Kierkegaard and the Problem of Truth and Religious Diversity (original) (raw)

What does it mean to follow one Truth in our contemporary world full of religious, cultural and philosophical diversity? Is that even possible or desirable anymore? Søren Kierkegaard, arguably both an existentialist and a Christian, can, despite his deep understanding of the paradoxical construction of the world, be viewed as a proclaimer of devotion and commitment to one Truth and one sense of self. This essay examines Kierkegaard’s philosophy in a way relevant to an inhabitant of the contemporary secular age through three main enquiries: 1) What is the Kierkegaardian Truth? 2)What insight does such sense of Truth offer concerning the attitude one should take towards religious diversity? 3)And finally, what kind of message does Kierkegaard as a prophet of Truth leave to the secular people of the twentieth century? The first part will discuss whether truth is to be understood as objective or subjective, single or multiple, Christian or free of religion. The second part will examine Kierkegaard’s definition of a pagan versus a non-pagan and see how Kierkegaard defines a true believer. Finally, we will see how the levelling, typical in Western societies today, supports our falling away from conscious inwardly self-reflection, leading us to worldly despair.