Sickness Unto Death: A Christian Psychological Exposition of Edification & Awakening by Anti-CLI

by Søren Kierkegaard and Soren Kierkegaard

Book Overview

One of the most remarkable philosophical works of the nineteenth century, famed for the depth and acuity of its modern psychological insights

Writing under the pseudonym Anti-Climacus, Kierkegaard explores the concept of "despair," alerting readers to the diversity of ways in which they may be described as living in this state of bleak abandonment--including some that may seem just the opposite--and offering a much-discussed formula...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140445331
• ISBN13: 9780140445336
• Release Date: August 1989
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Sickness unto Death

The universal ethical truth, seeing others in their true light or darkness, and true faith, (not the modern version of faith) is what you will get from this read. One will come away from this extraordinary book with a realization that there is a universal truth and that the only way to fully grasp it is to put oneself totally in Gods hands, and realize that it is he not we who are in control. This book will bring about inter contemplation and seeking which will strengthen ones ability to help find ones true self. In doing so it will help you shread any vestiage of the modern faith which is devoid of seeking truth. If you want an affirmation of your true inter-self to surface then I highly recomend this book.

A transparent translation

With the many words of review of Kierkegaard, I thought a few should be written in honor of the Hongs, who have render such clear translations. Some of the difficulties of understanding SK are not because of his writing style or the nature of the concepts he was communicating, but less than poetic translations of his work. The Hongs have remedied that, so now we merely have to contend with what SK had to say. I for one am grateful for their contribution.

Getting a life

In sum, Kierkegaard shows that despair is the inability to live with oneself. We all experience depression, disappointment, and anxiety rooted in the identities we strive to establish apart from the one we were meant to have in God. Therefore, there is no greater truth to eradicate despair than this: that God has made us for relationship with Himself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Him. Only when a person relies on his perfect relationship with God, and not his imperfect relationship with his parents, his society, his friends, as the sole criterion for the worth of his soul will he find rest from despair.

Profound insight into the nature of sin

I am not a philosopher or even a literary person by any stretch, but I found this book surprisingly accessible. I believe it is essential reading for anyone dealing with despair (depression) in their lives- especially Christians. The jewel that I was able garner from this book is that faith, fundamentally, is forgoing our common senses and putting our hope in God even when all our senses and previous experiences tell us otherwise. Because with God, everything is possible.

A life changing experience

It doesn't often happen that you can feel reading a book changing your world-view. I can remember the first time I read "Sickness Unto Death" and suddenly commercials sounded different. It's a simple Either/or: either you are part of the problem or you are part of the solution. Either you are moving, and, whether you know it or not we are all moving, in one direction or the other. The opposite of "faith" is not "doubt," for "doubt" can a moment within faith. The opposite of "faith" is "despair." Despair is the "Sickness Unto Death," and there is no other real death. All else is temporary, but despair is eternal. The great dialectian draws out and describes the variety and etiology of despair in a language he describes as "algebraic" (that is, spare, formulaic, a prime example is the famous opening paragraph with its comic parody of Hegel (he's pulling your leg at the same time he is deadly serious. That's SK)). You may find this language hard to deal with, but it is worth it to stick with it.