Works of Love
Encyclopedia
Works of Love is a work by Søren Kierkegaard
written in 1847. It is one of the works which he published under his own name, as opposed to his more famous "pseudonymous" works. Works of Love deals primarily with the Christian
conception of love
in contrast with erotic love () or preferential love () given to friends and family. Kierkegaard uses this value / virtue to understand the existence and relationship of the individual Christian. Having help found Existentialism
, he uses it and a high level of theology citing the scriptures of the Christian Bible
. Many of the chapters take a mention of love from the New Testament
and center reflections about the transfer of individuals from secular modes (the stages of the aesthetic and ethical) to genuine religious experience and existence. Since human experience is a key to understanding Kierkegaard, the actual relationships and experiences of disciples and of Christ
are characterized here as tangible models for behavior.
Kierkegaard as a Christian ethicist (represented by this work) is likely to be considered distinct from many ways in which the religion's mainstream seems to function from the viewpoint of an outside observer. This is not only a function of Christian existentialism
but also of his time period and political events occurring in his native Denmark.
Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard was a Danish Christian philosopher, theologian and religious author. He was a critic of idealist intellectuals and philosophers of his time, such as Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling and Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel...
written in 1847. It is one of the works which he published under his own name, as opposed to his more famous "pseudonymous" works. Works of Love deals primarily with the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
conception of love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
in contrast with erotic love () or preferential love () given to friends and family. Kierkegaard uses this value / virtue to understand the existence and relationship of the individual Christian. Having help found Existentialism
Existentialism
Existentialism is a term applied to a school of 19th- and 20th-century philosophers who, despite profound doctrinal differences, shared the belief that philosophical thinking begins with the human subject—not merely the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, living human individual...
, he uses it and a high level of theology citing the scriptures of the Christian Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. Many of the chapters take a mention of love from the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and center reflections about the transfer of individuals from secular modes (the stages of the aesthetic and ethical) to genuine religious experience and existence. Since human experience is a key to understanding Kierkegaard, the actual relationships and experiences of disciples and of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
are characterized here as tangible models for behavior.
Kierkegaard as a Christian ethicist (represented by this work) is likely to be considered distinct from many ways in which the religion's mainstream seems to function from the viewpoint of an outside observer. This is not only a function of Christian existentialism
Christian existentialism
Christian existentialism describes a group of writings that take a philosophically existentialist approach to Christian theology. The school of thought is often traced back to the work of the Danish philosopher and theologian considered the father of existentialism, Søren Kierkegaard...
but also of his time period and political events occurring in his native Denmark.
Themes
- Part One — Topics include: Love's Hidden Life and Its Recognisability by its Fruits, You Shall Love, You Shall Love Your Neighbour, Love is the Fulfilling of the Law, Love is a Matter of Conscience, Our Duty to Love Those We See, and Our Duty to be in the Debt of Love to Each Other
- Part Two — Topics include: Love Builds up, Love Believes all Things and Yet is Never Deceived, Love Hopes all Things and Yet is Never Put to Shame, Love Seeks Not its Own, Love Hides The Multiplicity of Sins, Love Abides, Mercifulness, a Work of Love, Even if it Can Give Nothing and Is Capable of Doing Nothing, The Victory of Reconciliation in Love Which Wins the Vanquished, The work of Love in Remembering One Dead, and The Work of Love in Praising Love