Faith and reason in Kierkegaard

By F. Russell Sullivan

Book Description

F. Russell Sullivan challenges a widespread assumption about one of philosophy's most influential thinkers in this thoughtful examination of Søren Kierkegaard's approach to spiritual understanding. While many scholars dismiss Kierkegaard as an irrationalist who rejected logical thinking in favor of blind faith, Sullivan presents a more nuanced interpretation that reveals how the Danish philosopher actually viewed faith as reasonable, though in ways that require careful exploration to understand.

Through meticulous analysis of both Kierkegaard's pseudonymous and signed writings, Sullivan demonstrates how apparent contradictions in the philosopher's work actually point toward a sophisticated understanding of how human beings encounter divine truth. Where Kierkegaard describes faith as paradoxical and absurd in some contexts, he simultaneously argues in other works that genuine religious commitment operates within rational boundaries, even when it transcends purely logical demonstration.

The author shows how Kierkegaard distinguished between faith as mere intellectual assent to doctrines and faith as lived spiritual reality. For Kierkegaard, endless theological reasoning cannot produce the certainty that nominal Christians seek, yet this limitation of logic does not render faith irrational. Instead, Sullivan argues, Kierkegaard saw reason as capable of recognizing its own boundaries while pointing toward reasonable spiritual steps that transcend logical proof.

This scholarly yet accessible work offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand how intellectual honesty and spiritual commitment can coexist in authentic religious life.