In our first reading group session of the year, we will explore Problema I from Søren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling which asks: "Is there a teleological suspension of the ethical?".
Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a Danish philosopher and theologian often referred to as the father of existentialism. Devoutly Lutheran and inspired by Socrates, the Bible, and Christian theology, his works spanned a prolific range of topics, from social critiques to psychology. Fear and Trembling, one of his most analysed works, was written under a pseudonym and explores the biblical narrative of Genesis 22, where Abraham is instructed by God to sacrifice his only legitimate son Isaac.