Kierkegaard and Christianity

I have begun reading an autobiography of Soren Kierkegaard by Walter Lowrie. Over the past two years I have come to regard Kierkegaard as one of the world’s greatest philosophers and one of the Church’s greatest theologians. I think no other theologian comes close to Kierkegaard’s cool observations of Christianity. In Lowrie’s book, he frequently quotes at length from Kierkegaard’s works and journals, both of which are practically indistinguishable in terms of content and style. One explains and clarifies the other. It is probably the case that Kierkegaard used his journals as a springboard for producing his philosophical, theological, critical, and exhortational works. That Kierkegaard expected his journals to be published there is no doubt.

On page 122 of the Lowrie book, the author quotes a passage from the journals that bears repeating, seeing how we still seem to be existing in the same age.

“Christianity was an imposing figure when it first stepped out into the world and uttered its message; but from that moment on when it sought through a pope to prescribe limits, or would throw the Bible at people’s heads, or finally the creeds, it is like an old man who thinks now that he has lived long enough in the world and would make an end of it. Therefore it naturally occurs to its illegitimate children (the liberals) that it may be pronounced incompetent and put under a guardian, whereas on the other hand its true children think that, like Sophocles, it will in the decisive moment rise up in its full power.”