Soren Aaby Kierkegaard lived in Copenhagen, Denmark from 1813-1855. He studied at the University of Copenhagen from 1830-1840 with the intention of becoming a Christian Lutheran preacher and teacher as his father requested. Sometime during his studies he made the decision that he really didn’t want to preach or teach because he felt he was called to write. So he wrote book after book, publishing them in his own name as well as pseudonymously under a variety of different names.
Kierkegaard wrote in his journals from 1834-1855. He wrote of the idea of opposites above and the master-theif and life choices below.
How confusing the contemplation of life often is when it appears to us in all its abundance, when we see with amazement the differences in abilities and attitudes, from the person who inwardly has lived so close to the divine that, like John of old, he can be said to rest on God’s breast — to the person who with bestial brutality misunderstands and wants to misunderstand every profounder movement in human life; from the person who pierces the course of history with the eyes of a lynx and almost dares to set its hour hand, to the person for whom even the simplest thing is difficult. Or we notice the inequality in rank and position and now enviously feel deprived of what others have been given, and then again with grateful sadness see how much has been given us which is denied to others — and now a cold philosophy will explain the whole thing from preexistence and does not see it as the endless panorama of life with its varied colorfulness and its innumerable nuances. Journals of Soren Kierkegaard 1 A 74 1835
My name is Craig Campbell and I have lived in Wisconsin for the most part. I became interested in Kierkegaard and his writings in 2007 and have continued to be interested to date. I began by trying to read his works into Librivox, a free audiobook site where one is permitted to read works in the public domain, for others to listen to while driving or sitting around. I found that even though Kierkegaard had died in 1855 his works weren’t translated into English until 1938 and beyond. I have read what I could find into Librivox – see the link below.
Librivox Readings by and about Kierkegaard
YouTube seemed to be a good platform for me to create videos about Kierkegaard and his works so I have gathered a good number of videos from across YouTube and they are available at the link below.
YouTube Videos by and about Kierkegaard
I found that many of the writings by and about Kierkegaard were listed on archive.org – this is a depository for texts, audio, video, software, etc. Follow the link below to review that material.
Psychology of Georg Frederich Hegel
Several books by Kierkegaard are available online here
Psychology of Soren Kierkegaard
Four books written by Soren Kierkegaard
- Fear and Trembling
Published October 16, 1843 What happens to the single individual after an encounter with God? Who is the knight of faith? - Philosophical Fragments
Published June 13, 1844 How is Socrates as a teacher of truth related to Christ as the Teacher of Truth? “To make Christianity seem to be an invention of Johannes Climacus is a biting satire on philosophy’s indolent attitude toward it.” Kierkegaard’s Journals VIA 84 “The invisible Church is not a historical phenomenon; as such it cannot be observed objectively at all, because it is only in subjectivity.” Soren Kierkegaard, Concluding Unscientific Postscript p. 54 (1846) Hong - Purity of Heart Is to Will One Thing
First part of Upbuilding Discourses in various Spirits published March 13, 1847. How can one will one thing in truth? What is eternal in man? - The Sickness Unto Death
Published July 30, 1849. Kierkegaard writes about despair and he offers Christianity as the cure for despair. Just this is no doubt what our age, what Christendom, needs: a little Socratic ignorance with respect to Christianity. p. 131 Hanny tr 1989
Some of his Discourses – He wrote 80 discourses all worth a look
Two Upbuilding Discourses May 16, 1843 - The Expectation of Faith
Where is the best place to get your faith? - Every Good and Every Perfect Gift is From Above
How do we know if we should thank God for the gifts that come our way? When do we decide if it’s a good gift?
Three Upbuilding Discourses October 16, 1843 (the same day he published Fear and Trembling under a pseudonym he published this discourse under his own name) - Love shall cover a multitude of sins.
Should we broadcast our neighbor’s sins or cover them up just as we cover our sins up and God throws them in the ocean.
Four Upbuilding Discourses December 6, 1843 - The Lord Gave, and the Lord Took Away; Blessed be the Name of the Lord
Three upbuilding Discourses June 8, 1844 - Remember Your Creator in the Days of Your Youth.
- The Expectancy of an Eternal Happiness
Four upbuilding Discourses August 31, 1844 - Man’s Need of God Constitutes His Highest Perfection The first self and the second self.
Three Discourses on Imagined Occasions April 29, 1845 - Love Conquers All
- Stages on Life’s Way (The Banquet) April 30, 1845
The Banquet
Upbuilding Discourses in various Spirits April 13, 1847 - The Glory of Our Common Humanity
Christian Discourses April 26, 1848 - The Joy in the Thought That It Is Not The Way Which Is Narrow, But The Narrowness Which Is The Way
Preparation For A Christian Life (Works of Love) September 25, 1850 - Preparation For A Christian Life (Selections)
A Sermon Preached September 3, 1855 - The Unchangeableness Of God
