Reflection Paper on Kierkegaard
Page 1
Reflection Paper #1
Kierkegaard
Kierkegaard was a devout Christian and a deeply religious writer. His works explore some of the important features of Christianity, and he deeply explores some of the key stories at the heart of the Bible such as Adam and Eve, and Abraham and Isaac. Through his works, the reader is allowed an insight into Kierkegaard’s own personal Christianity, and an insight into what he feels is required to be a Christian. His Christianity is centered on faith. Fear and Trembling examines the story of Abraham and Isaac and the sacrifice that was supposed to happen. I believe that this is Kierkegaard’s best example of faith . Abraham is willing to sacrifice his son Isaac only because of his faith in God. God commands Abraham to do so, and he has blind faith in God and his commands. By his faith, Abraham is rewarded and gets to keep his son. This is one of the central ideas behind Kierkegaard’s Christianity: blind faith. Kierkegaard does not believe that the existence of God can be explained by reason or by science. Only by having blind faith in the existence of God is it possible for one to truly believe. Page 2 This faith actually causes us to abandon reason. Kierkegaard instead believes that we must believe by virtue of the absurd. Only by the absurd does Abraham get to keep his son Isaac. Kierkegaard believes by the same token that we must believe in the absurd in order to believe in God and to truly hold the Christian faith. This faith must also be constantly renewed by affirmations of faith. It does not suffice for one merely to make on showing of faith to God.
Kierkegaard did find human meaning and fulfillment in life by our ethical and religious commitments. Achieving meaning in life, he said, is not something simply given to us, but it is accomplished through our decisions. Kierkegaard thought we are, at the end of the day, on our own in making the best possible
Reflection Paper #1
Kierkegaard
Kierkegaard was a devout Christian and a deeply religious writer. His works explore some of the important features of Christianity, and he deeply explores some of the key stories at the heart of the Bible such as Adam and Eve, and Abraham and Isaac. Through his works, the reader is allowed an insight into Kierkegaard’s own personal Christianity, and an insight into what he feels is required to be a Christian. His Christianity is centered on faith. Fear and Trembling examines the story of Abraham and Isaac and the sacrifice that was supposed to happen. I believe that this is Kierkegaard’s best example of faith . Abraham is willing to sacrifice his son Isaac only because of his faith in God. God commands Abraham to do so, and he has blind faith in God and his commands. By his faith, Abraham is rewarded and gets to keep his son. This is one of the central ideas behind Kierkegaard’s Christianity: blind faith. Kierkegaard does not believe that the existence of God can be explained by reason or by science. Only by having blind faith in the existence of God is it possible for one to truly believe. Page 2 This faith actually causes us to abandon reason. Kierkegaard instead believes that we must believe by virtue of the absurd. Only by the absurd does Abraham get to keep his son Isaac. Kierkegaard believes by the same token that we must believe in the absurd in order to believe in God and to truly hold the Christian faith. This faith must also be constantly renewed by affirmations of faith. It does not suffice for one merely to make on showing of faith to God.
Kierkegaard did find human meaning and fulfillment in life by our ethical and religious commitments. Achieving meaning in life, he said, is not something simply given to us, but it is accomplished through our decisions. Kierkegaard thought we are, at the end of the day, on our own in making the best possible