Task of Hope in Kierkegaard
Task of Hope in Kierkegaard
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Hardback
£137.50
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Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780198747888
Number of Pages: 236
Published: 12/11/2015
Width: 16.8 cm
Height: 24.1 cm
Philosophers of religion are often caught up with the epistemic justification of their religious beliefs, rather than the qualities of the religious life that make it valuable. Mark Bernier argues that hope is one of the most important of such qualities, and is an essential thread that connects despair, faith, and the self. The Task of Hope in Kierkegaard reconstructs Kierkegaard's theory of hope, which involves the distinction between mundane and authentic hope, and makes three principal claims. Firstly, while despair involves the absence of hope, a rejection of oneself, and a turn away from one's relation to God, despair is fundamentally an unwillingness to hope. This unwillingness is directed toward authentic hope, conceived of by Kierkegaard as an expectation for the possibility of the good. Secondly, hope is not simply an ancillary activity of the self; rather, the task of becoming a self is essentially constituted by hope. Thus, when in despair one is unwilling to hope, one is in fact rejecting one's task of becoming a self. Thirdly, faith stands in opposition to despair precisely because it is a willingness to hope. An essential role of faith is to secure the ground for hope, and in this way faith secures the ground for the self. In short, authentic hope (what Kierkegaard calls spiritual hope) is not merely a fringe element, but is essential to Kierkegaard's project of the self.
List of Abbreviations ; 1. Introduction ; 2. The Kierkegaardian Self ; 3. On Despair ; 4. Despair and Hope ; 5. The Concept of Hope ; 6. Hope and the Task of the Self ; 7. The First Movement of Faith: Infinite Resignation ; 8. Hope and the Knight of Faith ; Epilogue ; Bibliography
This compelling book offers much of interest for both academic and general readers of Kierkegaard. Mark Bernier takes up the theme of hope and persuasively argues that it is more central to Kierkegaard's thought than has often been previously suggested. ... Bernier's thought-provoking book contains much that will inspire further discussion among Kierkegaardians. * Geoffrey Dargan, The Journal of Theological Studies * The major contribution of Bernier's work lies ... in the convincing demonstration of just how important hope is for understanding the task of self-formation in Kierkegaard. Once again, however, that is not all. Faith as a willingness to hope that defeats despair and accepts the good as gift: such a formulation opens a door for us, not just unto Kierkegaard's thought, but - perhaps - unto the nature of hope itself. * Thomas J. Millay, Anglican Theological Review * Bernier's monograph is a judiciously written work that articulates a complex thinker with lucidity and great nuance. He includes helpful and concrete examples throughout the book that make Kierkegaard more comprehensible, painting his ideas thus in an attractive light. Its main contribution is clear and persuasive, that hope is central to the Kierkegaardian concept of the self as a task...this is a well-argued book that should make for essential reading for those who
desire a clear exposition of Kierkegaard or engaged in Kierkegaard studies. * Nathaniel Gray Sutanto, Reviews in Religion and Theology * The treatment here is highly competent and it distinguishes itself from previous work through its persistent focus on the concept of hope. * Charles K. Bellinger, Reading Religion * Admirable * Will Rees, Times Literary Supplement *
