Shows / Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
"The Father of Existentialism" Danish writer, poet, philosopher, and Christian thinker Soren Kierkegaard, has much to teach us about our lives. Join me weekly as we take on his writings and think about how his brilliant and profound insights illuminate our way in a complicated and confusing world. I contribute a considerable amount of my own processing of Soren’s ideas and add my own personal experiences. As Soren would wish his readers to do. This is spiritual insight and truth for the real…
Episodes
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Love of Power vs. the Power of Love
The love of power is idolatrous and destructive. The power of love (Love Will Hide a Multitude of Sins) is transformative and healing.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Love Will Hide A Multitude of Sins
Love doesn’t deny sin but it does cover sin. That is, we express to others what God has given us. The grace to forbear and forgive. Soren develops this idea…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Love Born of Repentance
Trials ultimately can make us realize that we are not the captain of our souls. God is. Trials can humble us and make us willing to receive the Word implanted…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger
In the middle of our trials, at some point we need to be quiet, close our mouths, and listen to God. For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Every Good and Every Perfect Gift
Soren expounds on the idea that God’s wisdom to us is His greatest gift. Wisdom for the streets and the public square. I got cut off at the end so this will be…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
At Last
This first Upbuilding Discourse is about the “Expectancy of Faith.” We have faith in God that we will be welcomed by Him in Eternity after our life in this…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Cold Thoughts Into Flame
Soren wants us to read his words aloud so as to bring his “cold thoughts into a flame.” In this episode, we delve into historical introduction to our new book…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Excursions With Kierkegaard: Part II
In this episode, I read the first two paragraphs of the Chapter 4: A Faith That Defies Self-Deception. And I riff quite a bit on the road-trip and how it…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Excursions With Kierkegaard
I had the time and inclination to do an episode on the road based on the book “Excursions with Kierkegaard: Others, Goods, Death, and Final Faith” written by…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
As The Day Wanes
We need to make time to stop and create silence. For Confession, and, for God to speak in the silence. It is the 11th hour. Do not delay and presume upon…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Eternal Shall Always Have Time
In the temporal order of earthly existence, we can avoid, evade, and procrastinate, in our confession of guilt. But, God in eternity has time. We are asked the…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Sorrow Is Better Than Laughter
Adversity causes us to consider. To reflect. To set our sights on the one thing. The Good (God).
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
He Already Knows You
God knows the means we use to accomplish the ends. If we have an attitude of treating others as we wish to to be treated, those means typically result in the…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Cold of Snow in the Time of Harvest
I get into the story of Eileen who has transfigured her wound into a badge of honor. Where she was hurt, she heals. She brings the “Cold of snow in the time of…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Begin With God
As individuals, Soren implores us to begin with God. In all of our days and in all of our ways. Then we can engage the world as He would have us to do. Whether…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
A Clearer Light
If we listen to our conscience, versus joining the crowd, we will see with a clearer light. I talk about my good friend Sean in this episode who sees with that…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Strong Arm of Conscience
God and eternity uses the strong arm of conscience to get us off the path of destruction of the crowd. I get into my testimony, at the request of a listener of…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
You Do Not Have To Have An Opinion
Soren talks about how our conscience can be drowned out by the crowd that thinks it knows all. He writes, “You are not obliged to have an opinion about what…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Stage of Eternity
All the world’s a stage and God is the audience.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Eternity’s Free Citizen
When we have the Purity of Heart to Will one thing, we willingly embrace suffering. If we do, we have both depth and transparency like the ocean, unperturbed…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Eternal’s Comfort is Pure Gold
Attention, sacred attention, is godly. For God is attentive to us. Paying attention is a form of voluntary suffering. So little means much. Take comfort in…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Tranquility of Soul
Jesus gives us the tranquility of soul to bear the burdens of life. For, he too has suffered.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Sheer Love and Sheer Sorrow
Christ came to earth as a servant. Truly God and truly Man. He assumed his station as one who was to suffer from the Manger to the Cross. Let us not turn aside…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
LEAP: The Life of Soren Kierkegaard
This is a one man production and acting of the life of Soren by Jeremiah Miller that is tonight (Friday), tomorrow, and Sunday. I wanted to post it now rather…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Kierkegaard Explains Christmas
The end of this Chapter about the conflict between the temporal and eternal aligned very nicely with a parable that Soren told about the Incarnation where the…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Battle With The Air
Using evasion as a means of avoidance is a strategy that will ultimately fail, if not in this life, most certainly in eternity. We are to face our fears and…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Suffering for the Good
Soren develops the idea that being willing to suffer for the good is a true test if we really want the good. When to stick with something vs. bailing out…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Take Time To Rest
To be at our best, we must take time to rest. Soren says we need to stop long enough to let the fever of busyness break. I also share some tips on how to get…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Consecration of Excuses
Soren writes that we use busyness as an excuse to not willing the one thing, the Good. Through a winnowing down of activity, through contemplation, we provide…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Busyness Plague
Soren continues with his train of thought that busyness is akin to a plague of locusts. We get stressed out and overwhelmed. Then, neglect helping others. Be…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall. Who Is The Busiest of Them All?
