Complete Curriculum Vitae
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Robert R. Cook S~Ren Kierkegaard
EQ 87:4 (1987), 311-327 Robert R. Cook S~ren Kierkegaard: Missionary to Christendom It was, we understand, Professor Gordon Rupp who coined the usejUl word 'rebunk' to denote a more positive activity than the much more common practice of 'debunking' ideas and people. Mr Cook, a teapher at the Scott Theological College in Kenya, offers an essay which falls into this helpful category of showing us what we may learn from a figure who has not always been appreciated by evangelical Christians. I. A Reappraisal Evangelicals have tended to be very wary of Kierkegaard. His profound influence on the early Barth is well known and the consequent Neo-Orthodox obsessions with God as utterly trans cendent and revelation as irrational and non-propositional have been profoundly regretted. Similarly Bultmann's lamentable disinterest in the Jesus of history can clearly be traced back to Kierkegaard,1 In fact a wide variety of modernist themes are embryonically present in lesser known strands of his thought. For example, does not the following sound like an extract from a Tillich sermon?: '.. while the jesting phrase winds its way drolly through the rest of the conversation, the speaker may privately have a rendezvous with the deity, who is present as soon as the uncertainty of all things is thought infinitely.'2 Or when Kierkegaard asserts that the sincere idol worshipper is enjoying a relationship with the living God for ' ... if only the mode of this relationshp is in the truth, the individual is in the truth even if it should happen to be thus related to what is not true',3 he is surely an unwitting precursor of such religious pluralists asJ. -
Kierkegaard on Selfhood and Our Need for Others
Kierkegaard on Selfhood and Our Need for Others 1. Kierkegaard in a Secular Age Scholars have devoted much attention lately to Kierkegaard’s views on personal identity and, in particular, to his account of selfhood.1 Central to this account is the idea that a self is not something we automatically are. It is rather something we must become. Thus, selfhood is a goal to realize or a project to undertake.2 To put the point another way, while we may already be selves in some sense, we have to work to become real, true, or “authentic” selves.3 The idea that authentic selfhood is a project is not unique to Kierkegaard. It is common fare in modern philosophy. Yet Kierkegaard distances himself from popular ways of thinking about the matter. He denies the view inherited from Rousseau that we can discover our true selves by consulting our innermost feelings, beliefs, and desires. He also rejects the idea developed by the German Romantics that we can invent our true selves in a burst of artistic or poetic creativity. In fact, according to Kierkegaard, becom- ing an authentic self is not something we can do on our own. If we are to succeed at the project, we must look beyond ourselves for assistance. In particular, Kierkegaard thinks, we must rely on God. For God alone can provide us with the content of our real identi- ties.4 A longstanding concern about Kierkegaard arises at this point. His account of au- thentic selfhood, like his accounts of so many concepts, is religious. -
Søren Kierkegaard's View of Faith Found in Fear And
SØREN KIERKEGAARD’S VIEW OF FAITH FOUND IN FEAR AND TREMBLING AND PRACTICE IN CHRISTIANITY David Pulliam Submitted to the faculty of the University Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in the Department of Philosophy Indiana University September 2016 ii Accepted by the Graduate Faculty, Indiana University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Master’s Thesis Committee __________________________________ Dr. Samuel J.M. Khan, PhD __________________________________ Dr. Cornelis de Waal, PhD __________________________________ Dr. David Pfeifer, PhD iii David Pulliam Søren Kierkegaard’s view of Faith found in Fear and Trembling and Practice in Christianity In this paper I discuss two key works written by Søren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling and Practice in Christianity, under the pseudonyms Johannes de Silentio and Anti-Climacus respectively. I focus on three questions: what is Johannes view of faith, what is Anti-Climacus’ view of faith and how are these Kierkegaard’s conclusions? I argue that stemming from Johannes’ and Anti-Climacus’ points of view, Kierkegaard’s view of faith is the aligning of the self in a trusting relationship with the God-man. One outside of faith can perceive faith to be a paradox or find faith offensive; one must have faith to avoid offense and overcome the paradox. Chapter 1 focuses on the connection between Kierkegaard and his pseudonyms using his work The Point of View. In this chapter I map out Kierkegaard’s method of communication and the purpose for his use of pseudonyms. Chapter 2 focuses on Johannes’ view of faith in Fear and Trembling. -
Militant Liturgies: Practicing Christianity with Kierkegaard, Bonhoeffer, and Weil
