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This one is a demonstration of why one should read Kierkegaard primarily as a theologian interested in practical ethics, and also a demonstration of why no one wants to.
Basically the whole project of the book is to argue that a human soul, not properly situated in relationship to god, despairs and sins. The first part of the Book sketches out a theory of human despair, which is understood to be a despairing of individual human metaphysical identity (the soul) against some notion of eternity or the divine. It’s a little unclear just how broad a concept this is; Kierkegaard’s examples would be in modern language everything form severe depression to a vague sense of unease in the world. In my less charitable moments, I wondered if despair was everything apart from Kierkegaard’s own self-disciplined and introspective lifestyle.
The second part of the book connects sin to despair and then the two premises together imply that the antecdote to the state of sin is a resolution to despair, which requires intentional, introspective and obedient submission to god.
So again, I don’t think any interpretation of this text holds up at all without a careful and serious tolerance of Kierkegaard’s theological opinions. But, it’s very tempting to do precisely what he would have mocked and loathed a reader for doing, and just picking out the good bits. The criticism of church institutions is m fun. Secularizing despair allows one to talk about human indentuty and discomfort with identity in a kind of useful way. Whereas seriously managing Kierkegaard means muddling through some wild opinions about women and pagans and some just generally very harsh ethical stances.
I’m a bit skeptical of philosophy which arrives at “introspection is a necessary and high form of good and completely coincidentally I am very good at it” stances. And Kierkegaard is chock full of those. But there are also so beautiful descriptions of the relationship between god and man, and in a Christian theology one does need some relationship between the soul and god, and like it or not, Kierkegaard’s take is an influential modern one.
Basically the whole project of the book is to argue that a human soul, not properly situated in relationship to god, despairs and sins. The first part of the Book sketches out a theory of human despair, which is understood to be a despairing of individual human metaphysical identity (the soul) against some notion of eternity or the divine. It’s a little unclear just how broad a concept this is; Kierkegaard’s examples would be in modern language everything form severe depression to a vague sense of unease in the world. In my less charitable moments, I wondered if despair was everything apart from Kierkegaard’s own self-disciplined and introspective lifestyle.
The second part of the book connects sin to despair and then the two premises together imply that the antecdote to the state of sin is a resolution to despair, which requires intentional, introspective and obedient submission to god.
So again, I don’t think any interpretation of this text holds up at all without a careful and serious tolerance of Kierkegaard’s theological opinions. But, it’s very tempting to do precisely what he would have mocked and loathed a reader for doing, and just picking out the good bits. The criticism of church institutions is m fun. Secularizing despair allows one to talk about human indentuty and discomfort with identity in a kind of useful way. Whereas seriously managing Kierkegaard means muddling through some wild opinions about women and pagans and some just generally very harsh ethical stances.
I’m a bit skeptical of philosophy which arrives at “introspection is a necessary and high form of good and completely coincidentally I am very good at it” stances. And Kierkegaard is chock full of those. But there are also so beautiful descriptions of the relationship between god and man, and in a Christian theology one does need some relationship between the soul and god, and like it or not, Kierkegaard’s take is an influential modern one.
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
An analysis of despair in the Christian life, and how it relates to sin and faith. Kierkegaard also critiques the Chrostianity of his day; a lot of these are still very relevant. Difficult read, and I will probably read it again, and closer.