philosophical and theological meanings of the controversy I.A. Ilyin and L.N. Tolstoy

Author(s):  V.P. Rimskiy, State Institute of arts and culture, Belgorod, Russia, rimskiy@bsu.edu.ru

O.N. Rimskaya, Belgorod State Institute of Arts and Culture, Belgorod, Russia, aandreeva@bgiik.ru

K.E. Mulhaupt, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod , Russia, urist812@yandex.ru

Issue:  Volume 43, № 4

Rubric:  Thesis

Annotation:  The article deals with the philosophical and theological meanings of L.N. Tolstoy and I.A. Ilyin polemics in the context of the dichotomy solution «violence – nonviolence» and «violence – force». The key problem of the work “On Resisting Evil by Power” I.A. Ilyina concludes in answering the question: “Can a person striving for moral perfection resist evil with force and a sword? Can a person who believes in God, accept-ing His universe and his place in the world, not resist evil with his sword and power? This is a dual issue that now requires a new formulation and a new resolution ”. I.A. Ilyin, noting the depth, sophistication and complexity of this issue, wrote that simplifying it and not distinguishing between “force” and “violence” could lead to false conclusions and theories. From the point of view of Ilyin, L. Tolstoy and his school, using the terms "violence" and "nonviolence" mixed a variety of types of violence with forms of coercion, self-coercion, coercion. Revealing contradictions in L. N.'s arguments. Tolstoy, I. Ilyin puts as a generic concept of "the action of willpower", which is manifested in the action of" organically whole and free "(the game of forces) and" forcing action", through non-violent persuasion, psychological and legal coercion (order, prohibition, law, etc.), contrasting them with legitimate and illegitimate violence. Coercion and co-ercion can lead to both good and evil, so considering violence from a moral point of view requires going into deeper, ontological contexts, which for us can only be love for Christ and in Christ.

Keywords:  L.N. Tolstoy, I.A. Ilyin, the doctrine of non-resistance to evil by violence, criticism of tolstoyism, violence, non-violence, force.

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