Idea of Salvation in Kierkegaard’s Pseudonymous Works. Essay First

D.A. LUNGINA

Abstract

The author analyzes the problem of salvation in Kierkegaard’s writings which were published
under the pseudonym Johannes Climacus. These are “Philosophical Fragments” (1844) and
“Concluding Unscientifi c Postscript to Philosophical Fragments” (1846). The author also draws
attention to the earlier 1841–43 “left-hand” writings. A need to draw back from the traditional
dogmatic vision of salvation and the necessity to see eternal happiness as a polemic challenge of
the post-Hegelian epoch resulted in Kierkegaard’s own concept. This concept is analyzed as a
reaction to the crisis of the speculative systems in politics, theology and moral philosophy.