Kierkegaard and the Renaissance

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Abraham a Sancta Clara:

An Ahoristic Encycloediaof Christian wisdom

peter Šajda

The acqaintance of Søren Kierkegaard ith the Baroqe Catholic riter Abrahama Sancta Clara may seem surprising at rst glance. The German religious writer as for many decades ractically nknon in the protestant orld, bt his literarytalent, ecliar style, and niqe combination of hmor and satire ith Christianmoral pedagogy ensured him a lasting, albeit uctuating, popularity. Kierkegaardas a long-time reader of Abraham a Sancta Clara, gradally rchasing all of Abraham’s orks and qoting them both in his blished and nblished ritings.It is therefore releant to examine hat attracted Kierkegaard to the Baroqe athor and hy Kierkegaard’s recetion of Abraham a Sancta Clara differed from that of

many other thinkers of his time.

I. Brief Overview of Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Life and Literary Legacy

Johann ulrich Megerle, ho later became knon nder his religios name Abrahama Sancta Clara, as born robably on Jly 2, 1644 in Kreenheinstetten near Meßkirch in sothern Germany. After attending the local school and the Latin schoolin Meßkirch, he as sent to Ingolstadt, here he contined his edcation ith the

Jesits. Folloing the death of his father, his frther edcation as taken care of byhis ncle Abraham Megerle (1607–80), a canon in Altötting, ho sent Johann ulrichto stdy in Salbrg, this time ith the Benedictines. In 1662 Johann ulrich Megerle joined the order of Discalced Agstinians1 and started his noitiate in the recentlyfonded riory of Mariabrnn, near vienna. Ot of gratitde to his ncle he adotedthe religios name Abraham a Sancta Clara. De to the increasing danger of Trkishinasion, Abraham a Sancta Clara as forced to interrt his stdies in vienna andevacuate rst to Prague and later to Ferrara, from where he returned to Austria in1665. After his ordination, he was assigned rst to Vienna and then to the Swabian

1 This reformed branch of the Agstinian order, hich came into being in 1592 in Italy,had in Central Eroe a relatiely short history at the time of Abraham a Sancta Clara’s joining theorder. Shortly after the fondation of the riory in prage (1626), the order formed a commnityin vienna in 1631. In 1636 Emeror Ferdinand II athoried the Discalced Agstinians toestablish a riory in Mariabrnn, here Abraham a Sancta Clara entered the noitiate.



Peter Šajda2

ilgrimage site of Taxa, administered by the Discalced Agstinians, from herehe as smmoned back to vienna in 1672. On Noember 15, 1673 the Agstinian reached in Klosternebrg on the occasion of the ilgrimage of the imerial cortto the tomb of St. Leoold, and his sermon as blished nder the title Astriacus

Austriacus. In 1677 Abraham a Sancta Clara receied the honorary title of imperial preacher , hich he inclded on the title age of most of his orks, ths roidingthem ith a secial athority.2

As a reaction to the lage eidemics that erted in vienna in 1679, Abrahama Sancta Clara comosed his most famos ork, Mercks Wienn, that aeared in1680 and immediately became a bestseller. This book, hich contained oerflillstratie langage3 and combined the genres of a lage treatise and fraternity book ith the Totentanz tradition and bilding literatre,4 ensred the SabianAgstinian a lasting recognition and olarity. As Mercks Wienn comrised

relatively few specically Catholic elements and its style was sensitive to non-Catholic readers,5 it as able to transcend the bondaries of a confessional readershiand reach a ide international adience.

The Trkish inasion, hich at last led to the siege of vienna in Jly 1683, asthe imets that romted Abraham a Sancta Clara to rite his call for resistanceagainst the Ottoman “arch-enemy” entitled Auff auff ihr Christen (1683). Thisork broght the German theologian into a close co-oeration ith the Salbrg- based rinting hose of Melchior Haan hich as to lay a decisie art in thedissemination of his literary orks.6

In the years folloing the liberation of vienna, Abraham a Sancta Clara residedat the riory of Gra, here he as elected rior in 1686. In the same year aearedthe rst volume of his large-scale work Judas der Ertz-Schelm, hich had a crcialimact on the later recetion of his oeuvre and as considered by seeral generationsof scholars to be his main ork. In 1689 Abraham a Sancta Clara as elected prior

provincial , and it as dring his tenre that the Latin ork Grammatica Religiosa (1691) as blished in Salbrg; a book that attracted secial interest on the art of Kierkegaard. In the ensing years the Agstinian held seeral leading ositions inhis order and continued to be a prolic author. He published works in a wide varietyof genres, many of hich sa a nmber of rerinted editions, inclding a German

edition of Grammatica Religiosa, blished in 1699 in Cologne. In 1707 aearedthe moral edagogical ork Huy! und Pfuy! Der Welt , hich coled the texts of Abraham a Sancta Clara ith the exqisite engraings of Jan Lyken (1649–1712)

