked for harmony; it's beyond our means to pay so much to enter on it. And so I hasten to give back my entrance ticket, and if I am an honest man I am bound to give it back as soon as possible. And that I am doing. It's not God that I don't accept, Alyosha, only I most respectfully return him the ticket."
- Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov