Kierkegaard insists that religious faith requires ‘a paradoxical and humble courage’, a virtue quite different from the dubious sacrificial heroism he aspired to in relation to Regine. A connoisseur of anxiety, he knows that fear is the great enemy in the spiritual life – and that courage is required to overcome it. ‘Do not be afraid,’ Jesus constantly told his disciples: he saw how fear contracted their hearts, preventing them from loving or receiving love; how it made them flee from the loss that follows human love like a shadow. Courage is traditionally understood as strength of heart – like the bravery of a soldier who faces the danger of battle – but on the battlefield of existence hearts must be open as well as strong if they are to become fully human, and this is why Mary and Abraham are among the greatest spiritual exemplars.

Philosopher of the Heart is the gateway book to Søren Kierkegaard. Clare Carlisle structures the book where each chapter is a different stage in Kierkegaard’s journey. The subject of courage continues to crosshatch my readings. A sign from the universe perhaps?

I’m open to it.

Carlisle, Clare. Philosopher of the Heart: The Restless Life of Søren Kierkegaard. United States, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020. pg49