Three Outsiders: Pascal, Kierkegaard, Simone WeilThe three outsiders are Blaise Pascal, Soren Kierkegaard, and Simone Weil. They were outsiders because they distanced themselves from the institutional church and also the societies around them in their respective eras. They believed that the church failed to take seriously the profound and disturbing relationship with God which is in Jesus Christ. From their position "outside" they questioned the assumptions, practices, and understandings of their church and secular contemporaries. Each produced profoundly original but difficult writings (often in uncompleted fragments), which Professor Allen has organized and interpreted for anyone who asks the question, "How am I to be a Christian?" |
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able achievements Adam and Eve aesthetic afflicted basis beauty become believe boredom cause charity Christ Christian claims Christian love Christian truth Church commandment concerned condition conviction created death desires despair distinctions doubt earthly Either/Or enables endowments equality ethical person Eucharist evil existence experience external faith feel give God's happiness holiness human love human nature idea illumination implicit love incomprehensible indifference insignificance intellect Jesus Kier Kierkegaard live look love of neighbor love our neighbors means mind nature’s obey obligation to love one’s oneself order of charity original sin ourselves paradox Pascal passions perfectly pure philosophical possible present purity reality reason recognize reflect religion religious practices revealed Roman Catholic Church Scripture seed of love seek selfishness sense show that Christianity significance Simone Simone Weil Soren Kierkegaard spiritual suffering tells things three writers true truth of Christianity understand universe utterly Weil’s wretchedness