Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard

The Apostle Paul, calls his earthly affliction, “brief and light” compared to the eternal weight of glory. The expectancy of salvation.

Today is the day of salvation. Not tomorrow or eternity. Soren admonishes us readers to hear his words and to act now rather than delay and presume that God is subject to human demands and wishes. That presumption is dangerously arrogant. We are to accept this gift of His salvation on His terms, and thus experience that happy calmness in the midst of trouble.

Not all wishing is frivolous and selfish. Soren reminds us that to truly wish for salvation is sound. For ourselves, for others, and is fundamental. And we even can have fun! Bierkergaard, putting the fun in Fundamentalism.

Today we have Kierkegaard scholar Dr. Marilyn Piety who is a distinguished college professor share her insights on how Kierkegaard speaks to the 21st Century young adult in some very profound and helpful ways. This was a fun interview.

“O God, preserve a recollection of youth that preserves a youth’s thoughts of his Creator….those thoughts are the child’s most beautiful ornament, and the bride’s most beautiful jewel, and the dying person’s best garment.”

Thinking about your Creator when young grounds and grows your life on and in the foundation of Truth. In reviewing the audience of the podcast, 80% of the listeners are between 23-44 years of age, with nearly 40% being 23-27. Have a relentless commitment to the Truth and It shall set you free. Nothing else can. Nothing else will. You will have the ability to walk confidently in an often antagonistic world.

Soren, in citing the Preacher’s admonition of “Remembering One’s Creator” when young, does not go too far in the other direction by telling the young to become adults too soon. Enjoy being young. Just remember your Creator.

The episode title is the name of a book by Henning Fenger. It seeks to establish that Soren’s life has a good amount of fiction in it, in terms of Soren’s own presentation of his life story. I dispute a decent amount of Fenner’s allegations. By seeking to correct a series of errors, he seems to commit his own errors in interpreting Soren’s life and writings. I don’t entirely dismiss all of Fenner’s points. But, neither do I accept them on the whole. This episode incorporates the “Remember Your Creator” admonition by The Preacher and Soren.

“The thought of the Creator is youth’s most beautiful splendor.” Soren contrasts this with the vanity of the world and the pernicious toil of meaninglessness. Life is hard. And useless. Work hard and it means, ultimately, nothing. Which is where the prominent ideology of our day Materialism, takes us-to nothing, where if it is only matter, nothing ultimately matters. Thinking of our Creator animates and redeems the dust and decay of despair. The Easter message.

We finish up (phew) Patience in Expectancy, through the story of the noble one, Anna. Enjoy the sawing of trees noises in the background at the end of the podcast! Special bonus.