Many books have been written about his life, i suggest you start with the wikipedia article about kierkegaard. The various kinds and conditions of love are a common theme for kierkegaard, beginning with his earlyeitheror, through the diary of the seducer and judge williams eulogy on married love, to his last work, on the changelessness of gods love. I would like to begin, in gratitude, with the same prayer. Kierkegaard and the philosophy of love reading religion. In works of love, soren kierkegaard professes that christian love is the bridge betweenthe temporal and the eternal. Soren kierkegaard download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
As such, throughout this article i will draw on and refer to both aspects of christs mediatorial o ce. Although relatively isolated during his life, he became extremely influential once his works were translated into german after his death. Section i the commandment you shall love contains an apparent contradiction. 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 first series starts with a reflection on the hidden life of love. The duty to love ones neighbor as oneself is at the core of kierkegaards works of love. By soren kierkegaard works of love by soren kierkegaard 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. I managed to finish works of love in 2 weeks, it wasnt too difficult to take in unlike some of his other works. Soren aabye kierkegaard 18 1855 was a 19th century danish philosopher and theologian. But only when one loves his neighbour, only then is the selfishness of preferential love rooted out and the equality of the eternal preserved. Works of love pdf, epub, docx and torrent then this site is not for you.
Jan 29, 20 in 1847 the danish philosopher soren kierkegaard published his christian reflections on the works of love. Like all philosophical texts they are usually extremely difficult to read, for me anyway haha. 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. Kjerlighedens gjerninger is a work by soren kierkegaard written in 1847. Soren kierkegaard works of love free ebook download as pdf file. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. One of soren kierkegaard s 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. Soren kierkegaard by individual philosopher philosophy. Born in copenhagen, denmark, soren kierkegaard was the son of a wealthy middleclass merchant.
Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. Love s hidden life and its recognizability by its fruits kierkegaard begins this book by stating that it is easy to be selfdeceived, either to believe that which is not true or not to believe that which is true. Kierkegaard places love as the highest, that those who value other things other than love, are poor, but those who have nothing yet have love, are rich. May 05, 2015 given that we are made in gods image, this idea of love is deeply rooted in each of us. It is one of the works which he published under his own name, as opposed to his more famous pseudonymous works.
Works of love is a work by soren kierkegaard written in 1847. He shows that kierkegaard s deliberations on love are highly relevant to some important themes in contemporary ethics, including impartiality, duty, equality, mutuality, reciprocity, self love, sympathy, and sacrifice. Introduction only the christian knows what is meant by the sickness unto death. Soren kierkegaard princeton university press, princeton, new jersey, 1941 preface despair is the sickness, not the cure. However, the most terrible selfdeception is to defraud oneself oflove, either by not believing in love or. Love as feeling and mood is distinguished from works of love, love of the lovable from love of the unlovely, preferential love from love as the royal law, love as mutual egotism from triangular love, and erotic love from selfgiving love. In this book, kierkegaard unfolds the meaning of neighborly. Yet we have a duty to foster our love for ourselves. Kierkegaard had strong feelings for olsen throughout his life, despite her having married another man and leaving copenhagen with him. Yet he claims that his vision of christianity leaves room for earthly relationships in their full richness. Kierkegaard s writings download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Love is not freely available to a believer, that is, freedom is not sufficient.
Obviously, we cannot love our neighbor if we do not exist with him in this realm, and kierkegaard is suggesting that only god has the right to end our lives when he so chooses. Kjerlighedens gjerninger is a work by soren kierkegaard written in. Sometimes dubbed the father of existentialism, his works represent a reaction against the dominant hegelian. If you feel like digging in, i have here a fine collection of some of his major works in english. The book presents generous selections from all of kierkegaard s landmark works, including eitheror, fear and trembling, works of love, and the sickness unto death, and draws new attention to a host of such lesserknown writings as three discourses on imagined occasions and the lily of the field and the bird of the air. Here, ferreira seeks to rehabilitate works of love as one of kierkegaard s most important works. Just as the alcoholic continually needs a stronger and stronger stimulantin order to become intoxicated, likewise the one who has become addicted to promises and good intentions continually needs more and more stimulationin order to go backward. Kierkegaard begins with the paradox of love s character as both hidden and yet bearing fruit in works of love. This article discussed the use of the bible in loves hidden life and its recognizability by its fruits, which is the first reflection of soren kierkegaards book, works. Works of love is argumentdriven and therefore fits well into our modern day backandforth between secular and religious perspectives. 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 studied theology at the university of copenhagen, completing a masters thesis in 1841 on the topic of irony in socrates.
