Provocations
Soren Kierkegaard 1813-1855
In its plug for the book Provocations, Plough Publishing House writes, "There are few authors as repeatedly quoted and consistently unread as Soren Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard himself is partly to blame for this: his style is dense, his thoughts complex. And yet embedded within his writings and journals are metaphors and truths so deep and vivid, they can overwhelm you with an almost blinding clarity."
No wonder it took me just a little over three years to finish reading this book. I spent many nights sitting in bed reading a few pages each time and pondering about some of the stuff he wrote. It is a heavy book but well worth it if you are after some meaty stuff.
Kierkegaard’s writings certainly helped me through an extremely testing period of my life three years ago when a discerning friend in his wisdom told me Kierkegaard was exactly who I needed. And I said, “Who? What?” Kierkegaard himself is also quite an interesting character, never mind that his life seemed pretty depressing too. But that is where the paradox lies, I think. If it were not for the adversity and suffering that Kierkegaard himself went through, perhaps he might never have written the stuff he’s written, let alone come to be credited as the father of modern day existentialism.
On suffering, Kierkegaard once penned this prayer below, which not only moved me but also edified me. It’s so typical of Kierkegaard’s writings to be infused with not only passion and conviction, but also with clarity and wisdom.
No wonder it took me just a little over three years to finish reading this book. I spent many nights sitting in bed reading a few pages each time and pondering about some of the stuff he wrote. It is a heavy book but well worth it if you are after some meaty stuff.
Kierkegaard’s writings certainly helped me through an extremely testing period of my life three years ago when a discerning friend in his wisdom told me Kierkegaard was exactly who I needed. And I said, “Who? What?” Kierkegaard himself is also quite an interesting character, never mind that his life seemed pretty depressing too. But that is where the paradox lies, I think. If it were not for the adversity and suffering that Kierkegaard himself went through, perhaps he might never have written the stuff he’s written, let alone come to be credited as the father of modern day existentialism.
On suffering, Kierkegaard once penned this prayer below, which not only moved me but also edified me. It’s so typical of Kierkegaard’s writings to be infused with not only passion and conviction, but also with clarity and wisdom.
“Oh, Lord, not only do you know our sorrow better than do we ourselves, but you feel it too. You understand the burden, the heavy grief that we bear. Make us humble, therefore, so that in our rebellion against life’s injustices, we do not turn for comfort to those who are like wandering stars, or to those who are like the raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame. You are our refuge and our strength and there is none other.”
And more recently, on living far too comfortably in my own security and comfort zone, Kierkegaard also delivered a sobering challenge to me.
“Preserve me, Lord, from the deceit of thinking that by being prudent and looking after my own interests I am necessarily using my talents right. He who takes risks for your sake may appear to lose, but he is accepted by you. He who risks nothing appears to gain by his prudence, but he is rejected by you. But let me not think that by avoiding risk I am better than the other. Grant me to see that this is an illusion, and save me from such a snare.”
An electronic version of the book can be downloaded at the Plough Publishing House’s website here. It is 448 pages long and is about 1,452kb in size. I also highly recommend Introducing Kierkegaard, which introduces virgin Kierkegaard readers to his life and main idea, in the form of a comic picture book.
posted by Andrew King at 11:43 pm
