Soren Kierkegaard and the church today

5 Commentsby   |  02.21.11  |  Renaissance/Premodern (Part II)

Kierkegaard, like many of us today, spent a great deal of his life wrestling with religion. His father was a prominent religious figure, and, growing up, Kierkegaard worshipped him as a god. When Kierkegaard’s father admitted sexual sins, it shattered the boy’s world, and he gave up Christianity altogether. Eventually, he would return to the faith, and, in fact, was schooled in theology at the University of Copenhagen, but rejected the institutionalized church. He was an outspoken critic of the established church for its worldliness and its insistence on the acceptance of prescribed dogma, the book says. He said that the most meaningful relationship with God was a purely personal one that was arrived at through an individual’s free choice, not one whose nature and content were dictated by the church. This viewpoint has become a dominant idea in the church of Christianity today. Kierkegaard was concerned that too many Christians were praying simply because it was what was expected of them rather than having a true relationship with God and, according to the book, would have argued that for most people a genuine, personal, emotional relationship with God does not exist. Religious people still worry about that today, but now it goes under the name hypocrisy. Sadly, many people today, when asked to describe Christianity, will think of the word hypocrite. People say that they are Christian, but then go out and fail to act as they should. Others see their hedonistic lifestyles, think of them as a hypocrite, and associate the word with the church. The question then becomes how we can turn this trend around. Kierkegaard would probably say that it cannot be done unless we each achieve a personal relationship with God.

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5 Comments

  1. Adrienne Lackey
    4:10 pm, 02.21.11

    It is sad that most non believers and many believers as well think of Christians as hypocrites. There are some very hypocritical actions that Christians tend to engage in, but also I think many people miss the point of Christianity entirely. The goal is not to be perfect and never sin, but to love people from all races, denominations, and cultures. Yes we shouldnt go out and particiapte in activities that contradict what the Bible says about how we should behave, but we also shouldnt be so focused on actions. Its not about what people have done, but about who they ARE and the condiditon of their hearts.

  2. Terry Osborne
    4:31 pm, 02.21.11

    Yes, this brings up some good conversation! I agree with ya. I think that christians get to caught up in the religous routine and forget about what Christ calls us to do! I feel that non beleivers have this attitude about Christians because Christians come off holier than thou! I mean think about it…..who would want to be a part of something like that. Good thoughts Garrett

  3. Katelyn Marlow
    7:52 pm, 02.21.11

    I can definitely identify with Kierkegaard’s journey with his faith. I understand the feeling of having something so life changing suddenly happening that caused me to personally question my own faith. However, now looking back at that time in my life, I am so thankful for how it has totally changed my own relationship with God. Until I was forced to question exactly what it was that I believed I do not believe that Christianity was real to me. Up until that point I do see ways in which that I possibly came across as hypocritical to others, but it was simply because my relationship with God was weak if not non-existent. I believe that this is where those hypocrisies may arise. While everyone’s Christian journey is different, I do believe that the type of questioning that Kierkegaard raised has its place in that journey.

  4. Natalie Fleet
    8:04 pm, 02.21.11

    I would agree that Kierkegaard has had a strong influence on Christianity and there is a critical change in the way the church operated before romanticism era. I would agree with Kierkegaard, that people need to develop their own faith with God, but our relationship with God is only amplified and reinforced with our relationships with fellow Christians. Just like an addict coming out of recovery, if there is no one there to hold them accountable, then the journey to sobriety is a thousand times harder.

  5. LeeAnn Green
    9:04 pm, 02.21.11

    I think that many times, as a Christian, it is easy to fall into just doing things because that is what is expected or because it is what we are used to. Many people only go to church on Sunday’s because they grew up doing that. I think that we must find a personal relationship with God and we should want to go to church not feel like we have to.

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