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Christian existentialism describes a group of writings that take a philosophically existentialist approach to Christian theology. The school of thought is often traced back to the work of Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855).^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links Portal. ... Existentialism is a philosophical movement emphasizing individualism, individual freedom, and subjectivity. ... Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (IPA: , but usually Anglicized as ;  ) 5 May 1813 – 11 November 1855) was a prolific 19th century Danish philosopher and theologian. ...

Kierkegaardian themes

Søren Kierkegaard

Christian existentialism relies on three major assumptions drawn from Kierkegaard's understanding of Christianity.^{[citation needed]} The first is that the universe is fundamentally paradoxical, and that the greatest paradox of all is the transcendent union of God and man in the person of Christ.^{[citation needed]} The second concerns having a personal relationship with God that supersedes all prescribed moralities, social structures and communal norms.^{[citation needed]} The third asserts that following social conventions is essentially a personal aesthetic choice made by individuals.^{[citation needed]} File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... For other uses, see Universe (disambiguation). ... Look up paradox in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This page is about the title, office or what is known in Christian theology as the Divine Person. ...

Kierkegaard proposes that each of us must make independent choices that will then comprise our existence. No imposed structures—even Biblical commandments—can alter the responsibility of individuals to seek to please God in whatever personal and paradoxical way God chooses to be pleased. Each individual suffers the anguish of indecision until he or she makes a leap of faith and commits to a particular choice. Each person is faced with the responsibility of knowing of his or her own free will and with the fact that a choice, even a wrong choice, must be made in order to live authentically.

Kierkegaard also upholds the idea that every human being exists in one of three spheres (or on planes) of existence, the aesthetic, ethical, and religious. Most people, he observed, live an aesthetic life in which nothing matters but appearances, pleasures, and happiness. It is in accordance with the desires of this sphere that people follow social conventions. Kierkegaard also considered the violation of social conventions for personal reasons (e.g., in the pursuit of fame, reputation for rebelliousness) to be a personal aesthetic choice. A much smaller group are those people who live in the ethical sphere, who do their best to do the right thing and see past the shallow pleasantries and ideas of society. The third and highest sphere is the faith sphere. To be in the faith sphere, Kierkegaard says that one must give the entirety of oneself to God. This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

Major premises

One of the major premises of Christian existentialism entails calling the masses back to a more genuine form of Christianity, often identified with some notion of "early Christianity," or the type of Christianity that existed during the first three decades after the crucifixion of Christ in approximately AD 33. With the Edict of Milan, which was issued by Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 313 , Christianity enjoyed a level of popularity among Romans and later among other Europeans. And yet, by the 19th century, Kierkegaard saw that the ultimate meaning of New Testament Christianity (Love) had become perverted. And thus, Christianity appears to have deviated considerably from its original threefold message of grace, humility, and love. For other uses, see Crucifixion (disambiguation). ... This page is about the title, office or what is known in Christian theology as the Divine Person. ... For other uses, see 33 (disambiguation). ... The Edict of Milan was a letter that proclaimed religious toleration in the Roman Empire. ... Ordinary Magistrates Extraordinary Magistrates Titles and Honors Emperor Politics and Law This article discusses the nature of the imperial dignity, and its dynastic development throughout the history of the Empire. ... Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[2] (27 February c. ... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... The European peoples are the various nations and ethnic groups of Europe. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the Christian scriptures. ... For other uses, see Love (disambiguation). ...

Another major premise of Christian existentialism involves Kierkegaard's conception of God and Love. For the most part, Kierkegaard equates God with Love. Thus when a person engages in the act of loving, he is in effect achieving an aspect of the divine. Kierkegaard also viewed the individual as a necessary synthesis of both finite and infinite elements. Therefore, when an individual does not come to a full realization of his or her infinite side, he or she is said to be in despair. For many contemporary Christian theologians, the notion of despair can be viewed as sin. And sin is something that Kierkegaard equated with the losing of one's self, the self being a free spirit that recognizes both the finite and infinite sides of his existence. This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... For other uses, see Love (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Divinity (disambiguation) and Divine (disambiguation). ... As commonly used, individual refers to a person or to any specific object in a collection. ... Synthesis (from the ancient Greek σύν (with) and θεσις (placing), is commonly understood to be an integration of two or more pre-existing elements which results in a new creation. ... In mathematics, a set is called finite if and only if there is a bijection between the set and some set of the form {1, 2, ..., n} where is a natural number. ... Infinity is a word carrying a number of different meanings in mathematics, philosophy, theology and everyday life. ... Despair in common usage is the condition of having abandoned hope. ... Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... For other uses, see Sin (disambiguation). ...

