The enactment of love by faith: On Kierkegaard's distinction between love and its works

Sharon Krishek*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to throw light on Kierkegaard's neglected distinction between love and its works, and by doing so to resolve the ambivalence in his position with regard to preferential love in Works of Love. In this text Kierkegaard seems to fail to reconcile his insistence on neighbourly love's demand for equality and self-denial, with his wish to affirm the centrality of preferential love to human existence. My claim is that neighbourly love and preferential love are two distinct works of love that share the double structure of faith. This paradoxical structure, presented and discussed by Kierkegaard in Fear and Trembling, allows the two loves to be realized together, without requiring any compromise regarding their respective demands.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3-21
Number of pages19
JournalFaith and Philosophy
Volume27
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2010
Externally publishedYes

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