The Theme Of Sacrifice In The Fear And Trembling

  THE THEME OF SACRIFICE IN THE FEAR AND TREMBLING           NAME INSTRUCTOR COURSE DATE         I AFFIRM THAT I HAVE UPHELD THE HIGHEST PRINCIPLES OF HONESTY AND INTEGRITY IN MY ACADEMIC WORK AND HAVE NOT WITNESSED A VIOLATION OF THE HONOR CODE   Abstract Johannes de Silentio, whose real identity is Soeren Aabye Kierkegaard gives a critique of the biblical story of Abraham’s enthusiasm to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God in Genesis 22:1-18. According to him, it is not easily comprehensible that Abraham’s blind faith in God can be related to in the present age. In his writing, he opines that it cannot be in God’s nature to give Abraham a command to kill his son Isaac. He assuages the Christian tradition on the premise of faith by casting aspersions on the moral justification of Abraham’s actions. It is an ethical pandemonium for Abraham’s admirers inclined on justifying this act as a sign of faith which Johannes claims is an effort to sanitize murder as a holy act. The dilemma of faith creates further allusions of infinity that supersedes ethics and the argument continues to generate contrasting thoughts such as those borne by Martin Luther that grants that divinity trumps any claim on behalf of reason or morality. While Kant refutes that there is nothing higher than moral law. The author seeks to disturb the complacent postulation that their Christian faith can be tested.   Introduction Abraham is commanded by God to lead his son to Mt.Moriah and sacrifice him and he is willing to do exactly that until when he draws his knife ready to kill him when God intervenes by sending an angel who offers a ram for the sacrifice, sparing Isaac. The willingness of Abraham to offer his son as sacrifice to God without hesitation while knowing very well that this was his way to please his creator lays the basis of protracted arguments in consideration of his faith in God. He does not consider the possibility of the inevitable loss of his son because of what he believes in. Sacrifices are personifications of relinquishing that which is precious and calls for courage to countenance the aftermath. The strong conviction in God who authorizes him to sacrifice his son, an agonizing act demonstrates the difficult and strange nature of religious faith. Fear and trembling . The obedience exhibited by both Abraham and his son is unwavering. First, the father totally trusts in God’s authority and wills to do as commanded without question. Secondly, the son willingly lies down to be slaughtered by his father as a sacrifice to God, albeit impressions of fear. To further illustrate the significance of the ritual, Abraham has no reservations about mortality of his son because of his faith in God. According to Kierkegaard, it is important to maintain the sanctity of human life, the challenges posed by religious beliefs notwithstanding. Although perceived as idiosyncratic and an affront to the Christian faith, he uses this manuscript to pose a dilemma to his readers regarding human relations and spirituality. The sacrifice must come after several days of trekking before getting to Mt. Moriah, both father and son are painstakingly tolerant to the...