A final major premise of Christian existentialism entails the systematic undoing of evil acts. Kierkegaard claimed that once an action has been completed, it should be evaluated in the face of God, asserting that holding oneself up to Divine scrutiny is the only way to judge one's actions. Because actions constitute the manner in which something is deemed good or bad, one must be constantly conscious of the potential consequences of his actions. Kierkegaard believed that the choice for goodness came down to each individual. Unfortunately, most people do not choose. As a result, humanity will continue to relegate itself to self-imposed immaturity, thus living in both stunned apathy and agonizing inertia. For other uses, see Evil (disambiguation). ... Look up bad in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the philosophical concept of goodness see Goodness and value theory. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about inertia as it applies to local motion. ...

The Bible as an existential writing

One of the more distinctive aspects of Christ's teachings were their indirect style. His point is often left unsaid for the purpose of letting the single individual confront the truth on their own.^[1] This is particularly evident in (but is certainly not limited to) his parables. For example, in Matthew 18 he tells a story about a man who is heavily in debt. The man and his family are about to be thrown into slavery, but he pleads for their lives. His master cancels the debt and sets them free. Later the man who was in debt abuses people who owe him money, and he has them thrown in jail. The workers are afraid so they tell their master. The master brings in the man and says, 'Why are you doing this? Weren't your debts canceled?' Then the man is thrown into jail to be imprisoned until the debt is paid. Jesus ends the story by saying, 'This is how it will be for you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.' Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... // For a comparison of parable with other kinds of stories, see Myth, legend, fairy tale, and fable. ... The Gospel of Matthew (literally, according to Matthew; Greek, Κατά Μαθθαίον or Κατά Ματθαίον, Kata Maththaion or Kata Matthaion) is a synoptic gospel in the New Testament, one of four canonical gospels. ...

Often Christ's parables are a response to a question he is asked. After he tells the parable, he returns the question to the individual. Often we see a person asking a speculative question involving one's duty before God, and Christ's response is more or less the same question but as God would ask that individual. For example, in Luke 10:25 a teacher of the law asks Jesus what it means to love one's neighbor as oneself. Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. In the story a man is beaten by thieves. A priest and a Levite pass him by, but a Samaritan takes pity on him and generously sets him up at an inn - paying his tab in advance. Then Jesus returns the question, "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?". Jesus does not answer the question because he requires the individual to answer it, and to understand existence in the Bible one must recognize who it is speaking to. To Kierkegaard this is the individual hearing the passage.^[2] As commonly used, individual refers to a person or to any specific object in a collection. ... Speculation involves the buying, holding, and selling of stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, collectibles, real estate, derivatives or any valuable financial instrument to profit from fluctuations in its price as opposed to buying it for use or for income via methods such as dividends or interest. ... The Gospel of Luke (literally, according to Luke; Greek, Κατά Λουκαν, Kata Loukan) is a synoptic Gospel, and the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament. ... The Good Samaritan The Good Samaritan is a famous New Testament parable, that appears only in the Gospel of Luke (10:25-37). ... For the philosophical movement, see Existentialism. ...

A good example of indirect communication in the Old Testament is the story of David and Nathan in 2 Samuel 12. David has committed adultery with a woman, Bathsheba. He then murders her spouse to cover up the incident. No one discovers the truth and David thinks he has escaped unharmed, but a prophet shows up and tells David a story about two men, one rich and the other poor. The poor man is a shepherd with only one lamb, which he raises with his family. The lamb eats at his table and sleeps in his arms. One day a traveler comes to visit the rich man. Instead of taking one of his own sheep, the rich man takes the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepares it for his guest. When Nathan finishes telling the story, David burns with anger and says (among other things), "As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!". Nathan responds by saying, "You are the man!". And David is filled with terror because he becomes conscious of his guilt. This article is about the Biblical king of Israel. ... Nathan the Prophet was a court prophet who lived in the time of King David and his wife Bathsheba. ...