2 The title imperial preacher did not inole any secial osition at the viennese cort.It as an honorary title that roided Abraham a Sancta Clara ith no olitical or astoral riileges. Cf. Fran M. Eybl, Abraham a Sancta Clara. Vom Prediger zum Schriftsteller ,Tübingen: Max Niemeyer verlag 1992, . 49–59.3 Cf. Martin Heidegger, Über Abraham a Santa Clara, Meßkirch: Stadt Meßkirch 1964, . 7–8.4 Cf. Eybl, Abraham a Sancta Clara. Vom Prediger zum Schriftsteller , . 238.5 Ibid., . 277.6 Cf. Manfred Arndorfer, “Abraham a Sancta Clara nd die Erstdrcker seiner werke bis 1709,” in Abraham a Sancta Clara, Karlsrhe: Badische Landesbibliothek 1982, . 69.



Abraham a Sancta Clara: An Aphoristic Encyclopedia of Christian Wisdom 3

and Caspar Luyken (1672–1708). This “most mature and nest” work of Abrahama Sancta Clara as blished to years before the athor’s death.7 The Agstiniantheologian died on December 1, 1709.

After his death Abraham a Sancta Clara remained a olar athor, hich

romted the blication of his Nachlass and the rodction of arios comilationsand aocryha. The fact that Abraham’s books sold ell, led seeral blishers tothe idea of combining arts of his already blished orks ith the texts of other athors, ascribing the literary hybrid to the Agstinian reacher. Also the blisher of Abraham’s Nachlass, his confrere Alexander a Latere Christi (d. 1719), edited themanuscripts in such a way that the nal product was in fact a work of two authors.

The osthmos recetion of the ritings of the Baroqe Catholic athor exerienced seeral aes, hereby esecially after 1750 the nmber of rerintededitions declined sbstantially and mostly minor ieces ere blished.8 The

nineteenth centry broght abot a reial of interest in Abraham a Sancta Clara, artof hich as the mlti-olme edition of the athor’s Complete Works, blished beteen 1835 and 1847, rimarily in passa and Linda.9 Althogh this edition didnot differentiate beteen Abraham’s on oeuvre and later additions, it layed animortant role in the olariation of his ritings across German-seaking Eroe.It as this edition that coneyed the thoght of the Sabian theologian to Kierkegaard,ho read it thoroghly, highlighting 63 assages in 8 different olmes.

II. The Reception of Abraham a Sancta Clara in the German Enlightenment,

Classicism, and Romanticism

The sorces that might hae layed a role in acqainting Kierkegaard ith Abrahama Sancta Clara, did not interret the Agstinian athor in a niform ay. Sometreated him as a historical criosity ith little ideological or literary releance, hileothers sa in him a alable bilding athor or a genine literary talent. For mostof these sorces, hoeer, it as Abraham’s ecliar langage and original style thateoked interest and not so mch the sirital message behind them. The sorces thatere at Kierkegaard’s disosal ere almost exclsiely of German roenance and

ranged from the eriod of the Enlightenment to Classicism and Romanticism.A short prole of Abraham a Sancta Clara appears in Christian Gottlieb Jöcher’s(1694–1758) Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexicon, hose for olmes ere blished

7 Friedemann Marer, Abraham a Sancta Claras “Huy! Und Pfuy! Der Welt , Heidelberg:Qelle & Meyer 1968, . 30. See this ork also for the analysis of the edagogic asects of Abraham’s astoral actiity.8 Cf. Jean Schillinger, Abraham a Sancta Clara. Pastorale et discours politique dans

l’Autriche du XVII siècle, Bern: peter Lang 1993, . 294.9 Abraham a St. Clara’s Sämmtliche Werke, ols. 1–21, ols. 1–2, passa: winkler andvienna: Gerold 1835; ols. 3–6, passa: winkler, vienna: Gerold et al. and Bresla: Max1835; ols. 7–12, passa: winkler 1836–37; ols. 13–14, passa: pstet 1840–41; ols. 15– 21, Linda: Stettner and Agsbrg: Rieger 1841–47 ( ASKB 294–311). Kierkegaard oned thecomlete edition.



