“The knight of faith is the most solitary of all, and yet also the most secure, for he places himself in the hands of the eternal.”

-Kierkegaard

Kierkegaard’s works feel like a labyrinth for the uninitiated, filled with dense philosophy, Biblical allusions, and a writing style that challenges rather than invites.

Yet, the rewards of delving into his world are immense, offering profound insights into faith, love, and the human condition.

Among his writings, Fear and Trembling stands as a cornerstone, exploring themes of faith and sacrifice with unmatched depth.

Still, we encounter significant barriers: unfamiliarity with the context, the abstract nature of Kierkegaard’s arguments, and misconceptions about his intentions.

Understanding these challenges is the first step to appreciating his work.

Why Kierkegaard Is Difficult

It’s not surprising that readers find Kierkegaard challenging. He was writing in conversation with thinkers like Hegel, whose intricate philosophies are demanding in their own right.

Kierkegaard’s texts often respond to these ideas, making prior knowledge of them helpful, if not essential.

Biblical knowledge, too, is crucial.

Kierkegaard’s metaphors and arguments frequently draw from scripture, making the text richer for those familiar with its stories and themes. Without this background, it’s easy to feel lost or disconnected.

A recurring theme in Kierkegaard’s work is repetition. In Fear and Trembling, he presents multiple imagined versions of the Abraham and Isaac story, only to move beyond them.

These false starts reflect the complexity of faith and mirror Biblical patterns, where cycles of forgetting, repentance, and renewal shape the narrative.

Far from arbitrary, this repetition is central to Kierkegaard’s exploration of belief, memory, and love.

Outlining Kierkegaard’s Main Philosophical Ideas In a Simple Fashion

Kierkegaard’s ideas are really focused on understanding who we are, the choices we make, and our relationship with God.

First, he emphasizes the importance of choice.

Kierkegaard believed that life is shaped by the decisions we make.

Each choice, big or small, contributes to who we become.

In a way, we are constantly creating ourselves through the choices we make. Therefore, the decisions we make are crucial in finding meaning and purpose in our lives.

He also talks a lot about authenticity. For him, it’s not enough to just follow what others expect of us. We need to truly understand ourselves and live according to our own values.

This doesn’t mean living in isolation, but being honest about who we are, even when it’s difficult or goes against the crowd.

One of his most famous ideas is faith.

But it’s not the kind of faith that just believes in ideas or doctrines.

For Kierkegaard, faith is about trust—trusting God, even when things don’t make logical sense. He calls it the “leap of faith”, because it’s like jumping into the unknown with the belief that God is guiding us, even if we can’t see the full picture.

He introduces the concept of the “knight of faith”, a person who has this kind of deep, unwavering trust.

The knight of faith might make great sacrifices, but they do so knowing that their faith will guide them through, no matter how challenging. It’s about the courage to trust, even when things are unclear or difficult.

Kierkegaard also discusses despair, which he sees as a feeling of being lost or disconnected from our true selves. He argues that despair often comes when we’re not living authentically, when we’re not in tune with who we really are.

To overcome this, he suggests turning to God and understanding our deeper relationship with Him.

Finally, he addresses the tension between ethics and faith.

Sometimes, the right thing to do, according to our faith, might conflict with what society considers morally acceptable.

Kierkegaard believed that in these moments, we should follow our inner conviction and our relationship with God, even if it goes against conventional wisdom. It’s about being true to that personal, spiritual truth.

In the end, Kierkegaard’s philosophy is about understanding how we navigate life’s complexities, make meaningful choices, and trust in something greater than ourselves, especially when things are uncertain.

It’s about finding a path that may not always be clear, but knowing that our faith and authenticity will guide us through.

Key Themes in Fear and Trembling

At the heart of Fear and Trembling is the Biblical story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac.

God tests Abraham’s faith by commanding him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Trusting God, Abraham prepares to obey, but an angel intervenes at the last moment, sparing Isaac and providing a ram for the sacrifice instead. This story highlights Abraham’s unwavering faith and obedience.

Kierkegaard uses this tale to introduce the concept of the Knight of Faith—someone who embraces the impossible contradictions of faith, holding love and sacrifice together without abandoning either.

This brings us to the “leap of faith,” one of Kierkegaard’s most misunderstood ideas.

It’s not about blind faith or rejecting reason entirely.

Instead, Kierkegaard challenges us to reimagine categories like reason, knowledge, and love, suggesting that true faith requires navigating beyond traditional logic while still respecting it.

The text also talks about the “suspension of the ethical,” questioning the tension between universal moral codes and deeply personal acts of faith.

What happens when faith demands something that society deems unethical?

For Kierkegaard, this is not a rejection of ethics but an invitation to explore the radical demands of authentic belief.

Strategies for Approaching Fear and Trembling

If Fear and Trembling feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there are ways to make the journey more approachable:

Use supplemental materials

Hubert Dreyfus’ lecture series on the text provides a clear, engaging introduction to Kierkegaard’s ideas.

Pairing this with works like Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, which asks with similar questions, can also deepen your understanding.

Build your background knowledge

Reading about Hegel and revisiting Biblical stories can illuminate Kierkegaard’s references. Discussing the text with others and returning to it multiple times allows new layers to emerge.

Appreciate Kierkegaard’s style

While his verbosity can seem off-putting, it’s often intentional. He doesn’t hand answers to readers but instead guides them toward personal understanding, making the journey as important as the destination.

Broadening the Discussion

Kierkegaard’s relevance extends beyond philosophy into literature, film, and modern thought.

Comparing him with thinkers like Nietzsche and Heidegger reveals both shared existential concerns and unique perspectives.

Kierkegaard also had a surprising sense of humor. In The Sickness Unto Death, for example, he warns against becoming a “frog in the swamp of life,” offering a vivid, almost playful critique of complacency.

This liveliness makes his works both challenging and deeply human.

Recommendations for Further Reading

For those new to Kierkegaard, Either/Or is often a great starting point. This work is more narrative-driven than some of his other writings, making it more accessible for readers unfamiliar with his dense philosophical style.

It introduces the concept of existential choice through the contrasting lives of the “aesthetic” and “ethical” individuals, giving readers a glimpse into Kierkegaard’s exploration of personal identity, moral responsibility, and the quest for meaning.

Published on the same day as Fear and Trembling, Repetition offers further insights into Kierkegaard’s thought, particularly in his exploration of faith, memory, and the cyclical nature of human experience.

This work deepens the understanding of how repetition shapes our emotional and spiritual lives, as well as how it connects to religious faith—one of Kierkegaard’s core themes.

Other key works like The Sickness Unto Death and Concluding Unscientific Postscript build upon his philosophical and theological foundations.

The Sickness Unto Death dives into the complexities of despair, human subjectivity, and the self, while Concluding Unscientific Postscript critiques the rationalism of modern philosophy, arguing that true understanding requires a personal leap of faith.

These works further illuminate Kierkegaard’s unique approach to existential questions, blending deep theological reflections with sharp philosophical critiques.

Together, they offer a richer, more complete picture of his radical ideas on faith, despair, and the nature of the self.