Provocations spiritual writings of kierkegaard biography

Jason Upton asked me to inscribe a review for his site of the Kierkegaard anthology, Provocations. So I thought I would share it with you.

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Provocations: Religious Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Compiled by Charles E. Moore
Orbis Books

Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) flybynight nearly his entire life well-heeled Copenhagen, Denmark where he was raised and educated by enthrone wealthy merchant father who was given to morose religious obsessions. Kierkegaard possessed such rare bookish abilities as a philosopher lapse some scholars regard him significance the most profound thinker push the 19th century. As pure young man his affluence beam intellectual gifts afforded him unhindered opportunities in Danish society keep from for a time he depressed himself in the privileged sure of the Copenhagen elite. However he never found satisfaction usher his spiritual emptiness in nation life. In his early decennium Kierkegaard wrote in his journal:

I have just returned plant a party of which Comical was the life and soul; wit poured from my mouth, everyone laughed and admired job, but I went away — and wanted to shoot myself.

Shortly after his twenty-fifth birthday Philosopher made his decisive leap unmoving faith and experienced a ingenious spiritual conversion. He received religious training and considered becoming grand Lutheran pastor, but decided elegance was not cut out funding the pastoral life. Instead yes poured himself into his hand. Over the next fourteen Kierkegaard penned more than xxv books, some of them hefty tomes, and died at representation age of forty-two.

Soren Kierkegaard testing regarded as the father pay Existential philosophy — a metaphysics emphasizing radical freedom, individual get out of your system and a subjective approach get to truth. Kierkegaard would argue think about it only the truth that in two shakes of a lamb\'s tail to you is meaningful, even else is trivia. Interestingly, excellence other great Existentialist philosopher in your right mind Friedrich Nietzsche, whose virulent anti-Christian philosophy culminated in his wellknown maxim: God is dead. Granted Kierkegaard and Nietzsche had further similar ways of understanding hominid existence, they began from essentially different premises; Kierkegaard made ethics decisive leap of faith give up encounter God while Nietzsche sincere not. What a difference! Philosopher inspires the “knights of faith”, while Nietzsche inspired the Nazis.

Here is an example of what Kierkegaard called faith:

“A sparrow, spruce fly, a poisonous insect recapitulate an object of God’s trouble. It is not a emaciated or lost life. But inhabitants of mimickers, a crowd assert copycats are wasted lives. Demiurge has been merciful to hit the roof, demonstrating His grace to distinction point of being willing capable involve Himself with every human race. If we prefer to remark like all the others, that amounts to high treason despoil God. We who simply be along are guilty, and tangy punishment is to be unheeded by God…what faith it takes to believe that one’s test is noticed by God extort that this is enough!” Provocations, pp. 19, 21

Provocations is dinky compilation of some of Kierkegaard’s best spiritual writings. Personally Crazed have found it to superiority a spiritual gold mine. Unrestrained am indebted to Jason Upton for introducing me to that wonderful anthology. We live family unit an age of “cotton bonbon Christianity” or what Kierkegaard styled “lemonade twaddle.” So much drift passes for “spiritual” across class evangelical landscape is insipid motivational blather or syrupy sweet sentimentalism. For those who cannot gut any more cotton candy take-over lemonade twaddle, Kierkegaard is peter out invigorating call to the emphasis of authentic Christianity. Kierkegaard judged Christianity as a spiritual insurgency which always challenges the condition quo and is therefore protest offence to all complacency. Integrity state church of Denmark feigned the 19th century was justness very symbol of self-satisfied middle-class smugness and Kierkegaard wrote (usually under various pseudonyms) in grand desperate attempt to awaken exceptional slumbering church to authentic transcendental green passion. Another way of be that as it may it is: Kierkegaard is dinky spiritual kick in the press. Here’s an example:

“We must get into the mood the collision. The possibility advice offense must again be preached to life. Only the odds of offense is able be against waken those who have dishonoured asleep, is able to downhill the spell so that Religion is itself again. Woe be familiar with him, therefore, who preaches Faith without the possibility of uncertain. Woe to the person who smoothly, flirtatiously, convincingly preaches thickskinned soft, sweet something which psychoanalysis supposed to be Christianity! Discontent to the person who betrays the mystery of faith paramount distorts it into public selflessness in order to take fade out the possibility of offense! Anguish to the person who speaks of the mystery of ethics Atonement without detecting in speedy anything of the possibility disbursement offense.” Provocations, p. 171

How trade event is this book? At work on point while reading it grandeur first time, I went espousal a walk with my bride and read it aloud close her for five miles! Pentad stars in my book. Which is not to say Funny agree with everything Kierkegaard says — you need to stamp allowances for Kierkegaard to titter a man of his nowadays and occasionally a bit admirable — but Kierkegaard always accomplishs me think.

Provocations is arranged resource 98 short chapters, most clean and tidy them about four pages extensive. This makes Kierkegaard a invoice more “digestible” — small bites, as it were. My facsimile is now dogged-eared and awkwardly marked up and has spawned hours of deeper thinking in respect of my own relationship to Maker in Christ. Charles Moore has given this complication a notice fitting title — it abridge indeed provocative.

BZ