Provocations : Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard [Paperback]

Soren Kierkegaard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1999

Provocations contains a little of everything from Kierkegaard's prodigious output: his famously cantankerous (yet wryly humorous) attacks on what he calls the ''mediocre shell'' of conventional Christianity, his brilliantly pithy parables, his wise (and witty) sayings. Most significantly, it brings to a new generation a man whose writings pare away the fluff of modern spirituality to reveal the basics of the Christ-centered life: decisiveness, obedience, and recognition of the truth.

Editorial Reviews

Review

By far the best introduction to Kierkegaard that I have seen. -- Vernard Eller, author

Kierkegaard has taught me, moved me, perplexed me and always provoked my thinking in new directions. I'm delighted to see his work in such accessible form. -- Philip Yancy, author

The witty and devout Soren Kiekegaard (d.1855) is sometimes difficult to spot in his "thick" philosophical writings. With Charles Moore's judicious sifting, though, we now have a readable and spiritually vibrant selection of the brooding Dane's religious writings. -- Christianity Today, November 1999

These ably selected writings are not the texts most widely studied by scholars. But they are probably the ones by which Kierkegaard himself would choose to be remembered. -- Robert Ellsberg, Orbis Books

This thoughtful selection of Kierkegaard's writings serves on several levels. In the first place, it makes the otherwise daunting Kierkegaard accessible in an inviting format. Secondly, its logical arrangement of texts presents the major themes of his work, as in the sections "To Will One Thing," "Truth and the Inwardness of passion," and "Anxiety and the Gospel of Suffering." And Thirdly the book is prayerful: it invites worshipful devotion as much as intellectual reflection, a rare and rewarding combination. -- First Things, February 2000

Language Notes

Text: English
Original Language: Danish

Product Details

• Paperback: 460 pages
• Publisher: Plough Publishing House; 1st edition (June 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874869811
• ISBN-13: 978-0874869811
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,262,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a 19th century Danish philosopher and theologian, generally recognized as the first existentialist philosopher.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Anthology, January 19, 2000

By 

John Parsons - See all my reviews

This review is from: Provocations : Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard (Paperback)

Where to begin studying Kierkegaard? Start with "Works of Love"! But for a generalist overview of his work, to gain a sense of the scope of Kierkegaard's vastly prodigious work as an author, to be introduced in a more thematic way to the thoughts of this thinker, start with "Provocations" (which I prefer to the Brentall anthology because it tends to weave a sense of the main burdens of SK into the fabric of the selections).

I am also happy to say that this work reads more easily than some of the earlier renditions of SK, especially for U.S. readers of the new century.

24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars when philosophy aims a Hubble telescope at God, October 19, 2000

By 

Jonathan Stone (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Provocations : Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard (Paperback)

This is a book that will wrestle with your soul at the deepest level, yet it is written in language that will deal with your mind in the most simple terms, without demanding you to take a leap of arcane philosophical knowledge. Here is Kierkegaard for all of us: the philosopher who holds a mirror to one's innermost being and at the same time aims a Hubble telescope right at God. One way or another, this book is bound to change your life.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "By acting your life will come into collision with existence..., October 7, 2005

By 

Stanford Gibson (Davis, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Provocations: Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard (Paperback)

...and then you will know the reality of grace." p 254

Kierkegaard is too good to miss. Unfortunately his writings were so copious and obscured under the cloak of pseudonyms that many people give up before they begin to mine the riches of his work. Moore has finally provided an accessible distillation of his work in this topical compilation. There are 98 topics (e.g. doubt, love, faith/reason, despair, risk, passion...) which either contain single, important passages or a series of quotes from various works. I often found myself laughing out loud.

Unlike many Kierkegaard scholars who insist on anachronistically viewing him through his twentieth century French interpreters, Moore has a sense for passions, wit and contributions of the Danish philosopher. A caution: SK out of context can often be misinterpreted since he usually speaks in a voice not his own, intended to incite passionate response. However, I would still highly recommend it to anyone who has either a deep interest or a passing curiosity in Kierkegaard or a passionate, authentic life of action in general.

(Note: the text of this is also available in a free, searchable pdf on-line).