SOURCE: "Reading Kierkegaard: Two Pitfalls and a Strategy for Avoiding Them," in Faith and Philosophy, Vol. 7, No. 3, July, 1990, pp. 304-15.

In the following essay, Goold argues that many critics of Kierkegaard's writing read him in a manner that is either overly literal or overly ironic. Goold notes the error of such readings and suggests a more suitable method of approaching Kierkegaard's authorship—that is, searching out general themes and conclusions in the philosopher's works in an effort to gain "views both true and profound."

Kierkegaard has much to teach us. On the nature of religious faith, for example, there is no author since Paul who is more profound or more enlightening. Deciphering his message, however, is very difficult. For various reasons he writes so as to discourage the lazy reader and to perplex those with an unreflective cast of mind. Pseudonymity is only the most obvious way among...