Includes bibliographical references and index

Part 1. Johannes de Silentio. Faith as the task of a lifetime -- Faith as trust in divine promises -- Faith as obedience to divine commands -- Interlude : three questions in medias res -- Faith as the teleological suspension of reason -- Faith as the highest passion -- Part 2. Johannes Climacus. Faith as the reception of revelation -- Faith as the happy passion that overcomes offense -- Faith as the passionate appropriation of an objective uncertainty -- Faith as a leap and a striving -- Faith as a striving pathos that goes against reason -- Part 3. Anti-Climacus. Faith as willing to be oneself : before God -- Faith as contemporaneity with Christ : without offense

In this book renowned philosopher Merold Westphal unpacks the writings of nineteenth-century thinker S©ıren Kierkegaard on biblical, Christian faith and its relation to reason. Across five books -- Fear and Trembling, Philosophical Fragments, Concluding Unscientific Postscript, Sickness Unto Death, and Practice in Christianity -- and three pseudonyms, Kierkegaard sought to articulate a biblical concept of faith by approaching it from a variety of perspectives in relation to one another. Westphal offers a careful textual reading of these major discussions to present an overarching analysis of Kierkegaard's conception of the true meaning of biblical faith. Though Kierkegaard presents a complex picture of faith through his pseudonyms, Westphal argues that his perspective is a faithful and illuminating one, making claims that are important for philosophy of religion, for theology, and most of all for Christian life as it might be lived by faithful people.--Amazon.com

In this book renowned philosopher Merold Westphal unpacks the writings of nineteenth-century thinker S©ıren Kierkegaard on biblical, Christian faith and its relation to reason. Across five books -- Fear and Trembling, Philosophical Fragments, Concluding Unscientific Postscript, Sickness Unto Death, and Practice in Christianity -- and three pseudonyms, Kierkegaard sought to articulate a biblical concept of faith by approaching it from a variety of perspectives in relation to one another. Westphal offers a careful textual reading of these major discussions to present an overarching analysis of Kierkegaard's conception of the true meaning of biblical faith. Though Kierkegaard presents a complex picture of faith through his pseudonyms, Westphal argues that his perspective is a faithful and illuminating one, making claims that are important for philosophy of religion, for theology, and most of all for Christian life as it might be lived by faithful people.--Amazon.com