Suffering and the Christian life : the asceticism of Søren Kierkegaard.

Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) has been called many things: a Lutheran, a Pietist, a mystic, a poet, and the first existentialist philosopher. While these labels all have some degree of truth, I argue that the best name for Kierkegaard is that of a Christian ascetic. Kierkegaard was committed to a vision of the Christian life as suffering for the truth in imitation of Christ, a suffering that necessarily entails poverty, chastity, obedience, and—above all—persecution. The importance of Kierkegaard's embrace of asceticism was not only personal; this commitment to suffering was at the same time a rejection of Christian nationalism and the selfish aims of the modern nation-state. In this way, Kierkegaard offers the Christian within modernity a new way to be devout: a personal renunciation that is always, at the same time, political.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Millay, Thomas J., 1986-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Martens, Paul Henry.

• Søren Kierkegaard.
• Asceticism.
• Nationalism.

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/2104/10728

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/10728