Abraham & Isaac - Kierkegaard (Jesus slideshow/music)

Kierkegaard begins by stating that in Christianity the single individual is higher than the universal, which is the ethical, and is related directly to the absolute. The ethical applies to humanity as a whole; it is universal. However, man is related to the absolute (God) as a single individual and answerable to Him. Just as the absolute is above the universal (the ethical), so is the individual in relation to the absolute above the universal.

Faith is precisely the paradox that the single individual as the single individual is higher than the universal, is justified before it, not as inferior to it but superior—yet in such a way, please note, that it is the single individual who, after being subordinate as the single individual to the universal, now by means of the universal becomes the single individual who as the single individual is superior, that the single individual as the single individual stands in an absolute relation to the absolute. This position cannot be mediated, for all mediation takes place only by virtue of the universal; it is and remains for all eternity a paradox, impervious to thought. And yet faith is this paradox... (p. 55f.).

The individual is related to the absolute, in that a man such as Abraham, "the father of faith", is in relation with the deity by the paradox of faith, whereas the ethical, which is impersonal, is inferior to the individual. For Kierkegaard, the ethical is related to the future, in that it must be adhered to perpetually (see Repetition). In Fear and Trembling, he is concerned with the interaction of the in Christianity the single inIn Problema I Kierkegaard begins by stating that in Christianity the single individual is higher than the universal, which is the ethical, and is related directly to the absolute. The ethical applies to humanity as a whole; it is universal. However, man is related to the absolute (God) as a single individual and answerable to Him. Just as the absolute is above the universal (the ethical), so is the individual in relation to the absolute above the universal.

Abraham puts religious concerns over ethical concerns, thus proving his faith in God.

Kierkegaard proffers his well-known "Knight of Faith" versus the "Knight of Infinite Resignation".
Resignation is an act of the will, not helpless abdication. The Knight of Infinite Resignation is no coward.
He is a man committed by a volitive act to perform some deed or adhere to some ethical code.
The Knight of Faith is a man who is also brave, but in a different way.

He adheres by faith to some impossible (absurd) telos [end, goal].

It is here in Fear and Trembling that Kierkegaard introduces his concept of "faith by virtue of the absurd".

Abraham is not only a man of resignation (resolve), but is the father of faith, the supreme example of faith against the absurd. God had promised him a son.

He had to wait decades for that son (Isaac) to be born in the face of Sarah's doubt. Then God commands Abraham to sacrifice this long-awaited son.

Somehow, Abraham had the faith to obey God, knowing that God would deliver his son.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Jesus
• Christ
• Religion
• Christianity
• Abraham&Isaac
• Bible
• Kierkegaard
• philosophy
• Fear
• and
• Trembling
• purpose
• theism/atheism

[gratefulsoldier]

As I understand it Kierkegaard meant to label Abraham as a Knight of Infinite Resignation - or Knight of Faith. Because he has 'totally surrendered' himself to God.

[scaleshchess]

@gratefulsoldier Correct.

[POSSUMFORCE]

@scaleshchess i thought he considered abraham only as a knight of faith, because he still believes he can get isaac back by virtue of the absurd

[scaleshchess]

@POSSUMFORCE I dont think Abraham was delusional.

[pestudkaru]

@gratefulsoldier but that is not a good thing. What if the god or God is/was wrong.

[xUbastardx]

Beautiful voice.