Chapter 17, The Attack Upon Christendom Summary and Analysis

Kierkegaard's life and the effects of his life do not really fit together; this is also true of the piece published in the final period of his writing, which is a hostile and ferocious assault on Denmark's state church. Bishop Mynster, Denmark's head bishop, dies in early 1854 and later he is eulogized as a true defender of the truth and as following in line with the apostles. However, Kierkegaard finds the sermon outrageous. It is not clear why Kierkegaard is upset, however, because the Bishop is actually fairly reasonable and effective, and possesses some intellect and spiritual sophistication. Kierkegaard even likes many of his sermons and the Bishop influences his father.

Kierkegaard does not hate Mynster, but thinks he was not a witness of the Truth. In The Attack upon "Christendom," Kierkegaard is...