Peter Šajda4

in 1750–51.10 This alhabetically ordered encycloedia of scholars of all timescontains brief biograhical information on the Agstinian theologian, as ell asan oerie of his orks. It resents Abraham as an excetionally gifted riest andrenoned reacher, and hen listing his most excellent orks, it laces Grammatica

Religiosa at the to of the list.11

Kierkegaard oned Jöcher’s ork and sed it toobtain data abot athors he as not familiar ith, for hich he gies eidence inthe preface to Either/Or , here he mentions Jöcher along ith Diogenes Laertisand Lois Moréri (1643–80).12

Lois Moréri’s Le Grand Dictionnaire historique , hich as art of Kierkegaard’s personal library, treats Abraham a Sancta Clara only briey: presenting him as a riest ith “rare talents,” bt making no concrete reference to his orks.13

The monmental Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste blished by Johann Samel Ersch (1766–1828) and Johann Gottfried Grber

(1774–1851) describes Abraham a Sancta Clara as a man of to extremes. It seaksof a “brlesqe originality of his sermons,” raising his “dee knoledge of thehman” and his “loe of trth,” bt criticiing him for taking recorse to “the mostnorthy jests” and sinking to “the loest latitde.”14 Ideologically, Abraham isseen as incaable of transcending the limitations of his age and—althogh eqallydistant from mysticism and scholasticism—he remains an intolerant and serstitiosfolk reacher, loyal to the Catholic dogmatism of his time.

A rather nfaorable ictre of Abraham a Sancta Clara is fond in the secondessay of Anti-Goeze by Gotthold Ehraim Lessing (1729–81). In his theological olemics against the Hambrg astor Johann Melchior Goee (1717–86), Lessingmakes se of an oosition of Abraham a Sancta Clara, on the one hand, andShakeseare and Molière, on the other. The Agstinian is resented as a reacher of inferior qality, ho old make a oor comedy riter, hereas the English andFrench dramatists are seen as otentially excellent reachers.15 Kierkegaard as

10 Christian Gottlieb Jöcher, Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexicon, Leiig: Johann FriedrichGleditschens Bchhandlng 1750–51 ( ASKB 948–951). In the Auction Catalogue C.G.Jöcher’s lexicon is listed together ith its contination, rodced by Johann ChristohAdelng (cf. ASKB 948–953).11 Jöcher, Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexicon, . 31.12 SKS 2, 19 / EO1, 11.13 Le Grand Dictionnaire historique ou le Mélange curieux de l’histoire sacrée et

profane, Qui Contient en Abregé l’Histoire Fabuleuse des Dieux & des Héros de l’Antiquité Payenne, ed. by pierre Roqes, ols. 1–6, Basel: Jean Brandmller 1731–32, ol. 1, . 39( ASKB 1965–1969).14 Johann Samel Ersch and Johann Gottfried Grber, Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste, section 1, ols. 1–29; section 2, ols. 1–14; section 3, ols. 1–9,Leiig: Gleditsch 1818–31 and Leiig: F.A. Brockhas 1831–37 [section 1, ols. 1–99;

section 2, ols. 1–43; section 3, ols. 1–25, Leiig: Gleditsch 1818–31 and Leiig: F.A.Brockhas 1831–89], section 1, ol. 1, . 160 ( ASKB 1311–1363).15 Gotthold Ehraim Lessing, Sämmtliche Schriften, Berlin: vossische Bchhandlng1825–28, ol. 6, . 124–5 ( ASKB 1747–1762): “Wer Logik in einer Komödie zeigt, demwürde sie gewiß auch zu einer Predigt nicht entstehen: so wie der, dem sie in einer Predigt mangelt, nimmermehr mit ihrer Hülfe auch eine nur erträgliche Komödie zu Stande bringen




familiar ith Lessing’s controersy ith Goee and oned Lessing’s SämmtlicheSchriften.16 In the Concluding Unscientic Postscript he inclded seeral ironiccomments on Goee hen elaborating at length on the ies of Lessing.17

Abraham a Sancta Clara aears also in Geschichte der komischen Litteratur ,

ritten by the Silesian literary historian Karl Friedrich Flögel (1729–88).18

Inhis discssion on the natre of the comical Flögel arges that a great art of it isdetermined by the age to hich it belongs and that most riters “carry the sign of their time on their forehead.”19 As an examle of the olatile natre of the genius

saeculi he mentions Abraham a Sancta Clara, hose ritings sed to enjoy highesteem, bt already some decades after his death ere sbject to censorshi.20 Kierkegaard oned Flögel’s treatise on the history of comic literatre and sed itreeatedly as a sorce of insiration. He referred to it at the beginning of Either/ Or , in the Diapsalmata,21 or aailed himself of it hen comosing the Concluding

Unscientic Postscript .22

Flögel inclded a short chater on Abraham a Sancta Clara also in his Geschichtedes Burlesken,23 here he maintains that Abraham’s sermons ere “diligentlyattended by many not for the sake of edication, but for the sake of laughter.” 24 As an illstration of Abraham’s “brlesqe riting style”25 Flögel cites his oem

würde, und wenn er der unerschöpichste Spaßvogel unter der Sonne wäre. Glauben Sie, daß