religions Article Militant Liturgies: Practicing Christianity with Kierkegaard, Bonhoeffer, and Weil J. Aaron Simmons Department of Philosophy, Furman University, Greenville, SC 29613, USA; [email protected] Abstract: Traditional philosophy of religion has tended to focus on the doxastic dimension of religious life, which although a vitally important area of research, has often come at the cost of philosophical engagements with religious practice. Focusing particularly on Christian traditions, this essay offers a sustained reflection on one particular model of embodied Christian practice as presented in the work of Søren Kierkegaard. After a discussion of different notions of practice and perfection, the paper turns to Kierkegaard’s conception of the two churches: the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant. Then, in light of Kierkegaard’s defense of the latter and critique of the former, it is shown that Kierkegaard’s specific account gets appropriated and expanded in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s account of “costly grace” and “religionless Christianity,” and Simone Weil’s conception of “afflicted love.” Ultimately, it is suggested that these three thinkers jointly present a notion of “militant liturgies” that offers critical and constructive resources for contemporary philosophy of religion. Keywords: Kierkegaard; Bonhoeffer; Weil; philosophy of religion; liturgy; practice; Christianity Citation: Simmons, J. Aaron. 2021. 1. Introduction Militant Liturgies: Practicing It is often the case that philosophical discussions of Christianity overstate the unity Christianity with Kierkegaard, Bonhoeffer, and Weil. Religions 12: by which the Christian traditions operate. In the name of referential precision, perhaps 340. https://doi.org/10.3390/ we should only ever speak of “Christianities” or, as this special issue theme admirably rel12050340 does, “Christian traditions”. -
Søren Kierkegaard Newsletter
Søren Kierkegaard Newsletter A Publication of the Howard and Edna Hong Kierkegaard Library NUMBER 66: December 2016 Contents ‘ ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS 2 BOOK REVIEWS The Isolated Self: Irony as Truth and Untruth in Søren Kierkegaard's On the Concept of Irony by Brian Söderquist 2 Reviewed by Will Williams Kierkegaard and the Refusal of Transcendence by Steven Shakespeare Reviewed by Lucas Piccinin Lazzaretti 5 Unto the Abyss of Despair—Kierkegaard’s Aesthetic Sphere of Existence (走向绝望的深渊——克尔凯郭尔的美学生活境界) by Wang Qi (王齐) 6 Reviewed by Chingshun J. Sheu ARTICLES Philosophical Fragments: The Infinite Comic Drama Anthony Eagan 8 Tribute to David Kangas Martin Kavka 16 Tribute to Per Lønning Rune Engebretsen 18 Editor: Gordon D. Marino Editorial Intern: Lucas Shurson Assistant Editorial Intern: Emily Shimota Managing Editor: Eileen Shimota Assistant Editor: Begonya Saez Tajafuerce Assistant Editor: Rafael García Pavón Assistant Editor: Catalina Elena Dobre Assistant Editor: Leo Stan Assistant Editor: Christina Danko 1 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS Professor Anthony Rudd will deliver the lecture in spring 2017. International Kierkegaard Conference Though an exact date has not been established yet, the Library will host the Eighth International Kierkegaard Conference in the summer of 2018. Dr. Richard Purkarthofer will give the plenary lecture. In addition, for more information from the Hong Kierkegaard Library and other news from Kierkegaard scholars and related groups around the world, please see the website of the Hong Kierkegaard Library at http://wp.stolaf.edu/kierkegaard/. K. Brian Söderquist. The Isolated Self: Irony as Truth and Untruth in Søren Kierkegaard's On the Concept of Irony Copenhagen: Søren Kierkegaard Research Centre and C. -
Søren Kierkegaard Philosophical Fragments, Concluding Scientific Postscript – Excerpts1 PHIL101 Prof
Søren Kierkegaard Philosophical Fragments, Concluding Scientific Postscript – excerpts1 PHIL101 Prof. Oakes updated: 3/18/13 10:24 AM Section III: How do I know? Reading III.5 Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a Danish philosopher who is best known for his interpretation of Christian faith and for his contributions to what would become known as ‘existentialism’. In both cases, a primary focus of Kierkegaard’s work is the immediate quality of our lived experience. What, exactly, is it like to be a human? What constitutes the best form of human life? As we will see, both in the following excerpts and in those in our Ethics section (Section IV), Kierkegaard thinks that our conceptual thought poses a significant potential obstacle to living well – or, more precisely, an obstacle to our living at all, in a sense. Not that Kierkegaard is anti-intellectual in either the theological or ethical context: conceptual thought plays a crucial role in proper human life, he maintains. But we can become “lost” in our concepts, he thinks, and thus fail to live the vital, vivid lives that are otherwise possible for us. In the following passages, Kierkegaard calls attention to this dualism in our relationship with God, the dualism of our objective, conceptual form of thought, on the one hand, and a subjective, “inner” state, on the other. Conceptual thought is the province of reason, and so Kierkegaard first considers belief in God in terms of what reason and the conceptual mind can tell us. Finding this approach unsatisfactory, Kierkegaard then considers belief in God in subjective terms. -
Kierkegaard on the Transformative Power of Art Antony Aumann Northern Michigan University [email protected]