An existential reading of the Bible demands that the reader recognize that he is an existing subject studying the words God communicates to him personally. This is in contrast to looking at a collection of "truths" which are outside and unrelated to the reader.^[3] Such a reader is not obligated to follow the commandments as if an external agent is forcing them upon him, but as though they are inside him and guiding him from inside. This is the task Kierkegaard takes up when he asks: "Who has the more difficult task: the teacher who lectures on earnest things a meteor's distance from everyday life-or the learner who should put it to use?"^[4] Existentially speaking, the Bible doesn't become an authority in a person's life until they authorize the Bible to be their personal authority. Existentialism is a philosophical movement that posits that individuals create the meaning and essence of their lives, as opposed to deities or authorities creating it for them. ... Subject (philosophy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Notable thinkers

Christian Existentialists (in the loose sense of the phrase and many of the following thinkers would disown the term) include American theologian Lincoln Swain, German protestant theologians Paul Tillich and Rudolph Bultmann, British Anglican theologian John Macquarrie, European philosophers Martin Buber, Karl Jaspers, Gabriel Marcel, Miguel de Unamuno and Russian philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev. Karl Barth added to Kierkegaard's ideas the notion that existential despair leads an individual to an awareness of God's infinite nature. Some ideas in the works of Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky could arguably be placed within the tradition of Christian existentialism. Gabriel Honoré Marcel (December 7, 1889 Paris – October 8, 1973 Paris) was a French philosopher, a leading Christian existentialist, and the author of about 30 plays. ... Don Miguel de Unamuno Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo (September 29, 1864–December 31, 1936) was an essayist, novelist, poet, playwright and philosopher from Spain. ... Nikolai Berdyaev Nikolai Alexandrovich Berdyaev (Николай Александрович Бердяев) (March 18 [O.S. March 6] 1874 – March 24, 1948) was a Russian-Ukrainian religious and political philosopher. ... Karl Barth Karl Barth (May 10, 1886 – December 10, 1968) (pronounced bart) a Swiss Reformed theologian, was one of the most influential Christian thinkers of the 20th century. ... Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (Russian: Фёдор Миха́йлович Достое́вский, pronounced , sometimes transliterated Dostoyevsky, Dostoievsky, or Dostoevski  ) (November 11 [O.S. October 30] 1821–February 9 [O.S. January 28] 1881) was a Russian novelist and writer of fiction whose works, including Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, have had a profound and lasting effect...

The progeny of Christian existentialism

After Kierkegaard, this individualism later developed into the more familiar existentialism of Nietzsche, Sartre, and Camus, who retained the idea of personal choice and responsibility, but discarded the personal connection with God. Existentialism is a philosophical movement that posits that individuals create the meaning and essence of their lives, as opposed to deities or authorities creating it for them. ... Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15, 1844 – August 25, 1900) (IPA: ) was a nineteenth-century German philologist and philosopher. ... Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (June 21, 1905 – April 15, 1980), normally known simply as Jean-Paul Sartre (pronounced: ), was a French existentialist philosopher and pioneer, dramatist and screenwriter, novelist and critic. ... For other uses, see Camus. ...

See also

• Religious Love
• Christian anarchism

• Christian pacifism
• Postmodern Christianity
• Secular theology
• Liberal theology
• Weak theology

Agapē (IPA: or IPA: ) (Gk. ... Christian anarchism is any of several traditions which combine anarchism with Christianity. ... Peace churches are Christian churches, groups or communities advocating pacifism. ... Postmodern Christianity is an understanding of Christianity that is closely associated with the body of writings known as postmodern philosophy. ... The field of secular theology, a subfield of liberal theology advocated by Anglican bishop John A. T. Robinson somewhat paradoxically combines secularism and theology. ... Liberal theology is a branch of religious thinking which emerged in the late 18th and early 19th century, in the wake of The Enlightenment. ... Weak theology -- in close association with deconstruction-and-religion -- is a school of thought within continental philosophical theology that has been heavily influenced by Jacques Derridas style of theorizing known as deconstruction. ...

References

External links

• A website that explores the existential teachings of Jesus, with references to Kierkegaard and Tillich