Hans L. Martensen on Self-Consciousness, Mysticism, and Freedom
C. Thompson
Kierkegaard Studies August 11, 2021 DOI: 10.1515/kierke-2021-0016 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Key points | The article argues that Hans L. Martensen's early writings on self-consciousness, mysticism, and freedom disclose a systematic understanding of the epistemological, mystical, and moral-ethical dimensions of human experience as shaped by Christian faith. It portrays Martensen as an agile thinker whose creative ideas arise from imaginative speculation and passionate religiosity, and it draws connections to Kierkegaard's writings. |
Abstract
Abstract This article examines three early writings of Hans L. Martensen, Søren Kierkegaard’s teacher and the target of his criticisms. The writings focus respectively on self-consciousness, mysticism, and freedom. They each make important claims about religion, and together they disclose the young Martensen’s systematic understanding of the epistemological, mystical, and moral-ethical dimensions of human experience as shaped by the representations of Christian faith and life. The analysis reveals an agile thinker, whose creative philosophical and theological ideas are the product of imaginative speculation growing out of passionate religiosity. Some connections will be drawn from these essays to the writings of Søren Kierkegaard.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |