''Works of Love'' ( da, Kjerlighedens Gjerninger) is a work by

Søren Kierkegaard Søren Aabye Kierkegaard ( , , ; 5 May 1813 – 11 November 1855) was a Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher. He wrote critical texts on ...

written in 1847. It is one of the works which he published under his own name, as opposed to his more famous "pseudonymous" works. ''Works of Love'' deals primarily with the

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

conception of '

love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

in contrast with erotic love (') or preferential love (') given to friends and family. Kierkegaard uses this value/virtue to understand the existence and relationship of the individual Christian. Having helped found

Existentialism Existentialism ( ) is a form of philosophical inquiry that explores the problem of human existence and centers on human thinking, feeling, and acting. Existentialist thinkers frequently explore issues related to the meaning, purpose, and valu ...

, he uses it and a high-level of theology citing the scriptures of the Christian

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

. Many of the chapters take a mention of love from the

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...

and center reflections about the transfer of individuals from secular modes (the stages of the aesthetic and ethical) to genuine religious experience and existence. Since human experience is a key to understanding Kierkegaard, the actual relationships and experiences of disciples and of

Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...

are characterized here as tangible models for behavior. Kierkegaard as a Christian ethicist (represented by this work) is likely to be considered distinct from many ways in which the religion's mainstream seems to function from the viewpoint of an outside observer. This is not only a function of

Christian existentialism Christian existentialism is a theo-philosophical movement which takes an existentialist approach to Christian theology. The school of thought is often traced back to the work of the Danish philosopher and theologian Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) ...

but also of his time period and political events occurring in his native Denmark.

Themes

*Part One — Topics include: ''Love's Hidden Life and Its Recognisability by its Fruits'', ''You Shall Love'', ''You Shall Love Your Neighbor'', ''Love is the Fulfilling of the Law'', ''Love is a Matter of Conscience'', ''Our Duty to Love Those We See'', and ''Our Duty to be in the Debt of Love to Each Other'' *Part Two — Topics include: ''Love Builds up'', ''Love Believes all Things and Yet is Never Deceived'', ''Love Hopes all Things and Yet is Never Put to Shame'', ''Love Seeks Not its Own'', ''Love Hides The Multiplicity of Sins'', ''Love Abides'', ''Mercifulness, a Work of Love, Even if it Can Give Nothing and Is Capable of Doing Nothing'', ''The Victory of Reconciliation in Love Which Wins the Vanquished'', ''The work of Love in Remembering One Dead'', and ''The Work of Love in Praising Love''

Style

The ''Works'' as Kierkegaard himself states are Christian reflections and not discourses. It is written in a rhetorical style where he often repeats his words and gives numerous examples.

External links

*
''Works of Love,''
Swenson translation, 1972 edition
''Works of Love,''
Howard Hong's 1962 translation Google Books
''Works of Love,''
George Pattison's 2009 translation
''Works of Love,''
Princeton University Press, 2013 Hong translation' * M. Jamie Ferreira
''Love's Grateful Striving : A Commentary on Kierkegaard's Works of Love''
2001

{{Authority control 1847 books Books about the philosophy of love Books by Søren Kierkegaard