Receiving the self and the world back again : political implications of Kierkegaard's double movement of faith.

This dissertation follows Kierkegaard's project, spanning several of his pseudonymous and non-pseudonymous works, of describing faith's radical transformation of the self and its resultant relation to the world. I argue that the political implications of Kierkegaard's thought must be understood in this light, as the paradoxical relation between faith's "infinite resignation" and subsequent "receiving the world back again" is fundamental. Specifically, for Kierkegaard the encounter with God changes everything. It structures the believing self's relation to itself, and sets the parameters for Kierkegaard's ethic of "neighbor-love." As others have noted, Kierkegaard's account of faith fortifies the individual against the impositions of totalizing regimes. But it also provides the framework for an Augustinian prudential participation in the politics of everyday.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Koppert, Stefan A., 1989-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ward, Ann, 1970-

• Søren Kierkegaard.
• Politics.
• Faith.
• Religion and politics.
• Conservatism.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/12855

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/12855