SKC Project Seminar

Matt Aroney

(University of Aberdeen)

"The Fatherhood of God in Kierkegaard's Trinitarian Grammar"

The Trinity is often seen as a peripheral and unessential element of Kierkegaard's theological thinking. Some deny its existence in the majority of his writing, while others consider it present only in brief private journal entries. However, as suggested by others, there is evidence of a continual grammar of Trinitarian thinking across Kierkegaard's writing. The Fatherhood of God is a particularly underappreciated part of this grammar; many references to God's Fatherhood are attributed to a general doctrine of God. However, an examination of Kierkegaard's journal demonstrates the centrality of God's Fatherhood to becoming a Christian. Likewise, his biblical ruminations on the "Father of heavenly lights" from James 1:17 and the Father of "the birds and lilies" from Matthew 6 demonstrate his desire to lead others to experience life with a good and gracious Father in Heaven.