Is Tolstoy a "Prophet"?

The spiritual transformation of Tolstoy concluded by 1881, after which he considered his religious-philosophical works truly important. Instead of seeking the justice of the world, he pursued the truth of the soul. After his "conversion," he felt it was his main task to proclaim the word with prophetic commitment. "I want to shout out the truth that burns."

A true prophet is one to whom God speaks. They receive authorization to be a messenger between God and humanity. The prophet must be a holy person, representing God with their character. Tolstoy's relationship with God is questionable, and his actions do not resemble biblical prophets. Rather, he is better described as a teacher, spreading Christ's truth.

One pinnacle of his intellectual development is the essay titled "What Is My Faith?" (1884). Although it was first published in Moscow in 1884, censorship prevented its print publication. It circulated widely in manuscript form after being released in Geneva. It took until 1906 for it to be published in Russia.

Tolstoy's aim was to make Christ's teachings accessible to everyone, bypassing the need for interpreters.

Causes of His Spiritual Wanderings:

• The Sin of the Church: Tolstoy accuses the church of hiding the true teachings, presenting Christ in a false light. Only dogma and externals interest them. Believers are not required to follow Christ's life; they can trust in divine grace. Tolstoy rejects ecclesiastical authority, discarding elements of Christian tradition, including apostolic interpretations and even Old Testament writings.
• Human Nature: Bitterness and fear of death presented a choice. Follow divine or human law? Following divine law means persecution, while following human law brings peace. Tolstoy was also deterred from following divine law by the church's assertion that Christ's teachings do not align with human nature, presenting Christ's life as an unattainable ideal.

Christ's Teaching:

After becoming a believer, Tolstoy accepted the Gospels as God's book. He frequently turned to the Sermon on the Mount to understand Christ's teachings. For him, this represented complete Christianity, containing understandable moral rules. He understood that Christ did not expect suffering from his followers but rather peace.

Tolstoy interpreted the term "Son of Man" as referring to the divine presence within every individual. He rejected the church's interpretation of it as meaning the Son of God. The unity of the divine origin Son of Man (reason, wisdom) with humanity is the natural state of man. The Father's will is for humans to dedicate their lives to the Son of Man within them. Humans should strive for the victory of the Son of Man within them. This is the essence of life, and through this, humans recognize themselves as children of God. Tolstoy's interpretation is considered false, as he adheres to a philosophical meaning: divine light exists within humans, received from above.

Contrary to the church's perspective, Tolstoy feels the divine presence within humans, which he identifies as conscience—the working soul within. Scripture values more than reason, incorporating divine wisdom and morality. Thinking allows people to make the right decisions in free choice. The goal is not to seek rational arguments for proving God's existence.

From Tolstoy's previous train of thought, it's evident that eternal life can only be expected by following God's will, which includes reason. The concept of biblical resurrection is not interpretable for Tolstoy. He also rejects the church's teaching on the immortal soul. Referring to his own translation, he speaks of the "restoration of life" (= spiritual rebirth). Life transitions to God, gaining eternal life there.

Following Christ:

Following Christ's teachings brings happiness in the earthly world itself, according to Tolstoy. Although love is the highest law of human life, society is based on the application of violence. Tolstoy believes that this illusion can be overcome if everyone morally perfects themselves. The transformation of human thinking is necessary, acknowledging ourselves as children of God. Happiness comes from unity with other people. A humble, poor, serving life is the example to follow. A selfish, animalistic life is one's own, but a person becomes a living human being when they subject the animalistic to Reason.

Tolstoy's Faith:

On Earth, humanity will only be happy if they fulfill Christ's law. Tolstoy's life lessons include living in isolation from others until his conversion, considering himself superior. He now understands that service and good deeds are required. Talents are the lessons of life, and the meaning of life is to live in the light one has received. This must be presented to people, and the work continues until everyone fulfills Christ's law.

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