A Long Awaited Arrival, and Some Thoughts that Came With It.

I have just received my first edition of the Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers “Faith and Philosophy”. Their publication schedule is all out-of-whack, and so I received in the mail yesterday the January 2004 edition. But it seems to have been worth the wait. For in this first edition of the year 2004, there are two articles of interest to me; one on Kierkegaard, and one on Dooyeweerd. Who could ask for anything more? On the one hand I have an article on a philosopher who is greatly under-appreciated and whom I love to read. And on the other hand, I have another article on a philosopher who is, again, under-appreciated, but whom I would love to study some more.

“Before the Storm: Kierkegaard’s Theological Preparation for the Attack on the Church”

Written by Michael Plekon, this article ‘rescues’ Kierkegaard from any notion of him attacking the church and Christianity because he had become disillusioned with it and renounced his faith and membership. While he may have renounced his membership of the Danish state church (or merely just let it slide near the end of his life), Kierkegaard never lost sight of his faith, and the necessity of true Christianity (rather than Christendom) for the world. The difference, Plekon writes, concerning the character and tone of Kierkegaard’s early writings and his later writing, though, might suggest the contrary. His later writing, of which his “Attack on Christendom” is the most well-known, are of a more critical and focussed nature than his earlier writings “Either/Or”, “Concept of Anxiety”, “This Sickness Unto Death”, even “Works of Love”.

While I do not have the necessary background in Kierkegaard to respond to Plekon properly, this article raised some thoughts for me. Thoughts, though unformulated as of yet, which are running around in my head. Mostly it made me want to get back into reading Kierkegaard (I have enough of his works on my shelf which I haven’t read yet, so that’s not a big deal). Near the end of his article, Plekon deals with the idea of Church Reform. He writes that Kierkegaard wanted reform, but a true, honest, authentic reform, rather than a haphazard, superficial reform. Christianity to Kierkegaard, Plekon seems to suggest, is something that ought to shock and unsettle the very core of a believer’s life. Believers are called to imitate Christ, and through his life on earth it was Christ’s life that did a lot of teaching, which he made explicit through his more formal teachings.

I will have to read this article again, and get back into Kierkegaard again.

“The Great Turning Point: Religion and Rationality in Dooyeweerd’s Transcendental Critique”

This article, written by Lambert Zuidervart from the Institute for Christian Studies, I have just started reading. Having written an M.A. thesis on Nicholas Wolterstorff, a reformational philosopher working within the tradition (in a loose sense) set up by Dooyeweerd, the themes and ideas that I see in Dooyeweerd are familiar to me. And exciting as well. The notion that all of knowledge depends not on reason and logic, but on faith and commitment is a refreshing one in our day, and one that I think more Christians ought to discover.

I am unable, as of yet, to discuss Zuidervart’s article, as I have not finished reading it, but I do have a few thoughts that have so far come up. Having said that more Christians, especially the Dutch Calvinists, whose tradition this is, should read, or acquaint themselves with this non-foundational trend in epistemology, I would suggest that they, if they are so inclined, begin with Wolterstorff’s book “Reason Within the Bounds of Religion”. It is an accessible book, and will give a good basis for understanding the main impetus of this non-foundational trend in reformational philosophy. (Although it might raise a few questions as well, as an uncle of mine keeps telling me.)

Anyways, I have a Greek test to study for, so I will sign off now. I am quite pleased that my subscription has come, though, which is kind of the point of this long-winded post. There are a couple of other interesting-looking articles in it as well: one on the Religious Potency of Music, one on Omniscience and Time, and another one on Kant.

Good reading for a few days at least!!