Are you an existentialist?

I've noticed some of the great literary (Christian) authors featured on SI fall into this category... this has been a very interesting topic for me for decades and I'd like to hear what the saints who gather here have to contribute on this.

Are you an existentialist?
If so why?
If not why?

n.
A philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's acts.

Definition of existentialism
: a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/existentialism

Based on those definitions I do not see how existentialism is compatible with Christianity. But I believe Kierkegaard who was one of the originators of this was a Christian.

Perhaps it is possible I don't fully understand what the definitions imply.

Fletcher- what personalities on SI are existentialists, or lean that way?

"Are you an existentialist?..."

No, I am not an existentialist.

"... If not why?"

Because I am a Christian.

I'm not sure why there is an equation of incompatiblility regarding an existential position and Christianity...

The basic (layman) definition; existence precedes essence -
There seems also to be a heavy emphasis on mans moral responsibility for his actions from an entirely subjective standpoint and that a man is ultimately defined not by what he says but what he does.
So again I'm not sure how that can be "anti-christian" as there are numerous scriptures that say just that. Having said that it stands to reason that some people would be and others not, hence the inquiry....

Brother Todd-
Yes Kierkegaard and others including Dostoyevsky (who suffered greatly because of his faith)

I'm not sure why there is an equation of incompatiblility regarding an existential position and Christianity.

Because existentialism separates reason and rational thought from faith, it brings in the principle of "a leap of faith" as Francis Schaeffer called it. Kierkegaard was at the start of the "leap" although he probably would not approve of the philosophical lines of thought that ran with this principle after him.

Secular existentialism is indeed very sad, if we understood how hopeless it leaves man we would weep over it. Religious existentialism is no better, it is just the religious form of the prevailing thought in the world today. Faith becomes a leap without any rational verification. This leaves man as just a machine and in despair.

In Christ,

Brother Frank,
You touched on one of the points that brought this up for me, tho my understanding is a lil different in that a person who holds to total depravity like Spurgeon would surely say a person is morally responsible for their actions in spite of their inherent disposition, no?
Likewise a person who rejects total depravity completely like Finney also agrees that a person is morally responsible and places emphasis on this in his systematic theology.
There seems to be an intersection where they actually agree on a rather interesting point...

Brother Ron,
Yeah I totally get the "sadness" of secular existentialism, however the I confess the Christian application intrigues me...
Take for instance the existence precedes essence aspect.... did Adam exist in essence prior to his physical creation?
We know that Jesus existed prior to His incarnation but is that true for us also like David suggests in the psalms?

Also has anyone read any of the Christian existentialist books here on SI?
The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky ?

Fletcher-

I read The Brothers Karamozov years ago. I remember thinking it was very good (as I do most classics- they are classics for a reason!) but at the time I just read it because it was on an old "recommended reading list for college bound students" I had.

I'll have to read it again.

Brother Todd,

It's a very interesting work as it presents a narrative where one will invariably identify with one of the four archetypical personae as the story follows out the course of events leading to different tho inevitable conclusions of each character.
Not sure if it's his best work but it is without question a masterful piece of literature.

The more I read about Dostoyevsky's life, the more it became clear that it was faith in God that sustained him and his works are seasoned with this faith.

It reminded me of Watchman Nee a bit tho they have completely different characters and styles of writing there is much to be gleaned from these brothers. Like Nee, there are things the Christian existentialists write that I can relate/agree with and some that perhaps is beyond me, like with Kierkegaard's Works of love...that is such a thick and meaty writing that I simply lack the ability to digest it all at once much like the scriptures are.

One of the most beautiful and useful things I've gotten from narrative literature is that the Bible itself is written as a narrative... and tho we often dissect it for the purpose of refinement (doctrines & theology), when read as a literary narrative so much more of the person of Jesus is revealed and it (the scriptures) reveal yet another even richer revelation of our Lord and savior, the man Jesus Christ.
I'm greatful for this and long for dialogue in this vein tho in a modern age of "being right" and "interpretation" this is a lost art of simply knowing Him.

Fletcher-

Our church just did a 9 month series using "The Story" which is the Bible written in narrative form.

The emphasis was on recognizing what was going on in the "upper story" (God's perspective) in relation to the "lower story" (what we experience).

It was quite good- you might want to check it out. I know you can get it as a phone app.

Take for instance the existence precedes essence aspect.... did Adam exist in essence prior to his physical creation?
We know that Jesus existed prior to His incarnation but is that true for us also like David suggests in the psalms?

I assume that you're thinking of Psalm 139:15-16. Jeremiah 1:4-5 might also be one to consider in the possibility of man's existence prior to being physically born. But neither of these passages are definitive statements of such and they actually point much more to God's omniscience. Nothing in the Bible explicitly states this notion of existence preceding essence in mankind.

Also, this is really an issue of doctrine and not a matter of existential philosophy in the sense of "leap of faith."
Religious existentialism has removed the intellect from faith and made it a matter of passion, only relationship and action matter, even if those passions are misplaced. So you have men like Rob Bell who insist that Christians should live a life of faith regardless of its historical accuracy, this is a terrible leap, it leads to Christianity being thought of as the best way but not the only way. It brings man to hopelessness in the matter of knowing God.

Here is something from Francis Schaeffer on the matter of existential thought and its beginnings with Kierkegaard;

"This[modern existential thought] turns upon his writing of Abraham and the "sacrifice" of Isaac. Kierkegaard said this was an act of faith with nothing rational to base it upon or to which to relate it. Out of this came the modern concept of a "leap of faith" and total separation of the rational and faith.

In this thinking concerning Abraham, Kierkegaard had not read the Bible carefully enough. Before Abraham was asked to move toward the sacrifice of Isaac(which of course God did not allow to be consummated), he had much propositional revelation from God, he had seen God, God had fulfilled promises to him. In short, God's words at this time were in the context of Abraham's strong reason for knowing that God both existed and was totally trustworthy. This does not minimize Abraham's faith shown in the march to Mt. Moriah and all the rest, but it certainly was not a "leap of faith" separated from rationality."

In Christ,

Brother Ron wrote "I assume that you're thinking of Psalm 139:15-16. Jeremiah 1:4-5 might also be one to consider in the possibility of man's existence prior to being physically born. But neither of these passages are definitive statements of such and they actually point much more to God's omniscience. Nothing in the Bible explicitly states this notion of existence preceding essence in mankind."

Yes you're correct in assuming those passages being a point of reference and like you I see that they appear hyperbolic in relating to us but bespeak of Gods knowing the end from the beginning.
Tho on the second point you make I think we have a different understanding of the terms used...
if we as essence (soul/spirit) exist prior to our physical existence then the existential postulate is incorrect,... tho if we take the creation of Adam literally, that his physical person was created prior to his having an essence (soul/spirit) then the basic tenet of existentialism is technically correct...