My partner's weekly column from The Phoenix, Phoenixville, PA

FREE THOUGHT: The Grand Inquisitor (Revisited)

One chapter within one of the greatest books ever written, The Grand Inquisitor stills haunts me even after twenty-three years. In 1983, Father Nicholas DeProspero from St. Michael's handed me Dostoyevsky's masterpiece "The Brothers Karamazov." One month later when I returned it to him, he asked, "did you understand?" I did. And it's been a touchstone in the back of my mind ever since.

I want to bring this chapter to your attention for one very important reason. Although the book was written more than a century ago in a foreign country, if you read just the chapter of The Grand Inquisitor, you will be startled. Why? Because you'll see yourself. You'll see yourself, your church, your community, your religion, your country. And you will (or should be) very troubled.

http://www.phoenixvillenews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16897365&BRD=1673&PAG=461&dept_id=17918&rfi=6

that should be remembered, and thought about often.

however, he was really only condemning the Catholic Church with "the Grand Inquisitor", his own Russian Orthodox Church escapes any criticism at all. Although it's certainly great literature, it would be less awkward for him if he had condemned all churches; in my view they're equally guilty.

I read the paragraphs about The Grand Inquisitor and was thinking, "This guy is like the modern day Fundies!". Then I scroll down to It is now July 2006.....and, oh yes, Senator Rick Santorum would like to remind everyone that being Christian must include bashing minorities and it must be done in English only... And through it all, you have this gnawing feeling in your gut that what passes for Christianity is barely Christian at all.

How could Dostoevsky have known???

What business are you and your partner in? Sorry...I'm a Rescue Me fan and that line struck my funny bone. Never had a chance to use it until now. Thanks for indulging me.

Hope you enjoy it here. Overall this forum is a nice place. Don't believe what people say about me.

with Derek Jacobi. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385781/

I thought it was great - it got very good reviews (http://www.dramahouse.co.uk/INQUISITION.html), but, despite Jacobi being a big name, it doesn't sem to have been shown or released anywhere else apart from Sweden (and IMDB says the chapter was missed entirely form the 1950s movie of "The Brothers Karamazov").