The Epistemology of Soren Kierkegaard

Abstract

In The Epistemology of Soren Kierkegaard, Siegbert W. Becker explores Kierkegaard’s philosophical and theological approach to religious knowledge, emphasizing his rejection of rationalism and embrace of paradox. Becker traces Kierkegaard’s life, influences, and literary output, highlighting his melancholic disposition and critique of the formalism of the Lutheran State Church. Kierkegaard’s epistemology centers on existential subjectivity, asserting that truth is found not through objective reasoning but through passionate inwardness and personal commitment. Becker examines Kierkegaard’s concept of faith as a “leap into the absurd,” his distrust of historical revelation, and his preference for the incarnation as the sole necessary truth. While acknowledging Kierkegaard’s valuable critique of intellectualized religion, Becker questions his dismissal of Scripture and objective revelation, suggesting that Kierkegaard’s philosophy may undermine the very faith it seeks to defend. The essay concludes with a nuanced appreciation of Kierkegaard’s existential insights, tempered by a call for theological balance. Abstract generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).