Replies

I believe that Western Christians would vehemently object to this teaching.

Yes and I am not surprised. My point was not to sell the idea, but to show that the statement in the story is consistent with Russian Orthodox ascetic beliefs. Self-chastisement, for instance, is considered a virtue.

I think an explanation offered earlier on the thread by another poster explains it better. The doctor simply had not had an opportunity to fully study and grasp all that scripture had to teach. And yet, his ignorance was no obstacle to God's purpose in his life nor did it cause him to fail in his personal Christian integrity as a camp doctor or in his witness to the young Solzhenitzyn. We might still wish that the doctor had had more time to learn scripture and to have a happier ending in his earthly life.

I wrote a bit about your mention of "self-chastisement" but erased it because I thought I should ask exactly what you meant by that phrase. There are certain practices known as "mortification of the flesh" which are held by the Roman church (more weakly in modern times) but which are rejected by non-Roman churches in the West.