Faith, Courage, and Ethics in Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling

Introduction

Abraham, the father of all nations, is the perfect model for faith in Fear and Trembling, which is a book written by Søren Kierkegaard (Kierkegaard, 1843). It contains Kierkegaard’s obsession with the story of Abraham and his son, Isaac, as recounted in Genesis 22. Abraham, a loyal follower of God, was given the daunting task of sacrificing his son, which was the most difficult task he could ever perform. This essay will discuss the paradox that includes unethical actions and how Abraham is challenged with a hard task, having to choose between sacrificing his son or ignoring God’s command, using his faith, courage, and ethics to complete the task.

Faith, Courage, and Ethics in Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling

In Fear and Trembling, Kierkegaard explores the parable of Abraham and Isaac and how he immerses himself in the narrative. The parable, “The Binding of Isaac”, sees God commanding Abraham to offer his child Isaac as a sacrifice to Him. After Isaac is bound to the altar, a moment of divine intervention occurs. God stops Abraham before he completes the process of the sacrifice, saying, "Now I know you fear God" (Genesis 22:12, New International Version). Abraham gazes upward, sees a ram, and sacrifices it instead of Isaac. This illustrates Abraham’s absolute faith and obedience to God. Kierkegaard is particularly mindful of how the world often diverts attention from the primary issue of faith. He understands that simply urging action directly would not achieve his intended impact. As it is written in the Bible, “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving” (Isaiah 6:9, New International Version). Therefore, Kierkegaard chooses to address people through parables, constructing a narrative that relates to the message directly rather than indirectly.

He retells the story of Abraham and Isaac to highlight three essential elements: uncertainty, risk, and challenge. Kierkegaard emphasizes these components in his novel to help the reader fully realize that uncertainty, risk, and challenge are necessary for absolute faith. The main component discussed is risk, specifically the risk of obedience. It is a concept used by Kierkegaard to give readers a deeper understanding of the paradox involved. Abraham had the choice of obeying or disobeying, representing the risk of obedience. Although he chose to obey, there could have been a moment where he used his ethical reasoning and refrained from completing the act.

Faith vs. Infinite Resignation

In Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling, he discusses the difference between faith and “infinite resignation”. People with “infinite resignation” might resign themselves before they act, meaning they, guided by the saying, “think before they act”. “In the crucial moment Agamemnon, Jephthah, and Brutus heroically have overcome the agony, heroically have lost the beloved, and have only to complete the task externally” (Kierkegaard, 1843, p. 45). The act of resignation is already complete before the sacrifice of the child. To have infinite resignation, one does not need to perform a specific deed but merely undergo the mental transformation of submitting one’s finite will to the infinite. If Agamemnon’s daughter had been struck down by the gods just before he sacrificed her, he would still be as much a hero, not because of the physical sacrifice but because of his resignation. Kierkegaard argues that if infinite resignation is done correctly, no future disappointment can interfere with its infinite nature. This implies that any bravery associated with infinite resignation does not stem from the act itself but from the prior resignation. The act is not essential to infinite resignation, nor can it destroy infinite resignation. It follows that a person with infinite resignation is not necessarily extraordinary because of their actions. In contrast, faith requires action.

“By virtue of the absurd” – on the journey to Mount Moriah, Abraham had to continually believe as he went through the physical actions of preparing the sacrifice, never doubting. If Abraham had infinite resignation and not faith, he would have merely strengthened his spirit against the loss of Isaac, and in the end, the act would have been purely external. On the third day of the journey to Mount Moriah, there was ample time to prepare himself mentally, thus creating a mental barrier against the pain of the loss.

Faith and Action

The central purpose of Fear and Trembling is to compel the reader to act. The aim is not to seek intellectual or emotional faith, but faith expressed through actions. “That only the one who was in anxiety finds rest, that only the one who descends into the lower world rescues the beloved, that only the one who draws the knife gets Isaac” (Kierkegaard, 1843, p. 55). If someone is unwilling to work, they do not see any results or improvement. One must work towards will and action of faith, with full respect to God. Regarding Abraham, he succeeded because he acted. “He split the firewood, he bound Isaac, he lit the fire, he drew the knife...” (Genesis 22:9-10, New International Version). This moment was critical, where he could have doubted unintentionally and lost everything. And if he had, the world would not be the same today. Someone with faith receives all for their action because their action was not just for them, but for God and their inner self. “Everyone was great wholly in proportion to the magnitude of that with which he struggled” (Kierkegaard, 1843, p. 62). This relates to “faith”, indicating that the movement of faith is bound to involve some struggles. Kierkegaard asserts that everyone has a choice in life because, in the end, it is their own life. God gave us free will when Adam and Eve sinned by eating fruit from the “forbidden tree”. Free will means freedom, consisting of using one's thoughts and beliefs to make choices. Freedom and free will are intertwined. We each have the right to speak or not to speak and the right to act or not to act.

Faith as a Mustard Seed

In the Bible, faith is a recurring topic. Anyone following God only needs faith the size of a “mustard seed” – which is achievable and can perform any miracles needed for their specific task. “For truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible to you” (Matthew 17:20, New International Version). Mustard seed growth exemplifies how faith works in our lives. It’s how God guides us to the end. Jesus sought to show people in his time, as well as today, that faith can be found in the simplest of things. Faith is not something unattainable for the ordinary person. We do not need to 'get right with God' for Him to love and bless us. Indeed, it is during trials and sufferings that we should turn our eyes to God. And if we truly trust Christ, then all we need is a little faith. “But it takes paradoxical and humble courage next to grasp… the virtue of the absurd…” (Kierkegaard, 1843, p. 70). Kierkegaard explains that having faith as a mustard seed is on another level, a level that some can’t understand. Some pastors or preachers believe that having a large crowd is how to share God’s Word and convert those not living for Jesus. But that is not what having faith the size of a mustard seed is about. It doesn’t necessarily mean that today every preacher will draw big crowds or every church will boast huge numbers. The Lord still prefers to work in small, hidden ways. Mustard seed growth is not just how the church grows; it’s also how the church can best make a difference in the world. The Bible says it is “not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6, New International Version).

Conclusion

In conclusion, Kierkegaard delves deeply into faith, courage, and ethics in the paradox between God, Abraham, and Isaac. God asks Abraham to go against the ethical because God wanted to test Abraham. Reflecting on Fear and Trembling and Kierkegaard’s viewpoints can transform one’s understanding of the story. God knew that Abraham would pass the “ethics” test. He succeeds with his absolute faith and trust in God, not only through his faith but also through his actions. This narrative demonstrates how faith, when paired with action, becomes a powerful testament to the relationship between humanity and the divine.