Date of Award
3-2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS)
Department
Seminary
First Advisor
Dr. Daniel Brunner
Second Advisor
Dr. Heather Ohaneson
Abstract
Traditionally, Søren Kierkegaard has not been associated with the field of ecclesiology. Some simply do not see any ecclesiological merits to Kierkegaard’s perspective, while others, who perhaps acknowledge Kierkegaard’s connection to ecclesiology, view it as having a negating function. Additionally, growing disenfranchisement with the church has caused a renewed interest in Kierkegaard’s ‘attack’; however, this renewed interest often fails to account for the context into which Kierkegaard wrote. This paper will explore Kierkegaard’s ‘attack’ on “Christendom” in context. It also engages the perspectives of Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who show ecclesial implications for Kierkegaard’s ‘attack’ in both agreement and disagreement. In the end, several important functions are shown for Kierkegaard’s ecclesiological perspective.
Recommended Citation
Mako, Anthony, "The Ecclesiological Function of a Critic: Exploring the Ecclesiological Contributions of Søren Kierkegaard in His ‘Attack’ on “Christendom”" (2018). Seminary Masters Theses. 30.
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/seminary_masters/30