Here, ferreira seeks to rehabilitate works of love as one of kierkegaards most important works. Kierkegaard begins with the paradox of loves character as. What is the most important work by soren kierkegaard. Publication date 1949 topics iiit collection digitallibraryindia. Works of love kierkegaard s writings 9780691059167 by soren kierkegaard, howard vincent hong, edna h. 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. Rather than attempting a metaphysics on the nature of love as an abstract concept, which has often been the task of theologians and philosophers, strawser takes a phenomenological approach to the consciousness of the lover and. Works of love, the midpoint in the series, is also the monumental high point, because of its. Kierkegaard begins this book by stating that it is easy to be selfdeceived, either to believe that which is not true or not to believe that which is true. His books include works of love and spiritual writings translated and edited. If youre looking for a free download links of kierkegaards writings, xvi. He contrasts between neighborly love and preferential love which includes romantic love and friendship and criticizes the latter for.
Thee discourses training in christianity and the edifying discourse works of love edifying discourse a selection. This work is marked by kierkegaard s socratic awareness of the reader, both as the center of awakened. Acclaim for provocations richard mouw, fuller theological seminary kierkegaards writings seem to get more contemporary every year. It contains ideas such as the leap that is faith, the knights of infinite resignation and faith, t. 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. Pdf the essential kierkegaard download full pdf book download. Works of love is the first book ive actually completed reading from kierkegaard. Apr 26, 2016 there is a need in love to be recognised by its fruits love wants to be recognised, not the love itself, but the fruits of that love. He shows that kierkegaards deliberations on love are highly relevant to some important themes in contemporary ethics, including impartiality, duty, equality, mutuality, reciprocity, self. Soren kierkegaard 181855 lived in copenhagen, denmark. Though he agrees with luther that works do not earn us salvation p.
I have come to believe that kierkegaard has been largely misunderstood, misrepresented, and therefore ignored by many christians, to their own detriment. Two forms of love the problem of preferential love in kierkegaards works of love sharon krishek abstract the duty to love ones neighbor as oneself is at the core of kierkegaards works of love. Works of love can be compared to purity of heart is to will one thing in its emphasis on the ethical aspects of christianity. If youre looking for a free download links of kierkegaard s writings, xvi. In 1847 the danish philosopher soren kierkegaard published his christian reflections on the works of love. Given that we are made in gods image, this idea of love is deeply rooted in each of us.
He lived all his life on his inheritance, using it to finance his literary career. In works of love kierkegaard methodically treats several biblical aspects of spiritual love in relation to erotic love and friendship. This wellselected collection of writings should be read and reread by everyone who is attempting to minister to our present generation. Deep within every man, kierkegaard writes, there lies the dread of being alone in the. In what follows, i will argue that, in works of love, soren kierkegaard stays true to his lutheran. Top 10 books by soren kierkegaard best book recommendations. In this chapter kierkegaard also introduces the element of purity, as if to recall the former work. Soren kierkegaards works of love 3 love as hidden and. Kierkegaard writes, how could one speak properly about love if you were forgotten, you god of love, source. Love, for kierkegaard, is one of the central aspects of existence.
Kierkegaard writes in works of love, this as yourself does not waver in its aim, and with the firmness of the eternal, it critically penetrates to the innermost hiding place where a man loves himself. This new edition of works of love features an original foreword by kierkegaard scholar george pattison. The book presents generous selections from all of kierkegaards landmark works, including eitheror, fear and trembling, works of love, and the sickness unto death, and draws new attention to a host of such lesserknown writings as three discourses on imagined occasions and. In this book, kierkegaard unfolds the meaning of neighborly love and claims that it is the only valid form of true love. But in relation to god, there are no secret instruction for a human being any more than there are any. A critique of kierkegaards works of love abstract in volume i of works of love, kierkegaard condemns preferential, earthly love and extols the virtues of impartial, christian love. A collection of books and writings by soren kierkegaard. A beginners guide to kierkegaard relevant magazine. Works of lovewas published september 29, 1847 about six months after the publication ofupbuilding. This work is marked by kierkegaards socratic awareness of the reader, both as the center of awakened. 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 is a searching exploration of the distinctive and demanding character of christian love. Michael strawsers book, kierkegaard and the philosophy of love, is an important contribution to understanding the universal human experience of love.
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