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Kierkegaard's Attack Upon "Christendom" 1854-1855

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Kierkaagard's Attack Upon "Christendom" was written, not as an attack upon Christianity as a whole, as many believe, but as an attack upon the Lutheran state religion present during his lifetime. He offers a great deal of evidence showing how the priests in his native Denmark are not, as they believe, "Witnesses to the Truth", but are in fact liars who mislead the masses and merchants who have their careers (which is, in K.'s view, the wrong way to look at it) only to make money and have a royally subsidized position.

All of this does, however, become somewhat prolix, as this book is actually just a series of articles and pamphlets that he wrote in a 2-year span, which were then combined into the present work. Still, though, this book is an enjoyable read, due to the satirical style of K.'s writing and the, however arguable, relevance of the subject. I recommend reading "Training in Christianity", though, as an introduction to this book.

If you want to reassure yourself that Christianity is wrong or stupid or whatever, read Nietzsche's Antichrist. If you want to read something that actually frightens Christians, this is the book for you. The difference is Kierkegaard is a Christian with extensive Church experience so unlike Nietzsche he knows where the bones are buried.

The whole thing amounts to an elaborate Conspiracy theory. In order to be rid of Christianity Society has not rejected it, but enthroned it. But in so doing created a hierarchy (the institutional Church) with the covert purpose of making certain that Christianity does not exist. Christianity is professed as the StateReligion. There are many civil servant employed to promote it. There is much Real Estate devoted to it. Church attendance is high. And, as a result, Christianity is effectively nullified, because it actually exists nowhere.

One must remember that SK and Han Christian Andersen were drinking buddies (they fell out when SK reviewed one of Andersen's novels) and SK here announces another naked emperor. In a Christian nation no one is a Christian!

If you are just starting SK I suggest this book because here he is at his most open and "direct." Everything else has deep ironic undercurrents, but a "surface" reading of this one is probably close to right.

The first reviewer on this page "a reader" does a prefect job of summarizing "Attack Upon Christendom."

Though deadly serious in his attack, with the utmost reverance and love for faith in Jesus Christ SK comes out swinging. It is hard to imagine how much ridicule he endured for this series of articles and rebutals.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of this collection of writings is SK's absolutely brilliant use of metaphors, and his comical sarcasm.

As a Christian, this is a very difficult book to read, but one that is crucial to understanding Christianity in what SK labels "New Testament Christianity" terms. In the beginning of the book, Valdemar Ammundsen is quoted as giving us this haunting reminder:
"Where Kierkegaard is wrong, that goes on his account. Where Kierkegaard was right, the bill comes to us."

There is so much I would love to quote out of this collection, such as the metaphor of the "Obediant Hound," but I hope that anyone even considering reading this will do so and experience it for themselves.

By backing up all of his claims with consistent citing of the Bible and Christ Himself, SK forces us to consider things that have either been forgotten or overlooked in regards to being a Christian.

An excellent book written with the utmost reverence for God and truth, and yet also a devestating blow to Modern "Christendom" -- Kierkegaard passionately skewers hypocracy with his amazing talent. Read this book if you want to be reminded that Christianity demands the following of Christ and not the "building of sepulchers of the prophets and garnishing of the tombs of the righteous" that is entailed by "worshipping" Him in the hideous whitewashed spires of "Christendom".

"As high as true Christianity stands above all heresy and error and aberration, just so deep below all heresy and error and aberration lies [the] twaddle [of Christendom]."

"Think now what passion there was in primative Christianity, without which it never would have come into the world; propose to one of those figures the question, 'Dare a Christian tranquillize himself in this way?' 'Abominable,' he would reply, 'that a Christian... should tranquilly keep silent in the face of the fact that God every day is mocked by people pretending by millions to be Christians...'"

Soren Kierkegaard was, despite many popular misunderstandings, a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. He believed that Christianity is foundationally a way of life devoted to a crucified Messiah, who revealed God in self-sacrifice and shame. Christianity is a people of outcasts, worshipers of a condemned criminal, people who have accepted Jesus' call to reject the glories and comforts of this world in exchange for a cross.

How may a disciple deny himself, take up the cross, and follow Christ when the culture claims to be Christian? How may a follower of Jesus follow in the footsteps of a rejected Christ when to deny Christ would cause more social ostracism than to claim him? Is it possible to hear the gospel in a Christian culture? How may a person living in Christendom ever find a way to live as a Christian?

This is the deep conflict between Christianity in the gospels and Christianity in a Christianized culture (Christendom) that fuels the polemics of the book. The presenting symptom of the deeper issue is that of a state-sponsored church whose clergy are, in effect, government functionaries. Kierkegaard demonstrates that clergy in a state church serve a professional function that guts their prophetic voice. The comfort of career, salary, prestige, etc. are counter to the call to serve as proclaimers of the kind of kingdom Jesus' proclaims.

"Attack Upon Christendom" is still timely. We live in a time when Christendom seems to be losing ground in our country. Many Christians believe this is a bad thing, and that the job of the church is to reestablish Christendom (putting 10 commandments statues in courthouses and throwing a fit over the "Christ" being taken out of Christmas at the mall and such). Kierkegaard may offer a different way of looking at our situation. Maybe we have a culture that's just becoming fertile for a true proclamation of an authentic gospel. Maybe the death of Christendom is necessary for the birth of a Christianity of true discipleship.

I'm a clergy-person myself, and SK always provides medicine for my soul. He pushes me to consider whether my salary, health insurance, and pension make disqualify me from proclaiming the kind of Gospel that got Jesus killed.

Perhaps the best thing about the book is that, unlike nearly everything else SK wrote, this book is a page-turner. It's made up of pamphlet articles. His other works tended to be intentionally confusing, but this is straightforward. It's full of life, and vigor, and very funny sarcastic attack on self-satisfied religiosity. It's both fun and painful to read--good medicine.