Crime and Punishment: Through the eyes of a Pastor

I really enjoyed listening to Mrs. Kirk's pastor, Dr. Burton, share his thoughts and views on Crime and Punishment. It is always fun to hear about a topic from someone who loves it, and Dr. Burton certainly loves Dostoevsky.

I love Dostoevsky's emphasis on the psychological, inner workings of his main character, Raskolnikov. After hearing from Dr. Burton, I now understand that this is because Dostoevsky is an existentialist thinker. In existentialism, you "cannot separate the being from the doing" (Burton). Thus, the concentration on the mind and thoughts enables Dostoevsky to present his Christian philosophies through Raskolnikov's thought process. Dostoevsky shows the turmoil that comes with the sin nature throughout the whole story using motifs and other imagery, and he contrasts that with the peace that comes from redemtion (by Christ) in the epilogue.

I enjoyed the fact that Dr. Burton was a pastor. He took a very systematic approach to the book and, as a result, has gleaned a lot of insight from it. A part of me wants to be a pastor someday and I think people like Dr. Burton are great role models. For example, going and talking with students is a great and effective ministry. It gives the students a perspective that they may not have heard before. Thanks Dr. Burton for your hard work preparing and delivering your presentation on Crime and Punishment and Dostoevsky. It was great to hear from you!