Kierkegaard on the Transformative Power of Art Antony Aumann Northern Michigan University [email protected] 1 Kierkegaard’s Therapeutic Project Kierkegaard’s project is first and foremost a therapeutic one. Although he makes theological points and defends philosophical theses, he is not primarily a theologian or philosopher. Instead, he is a “physician of the soul.”1 He aims to help us get better, existentially speaking—to cure us of our spiritual ills. And what he thinks we need to overcome our anxiety and despair is a transformation. In particular, we have to turn our backs on the goal of self-gratification. We must devote our lives to God or the Good rather than ourselves. In sum, Kierkegaard’s prescription for our existential ailments is that we leave behind “the aesthetic life” and head in an ethical or religious direction.2 The central question facing Kierkegaard is thus a practical one. How can he inspire such transformations? How can he get his readers to change who they are at a fundamental level? Following Ryan Kemp and others, I will argue that reason is not the proper tool for the task.3 No mere argument, even if cogent or sound, can move people in the way Kierkegaard wants to move them. Yet, I will maintain that where reason fails, art can succeed. Indeed, to the degree that Kierkegaard ever inspires transformations, it is in virtue of the beauty of his words and the aesthetic appeal of his stories rather than the force of his logic.4 2 Transformational Change To appreciate the challenge facing Kierkegaard, we need to understand the kind of change he wants to effect. -
Kierkegaard And/Or Catholicism: a Matter of Conjunctions Center for Catholic Studies, Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University eRepository @ Seton Hall Center for Catholic Studies Faculty Seminars and Center for Catholic Studies Core Curriculum Seminars 2008 Kierkegaard and/or Catholicism: A Matter of Conjunctions Center for Catholic Studies, Seton Hall University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.shu.edu/catholic-studies Part of the Christianity Commons, Practical Theology Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Center for Catholic Studies, Seton Hall University, "Kierkegaard and/or Catholicism: A Matter of Conjunctions" (2008). Center for Catholic Studies Faculty Seminars and Core Curriculum Seminars. 14. https://scholarship.shu.edu/catholic-studies/14 Seton Hall University eRepository @ Seton Hall Center for Catholic Studies Faculty Seminars Proceedings Summer 2008 Kierkegaard and/or Catholicism: A Matter of Conjuctions Center for Catholic Studies, Seton Hall University Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.shu.edu/summer-seminars Part of the Christianity Commons, Practical Theology Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Center for Catholic Studies, Seton Hall University, "Kierkegaard and/or Catholicism: A Matter of Conjuctions" (2008). Center for Catholic Studies Faculty Seminars. Paper 4. http://scholarship.shu.edu/summer-seminars/4 ―Kierkegaard and/or Catholicism: A Matter of Conjuctions‖ 2008 Summer Seminar Center for Catholic Studies Seton Hall University CENTER FOR CATHOLIC STUDIES Faculty Summer Seminar 2008 ―Kierkegaard and/or Catholicism: A Matter of Conjunctions‖ Facilitator: William Cahoy Dean, School of Theology and Seminary, Saint John’s University May 20-22 (8:30 am to 12:00 pm) “Kierkegaard and/or Catholicism: A matter of conjunctions” It is often said (accurately) that one of the distinguishing marks of a Catholic understanding of life is its both-and approach in contrast to the either-or approach more characteristic of a Protestant sensibil- ity. -
Kierkegaard's Top Ten Hits #1 Fear and Trembling Do You Remember
Kierkegaard’s Top Ten Hits #1 Fear and Trembling Do you remember the Biblical story of Abraham taking his son Isaac to be sacrificed to God? Isn’t it shocking to think that God commanded his most faithful servant to commit filicide? And have you ever wondered why Abraham never let Sarah in on his intention to kill their son or why he even obeyed God in the first place? According to Johannes de silentio (John of Silence), the pseudonym under which the book was published, Abraham can be seen either as a delusional murderer or the father of faith. This text extrapolates on the ethical issues of the story, tackling whether Abraham’s actions can be justified and whether there is an Absolute Duty to God. #2 Concept of Anxiety Every human being has experienced what is commonly referred to as anxiety. The word anxiety acts as an umbrella term, referring to a certain state of being. Whether one is experiencing PTSD, a panic attack, or insomnia, these are all anxious states. In this book, Kierkegaard does not go into the specific forms of anxiety, but rather tackles the concept as a whole. He defines it as the actualization of freedom as the possibility for possibility. Although it is treated as a mental illness in modern medicine, the Danish philosopher believed that “pills and powders” cannot erase this fundamental aspect of the human condition. “Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom,” he writes. “Whoever has learned to be anxious in the right way has learned the ultimate.” #3 The Sickness Unto Death Death can be defined, in biological terms, as the moment in which the electrical activity of the brain ceases. -
