An examination of faith in Soren Kierkegaard's 'Fear and Trembling

Soren Kierkegaard reveals a concept of faith in Fear and Trembling unlike the concept of faith practiced by numerous contemporary Christian groups. To reveal this concept, Johannes de Silentio, Kierkegaard's pseudonym, narrates the account of Abraham's test of faith in God, found in the Holy Bible's Old Testament. Although Christianity is fundamental in much of Kierkegaard's works, the existential discovery of this radical faith reveals subjective insight, and becomes more valuable than acceptance or denunciation of Christian doctrine. The crux of Kierkegaard's message is that the subjective values and beliefs discovered in the course of an active, reflective, passionate, and truthful examination are the most worthy. This examination will provide evidence that Kierkegaard's radical concept of faith supersedes rational comprehension, is necessary to grasp religious truths, and supersedes commonly avowed ethical values. Faith's existential nature, made evident through Kierkegaard's mode of indirect communication, also becomes evident.