Solzhenitsyn - Restraining Grace

May 17, 2023 

Ivan Denisovich - Question #2: Is there a climactic moment in this story? If so, where is it? If not, why does Solzhenitysn leave it out?


I think the climactic moment comes during the scene where the prisoners are being searched and Ivan Denisovich realizes he has the hacksaw blade. In his desperation, he prays, even though he does not exactly believe in God. Just in time, the guard is called away and does not find the blade. This answers the simple question of the story, “Will Ivan get through the day?”


It also answers the question, “Will Ivan’s humanity be preserved?” Ivan’s prayer shows the restraining grace of God in his life, even though he is not a believer. This “common grace” is what causes him to do all sorts of “human” things, such as finishing the building project, eating with his hat on, wanting to preserve dignity and property. These are things we think of as natural to man because he is created in the image of God. But man is fallen, and there is no good in him anymore. I prefer to think of these “human characteristics” as coming from the active, restraining grace of God in someone’s life. Yes, Ivan’s humanity is preserved. But it is God who preserves it.


His mental process about the hacksaw blade is interesting. He had not planned to bring it back to the camp. But once he realizes he has it, he starts to think of all sorts of things he could do with it — things that would make him money and earn him more food. He makes the decision to try to sneak it past the guards, even though he understands the dire consequences if it is found.


Society and the economy grow and improve as many individuals take similar risks. They go out on a limb and do things that might not work out, i.e. starting a business or going west in a covered wagon. They are willing to take these risks because of the potential reward that awaits them. This is one thing missing from Communism. 

Popular posts from this blog

The Franks - History Summary

Clovis gradually rose to power by conquering other small kings of the Franks. The land ruled by the Merovingian dynasty grew until it encroached on Rome. However, the kings gradually lost power to their noblemen. The nobles would make agreements to peasants to protect them, and the peasants would serve the nobles. The kings began granting more and more immunity to the nobles, which meant that they and their law was immune from interference from the king. Finally, the kings had lost almost all their power, and even the royal land was disappearing. Another important event that happened at this time was the Musselman invasion. Because of the Muslims, the focus of Europe was turned north, breaking the continuity between Western Europe and the East. Trade on the shores of the western Mediterranean was becoming non-existent.
Read more

Women in the Church

June 2, 2023 A friend and I were talking recently about women’s ordination. Should women ever be ordained to serve in the church? Is it ever okay for a woman to serve the church in a formalized way? She had been reading in the doctrinal statement of a denomination where they did not allow women’s ordination, and their justification was male headship in marriage. She mostly agreed with the statement, but not with the reasoning. I wanted to take a little time to look at what the Scriptures say about women in the church. Women should remain silent in the churches. Paul gives specific instruction in 1 Cor. 14 about what it should look like when believers come together: “ What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done so that the church may be built up. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. ...
Read more

Gregory the Great - History Summary

When Pope Gregory the Great came to power in 590 AD, the Roman Empire in the West had almost completely deteriorated. Gregory used his organizational skills to consolidate many things from the Roman empire into the church, bringing stability. As a spiritual leader, he differed from the earlier church fathers. His writings and teachings centered on eternity, heaven, and the torment of hell. The author says that this laid a foundation for the philosophy of medieval times. It also made the church important as the agent of salvation by which all people could be rescued from this terrible and fearful fate. Gregory also consolidated the monks and made them a part of the church. Both his practical side and his mystic side worked together toward his greatest scheme — the Christianization of England. After a long and careful planning stage, the missionaries set out. It was not long before England itself was sending missionaries to colonize Germany. It’s fascinating to me how quickly England was...
Read more