Kierkegaard: on Selfhood, Love, and Politics
Kierkegaard: On Selfhood, Love, and Politics Katie Canjar Undergraduate Honours Thesis Presented to The Department of Political Science University of Lethbridge In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for Honours Thesis Designation in Political Science Submitted: April 15, 2013 Advisor: Dr. John von Heyking Second Reader: Dr. Lance Grigg i Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction......................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter Two: A Society Without God........................................................................................................4 I. Despair............................................................................................................................................... 5 A. Despair of Ignorance....................................................................................................................6 B. Despair of Weakness.................................................................................................................... 9 C. Despair of Defiance................................................................................................................... 13 II. Despair of Modern Politics: The Crowd.........................................................................................14 III. The Next Step: From Despair to Selfhood.................................................................................... 18 Chapter Three: Selfhood and Ethical-Religious Love............................................................................ -
Andrew Nam Phd.Pdf (1000.Kb)
ABSTRACT Kierkegaard’s Dialectic of the One and the Many: A Platonic Quest for Existential Unity Andrew S. Nam, Ph.D. Mentor: C. Stephen Evans, Ph.D. The dissertation argues that Kierkegaard’s major philosophical works overall offer faith in Christ as the only genuine solution to ‘the problem of the one and the many.’ The problem lies with the apparently contradictory properties of ‘being’ (e.g., universal/particular, infinite/finite, etc.), that—speaking most generally—everything has the same being insofar as it exists and yet each thing has a different being, its own being, from every other. The solution then must be one of ‘dialectical unity,’ the kind of unity that validates both contradictories equally. Kierkegaard argues that the one/many problem is really the problem of freedom, for the very consciousness of the contradiction arises from sinning against God, our self-conscious misrelation of ‘being’ by loving the finite infinitely. Therefore, unity cannot be obtained at the theoretical—metaphysical- epistemological—level, but rather, must be practically realized by becoming a dialectically unified self, achieving ‘existential unity.’ To explain the thesis, I conceptually reconstruct Kierkegaard’s stages of existence theory in terms of this dialectical problem: the contradiction between the aesthetic (capable of affirming particularity only) and the ethical (universality) gets resolved in a higher dialectical unity, the religious. Kierkegaard describes faith in Christ as the self’s final telos, the highest form of existential unity, explaining the final religious stage by comparing and contrasting Christian categories of existence with the corresponding philosophical categories in Plato’s works, specifically meant to address the one/many problem. -
Denying and Becoming: a Defense of Kierkegaard's Works of Love
Denying and Becoming: A Defense of Kierkegaard’s Works of Love Laura Howard A perennial concern with Kierkegaard’s Works of Love is that its condemnation of preferential love is incoherent, inhibits the proper formation of self and of special relationships (i.e. friendships, romantic relationships), or both. In this essay, I argue that (1) Kierkegaard coherently rejects selfshness while allowing for and encouraging special relationships to exist, and (2) understanding love as a double movement (like that of faith described in Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling) is essential to understand- ing this basic claim. Tis essay thus draws upon and goes beyond previous analyses of Kierkegaard’s work, demonstrating how the double movement can be used to understand neighbor love as all at once selfess, involving the kind of preference necessary for special relationships, and positively forming the one who loves her neighbor. Søren Kierkegaard’s Works of Love1 has long been work of M. Jamie Ferreira, whose commentary seeks to accused of recommending a conception of love unlivable in address whether Kierkegaard’s understanding of becoming some way—by ignoring crucial bodily realities, presenting a self in WL “only allows concern for others or whether it an impossible ideal, failing to be coherent, or some combi- requires it” (2001, 7). In defense of the latter interpretation, nation of the three.2 One perennial concern is that his Ferreira emphasizes Kierkegaard’s identifcation of the account of love3 demeans meaningful human relationships. human need to love and of Christianity’s teaching about For Kierkegaard, Christian love must be conceived of as a proper self-love as necessary for neighbor love.