Soren describes how we use busyness as a distraction from really examining ourselves or focusing inordinately on the superficial. Our willing the one thing…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Think of Yourself Less
Using the C.S. Lewis quote as an epilogue to this chapter, the way to remove the ego is to not think less of ourselves but to think of ourselves less.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Regine’s Blessing to Soren
In mid-March 1855, Regine (Soren’s ex-fiancée) approaches Soren and says, “God bless you and may all go well with you.” They are never to see another again…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Amounting to Something in the World
It is possible to renounce the reward and not fear punishment yet still wanting the Good to succeed through us for the ego.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Fall Break
Taking a Fall Break. Let listeners catch up! See you next week!
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Fear Is A Tottering Proof
Fear ultimately is a poor motivator. Only love makes us want and wish for the good.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
That Punishment Might Heal
If we do wrong, we should want to be punished versus entering into the abyss of avoidance and addiction, which just leads to more pain. Punishment is meant as…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Autumn: The Art of Letting Go
Soren goes deeper into the Reward Disease. When we do and act and don’t get the reward we anticipate, the soil of revenge and retribution can take hold. Autumn…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Reward Disease
Soren really starts to zero in on why we do what we do. Is it for the worldly reward, the pride, the power, and the possessions? Or is it to Will the One…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Being Thousand Minded
Although Soren himself sought to have “Purity of Heart Is To Will One Thing” it was a struggle. We can be thankful that he wrote through this struggle to find…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Purity of Heart and the Purpose and Power of Prayer
We continue walking through Chapter 3 in Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing. Barriers to Willing One Thing: Variety of Great Moments Are Not One Thing…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Truth Triumphs Over Time
We begin Chapter 3 in “Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing.” Soren brings the Truth and it didn’t always make him popular. He predicted, though, that the…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Perils of Self-Deception
God uses punishment to slow our steps down so we stop and become silent. And when silent, we hear his voice and end up arriving at hope if we heed.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Contrition May Not Be Confession
Having contrition for our sin and the consequences may not truly be Confession. We must be forgiven through the merits of Christ. Soren writes first to himself…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Revenge As Rocket Fuel
Using Soren as a guide, this podcast explores the rise and fall of Nazism and Hitler. And how confession keeps the rocket from exploding.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Quotable Kierkegaard: Part II
Soren is eminently quotable. I take on the remaining quotes from the Philosophy Call tweet. Link in last week’s podcast.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Quotable Kierkegaard. Part I
Today’s episode takes on some Kierkegaard quotes. Soren is very quotable and it is how most people know of him. These quotes came from Twitter-Philosophy Call…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Eternity in the Heart
If we recognized that we are eternal, we’d treat our lives and others’ lives with the seriousness they’d deserve. Soren is emphatic that this eternality is…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Going To One Episode A Week
I have made a decision, for now, to do one episode a week. On my end, the purpose is to give me more time to produce a quality episode. On the listener side…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
The Wisdom of Old Age
Old age should result in some wisdom which then can be shared with the younger. That is the theme of this episode.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Nothing Unites Like A Common Enemy
Soren’s insistence that our most ardent enemy is our own sin; it keeps us from having the purity of heart to will one thing.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Go To The Source
If you want to know anything about what Soren (or anyone) wrote about and believed, read him! Not others’ interpretations. There is a secondary place for…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Do Not Seek Invulnerability
I talk about the life of Rich Mullins, a Christian musician, who had many struggles. Primary of which was his difficult relationship with his dad, which had a…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
That Solitary Individual
In Danish, the term for “Solitary Individual” is Hiin Enkelte. We continue working through the Preface of Soren’s book “Purity of Heart Is To Will One Thing.”
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
There Is An “I” In Team
We have all heard the cliche that there is no “I” in team. I however have also heard a quote that there is an “I” in win. Maybe Michael Jordan said that? There…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Meaning & Morality
How does the eternal nature of humanity create morality and meaning? Soren helps us understand this. The last two episodes became conjoined and I had to…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Purity of Heart
We get into Soren’s most approachable book.
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Memorial Day 2022
I finish the book “The Lily of the Field and the Bird of the Air” and tie it to Memorial Day and a reflection of how eternity must make us mindful. Correction…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Madison Myers: Soren K. For The Next Generation
I chat with Madison Myers, an up and coming visual artist who recently graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.She exemplifies the individual…
- Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard
Lily & Bird: Casting Cares Upon the Lord
Cast our cares upon the Lord, for he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7. And hold onto Joy. Casting & Holding. A double-move.