Discussion: Fear and Trembling

Author: Søren Kierkegaard

Description: Søren Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling (1843), written as Johannes de Silentio, explores faith through Abraham’s biblical sacrifice of Isaac. Kierkegaard examines the paradox: how can Abraham’s willingness to kill his son align with divine obedience? Through four retellings, he probes Abraham’s anguish and the “absurd” leap of faith beyond reason. Introducing the “knight of faith,” Kierkegaard contrasts this figure with the resigned, who accept loss without absolute trust. The text challenges ethical norms, arguing faith transcends universal morality, existing in existential solitude. Its lyrical yet dense style reflects Kierkegaard’s existential philosophy, questioning humanity’s relation to the divine.

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