Works of love kierkegaard

His books include works of love and spiritual writings translated and. Works of love is a searching exploration of the distinctive and demanding character of christian love. Works of love deals primarily with the christian conception of agape love in contrast with erotic love or preferential love given to friends and family. The aim of this paper is to throw light on kierkegaards neglected distinction between love and its works, and by doing so to resolve the ambivalence in his position with regard to preferential. It seems to me that the stress and wear of daily life is. Deep within every man, kierkegaard writes, there lies the dread of being alone in the.

Kierkegaard begins with the paradox of love s character as both hidden and yet bearing fruit in works of love. The work with the greatest impact, and therefore most important in one conception of the term, is fear and trembling, as many commenters have noted. Works of love, the midpoint in the series, is also the monumental high point, because of its penetrating, illuminating analysis of. Works of love, the midpoint in the series, is also the monumental high point, because of its penetrating, illuminating analysis of the forms and. Like all philosophical texts they are usually extremely difficult to read, for me anyway haha. Works of love can be compared to purity of heart is to will one thing in its emphasis on the ethical aspects of christianity. Kierkegaard emphasizes the works of love for at least two reasons.

In 1847 the danish philosopher soren kierkegaard published his christian reflections on the works of love. Works of love is a work by soren kierkegaard written in 1847. It is one of the works which he published under his own name, as opposed to his more famous. His works after this point began to bluntly attack the church and christendoms complacency.

Works of love is argumentdriven and therefore fits well into our modern day backandforth between secular and religious perspectives. Soren kierkegaard 181855 lived in copenhagen, denmark. Works of love compared to kierkegaard s 19 th century, we in the 21 st century are even more educated, more technological, have more leisure and entertainment options. Works of love one of soren kierkegaards most important writings, works of love is a profound examination of the human heart, in which the great philosopher conducts the. Deep within every man, kierkegaard writes, there lies the dread of being alone in the world, forgotten by god, overlooked among the household of millions upon millions. Although relatively isolated during his life, he became extremely influential once his works were translated into german after his death sometimes dubbed the father of existentialism, his works represent a reaction against the dominant hegelian philosophy of the day and against the state church in.

Kierkegaard begins with the paradox of loves character as. To say that love is a feeling or anything of the kind is an unchristian conception of love. Soren kierkegaard said, god is not like a king in a predicament, who says to the highly trusted minister of the interior, you must do everything, you must create the atmosphere for our proposal and win public opinion to our side. Love is not freely available to a believer, that is, freedom is not sufficient. First, love is indescribable, since god is love and god is unfathomable. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. The commandment is that you shall love, but when you understand life and yourself, then it is as if you should not need to be commanded, because to love human beings is still the only thing worth living for.

Kierkegaard writes, how could one speak properly about love if you were forgotten, you god of love, source. They were translated into german early in the twentieth. Soren published his trilogy on october 16, 1843, which consisted of repetition, fear and trembling, and three edifying discourses. Chronology of kierkegaards life and works the love of. Works of love is the first book ive actually completed reading from kierkegaard.

One of kierkegaards central writings, works of love is a profound and indispensable examination of the human heart. Despite their deep love for one another, kierkegaard apparently believed that his life as a thinker made him unsuitable for marriage, particularly to a young, inexperienced girl. In works of love kierkegaard methodically treats several biblical aspects of spiritual love in relation to erotic love and friendship. Love itself is a hidden in the lives and actions of individuals, and therefore much of our rhetoric about love is superficial and selfish. He writes of the journey of love over time in this short essay. Never before had i read anything which had chimed so perfectly with who i am. Works of love by soren kierkegaard, paperback barnes. It is one of the works which he published under his own name. Works of love, the midpoint in the series, is also the monumental high point, because of its penetrating, illluminating analysis of the forms and. One of soren kierkegaards most important writings, works of love is a profound examination of the human heart, in which the great philosopher conducts the reader into the inmost secrets of love. Kjerlighedens gjerninger is a work by soren kierkegaard written in 1847. Philosophy philosophy, soren kierkegaard, works of love introduction.

I read the sickness unto death, and then fear and trembling and the book on adler, and i was hooked. Kierkegaard had strong feelings for olsen throughout his life, despite her having married another man and leaving copenhagen with him. Krisheks general aims in this bold book are to show that kierkegaards normative revisioning of the concept of religious faith entails a normative revisioning of the concept of love, and that kierkegaards project in works of love fails to do justice to his best insights about love. April 9, 2016 april 9, 2016 brendan quinn leave a comment. The various kinds and conditions of love are a common theme for kier. So for these reasons, and due to my own interest in what he has to teach about the works. Kierkegaards works of love is a late book in his extensive writings. I have come to believe that kierkegaard has been largely misunderstood, misrepresented, and therefore ignored by many christians, to their own detriment. It appeared in 1847, a year after kierkegaard considered his work as a writer to be complete. Kierkegaard does go on to say that, nevertheless, our love will expose every hypocrite who comes near us, but. Works of love, the midpoint in the series, is also the monumental high point, because of its penetrating, illuminating analysis of the forms. Christs love was not an inner feeling, a full heart and what not, it was the work of love which was his life. I would like to begin, in gratitude, with the same prayer. The various kinds and conditions of love are a common theme for kierkegaard, beginning with his early eitheror, through the diary of the seducer and judge williams eulogy on married love, to his last work, on the changelessness of gods love.

But in relation to god, there are no secret instruction for a human being any more than there are any. In 1847 kierkegaard wrote works of love, a piece on love in its various forms, the perfection of christian love, and the offense of christianity. Within denmark he was isolated and often despised, a man whose writings had little impact in his own day or for a long time afterward. The role of love in the thought of kant and kierkegaard. The first part containing 5 chapters and 3 sub chapters. I managed to finish works of love in 2 weeks, it wasnt too difficult to take in unlike some of his other works. It contains ideas such as the leap that is faith, the knights of infinite resignation and faith, t. It is one of the works which he published under his own name, as opposed to his more famous pseudonymous works. One of soren kierkegaards most important writings, works of love is a profound examination of the human heart, in which the great philosopher conducts the. And, i want to orient this conversation by wear, way of soren kierkegaard s marvelous book, as id take it, works of love, which is devoted to thinking through christian, the christian love commands.

When one has once fully entered the realm of love, the world no matter how imperfect becomes rich and beautiful, it consists solely of opportunities for love. The second part containing 10 chapters works of love serves as a thoughtful analysis on love and how love cultivates meaningful relationships with god, one another, and ourselves. Gregor smith notes that kierkegaards study of love reaches to the heart of christian thought. In this chapter kierkegaard also introduces the element of purity, as if to recall the former work. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read kierkegaards writings, xvi. That is the aesthetic definition and therefore fits the erotic and everything of that nature. It is not a feel good book but one that might leave you wondering whether you really have loved at all, or loved well. After 1846, kierkegaard continued to write, publishing most works under his own name. Publication date 1949 topics iiit collection digitallibraryindia. The various kinds and conditions of love are a common theme for kierkegaard, beginning with his earlyeitheror, through the diary of the seducer and. How many of them can you characterize as happy and fulfilled in that moment.