What five moral teachings did Leo Tolstoy emphasize in his later Christianity?

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Portrait of Leo Tolstoy with a long white beard, wearing a dark shirt and looking slightly to the side. — Leo Tolstoy Russian writer Leo Tolstoy is widely regarded as one of the world's greatest novelists. His masterpieces are *War and Peace* (1865–69) and *Anna Karenina* (1875–77).

In his later years, Leo Tolstoy developed a personal interpretation of Christianity that rejected traditional church dogma, sacraments, and miracles in favor of the ethical teachings he identified in the Sermon on the Mount.1

He emphasized five core moral tenets:1

Be not angry: Cultivating inner peace and avoiding hostility toward others.1
Do not lust: Viewing total abstinence as an ideal to transcend physical desires.1
Do not take oaths: Avoiding binding promises, as one cannot foresee the future.1
Do not resist evil: Refusing to combat evil through violent or coercive means.1
Love your enemies: Extending compassion and love even to those who oppose you.1

Tolstoy’s commitment to nonresistance led him to adopt pacifism and anarchism, as he believed that governments rely fundamentally on the threat of violence. Consequently, he advocated for refusing military service, abstaining from voting, and avoiding the use of legal courts.1