# XL explained — Resurrection

> Chapter companion for Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy.

## What happens

The chapter describes a prison church service, highlighting the hypocrisy and absurdity of the religious ritual conducted in a place of punishment. The priest, deacon, inspector, and most prisoners participate mechanically, unaware or willfully ignoring that Christ's teachings—which forbid judgment, violence, and temple worship—are being mocked by the very institution that claims to honor Him. Maslova and Theodosia observe the service, with Theodosia's husband present among the warders. The narrative exposes the self-deception of all involved, from the priest who values his income to the inspector who needs faith to justify his cruel duties.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy of Religion and Morality

The chapter vividly exposes the hypocrisy of the church service in prison, where Christ's teachings against judgment, violence, and temple worship are blatantly contradicted by the very institution that claims to honor Him.

### Injustice of the Legal System

The prison service is a tool to justify the cruel treatment of prisoners, with the inspector relying on faith to reconcile his kind nature with his oppressive duties.

## Character check-ins

### Katerina Maslova

Participates in the church service with a mixed sense of piety and dullness; observes Theodosia's husband among the warders.

### Theodosia Birukoff

Stands with Maslova during the service; her husband is present among the warders, gazing at her.

### The Priest

Conducts the service mechanically, believing in the faith because it provides his income and is supported by the State; does not truly believe in the miracles he performs.

### The Officer

The prison inspector, a kindhearted man who participates zealously in the service, using faith to justify his cruel occupation.

## Key lines

> No one present seemed conscious that all that was going on here was the greatest blasphemy and a supreme mockery of that same Christ in whose name it was being done.

None of the participants realized that the service was a profound blasphemy against Christ, whose teachings they were actively violating.

_Highlights the central irony of the chapter: the church service mocks the very Christ it claims to worship._

> The priest did his part with a quiet conscience, because he was brought up from childhood to consider that the only true faith was the faith which had been held by all the holy men of olden times and was still held by the Church, and demanded by the State authorities.

The priest performed his duties without guilt, having been raised to believe that the only valid faith was the one upheld by tradition, the Church, and the State.

_Illustrates the priest's self-deception and the institutional pressure to conform._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/resurrection_se/chapters/xl
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/resurrection_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/resurrection_se/chapters