Pater Abraham gute Komödien gemacht hätte? Gewiß nicht, denn seine Predigten sind allzuelend. Aber wer zweifelt wohl, daß Moliere und Shakespeare vortrefiche Predigten gemacht

und gehalten hätten, wenn sie, anstatt des Theaters, die Kanzel hätten besteigen wollen?”16 Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s sämmtliche Schriften, ols. 1–32, ols. 1–28, Berlin:vossische Bchhandlng 1825–27; ols. 29–32 Berlin and Stettin: Nicolaische Bchhandlng1828 ( ASKB 1747–1762).17 SKS 7, 90 / CUP1, 91. SKS 7, 104 / CUP1, 107.18 Karl Friedrich Flögel, Geschichte der komischen Litteratur , ols. 1–4, Liegnit andLeiig: Daid Siegert 1784–87 ( ASKB 1396–1399).19 Ibid., ol. 1, . 171.20 Ibid.: “Man hat schon längst bemerkt, daß die meisten Schriftsteller das Gepräge ihres

Zeitalters auf ihrer Stirn tragen; wodurch sie entweder geehrt oder gebrandmarkt werden;

ob es gleich zu allen Zeiten Ausnahmen im guten und bösen Verstande gegeben hat. Da ein grosser Theil des Komischen nicht allgemeiner, sondern besondern Natur ist, so wird es auchdurch die Zeiten abgeändert...Der berühmte Pater Abraham a Sancta Klara wurde ehmalsvor einen sehr erbaulichen Prediger gehalten, und in Wien kam ihm keiner an Beyfall gleich;allein schon unter der Kayserin Maria Theresia stand sein bekanntes Buch: Gack, Gack,Gack, Gack a Ga einer wunderseltsamen Hennen im Hertzogthum Beyern in der schwarzen

Rolle verbotner Bücher .” Kierkegaard’s edition of Flögel also comrises an index of names,where the name of Abraham a Sancta Clara is listed as the rst entry.21 SKS 2, 29 / EO1, 11. Kierkegaard refers in Either/Or to the rst volume of Flögel’sfor-olme ork, here also the reference to Abraham a Sancta Clara is fond.22 Pap. vI B 98, 68.23 Karl Friedrich Flögel, Geschichte des Burlesken, Leiig: Schickertscher verlag1794, . 241–5 ( ASKB 1400).24 Ibid., . 241.25 Ibid., . 243.



Peter Šajda6

“Anthony of pada’s Fish Sermon,” as ell as his lastic deiction of the Black Death in Mercks Wienn.

An imortant mention of the Sabian theologian can be fond in Johannwolfgang on Goethe’s (1749–1832) atobiograhy Aus meinem Leben: Dichtung

und Wahrheit , here Goethe introdces the reader to the orld-ie and ideologicallegacy of Johann Kasar Laater (1741–1801). when discssing Laater’s Pontius Pilate, Goethe establishes a similarity beteen the Siss thinker and Abrahama Sancta Clara in their style of instrcting “the masses” abot Christ, hereby heemhasies Laater’s literal interretation of the Bible. The edition of Goethe’sorks that Kierkegaard oned as, hoeer, incomlete and comrised only therst 15 books of Goethe’s autobiography,26 hich makes it rather nlikely thatKierkegaard encontered the viennese reacher throgh Goethe.

Goethe’s interest in Abraham a Sancta Clara had an effect on his friend Friedrich

on Schiller (1759–1805), hom he made familiar ith the Agstinian riter in1798 when the latter was completing the rst part of his dramatic trilogy Wallenstein.On October 5, 1798 Goethe sent Schiller some of Abraham’s orks ith the intentionof providing him with inspiration for his gure of a Capuchin in Wallenstein’s Camp.Schiller as amaed by Abraham’s eloqence and style and described him in a letter to Goethe as “a onderfl original, ho necessarily eokes resect.”27 The sermonof the Cachin, hich Schiller inclded in Scene vIII of Wallenstein’s Camp, isan imitation of Abraham a Sancta Clara’s literary style, directly borroing hrasesfrom the Agstinian’s orks. Althogh Kierkegaard ossessed Schiller’s CompleteWorks,28 it is nclear hether he aid any attention to the Kapuzinerpredigt inWallenstein.29

A ery robable sorce of information on Abraham a Sancta Clara for the yongKierkegaard is Jean pal (1763–1825), to hom the Danish thinker referred inone of his jornal entries as “the greatest hmorist caitalist.”30 Jean pal aears

26 Abraham a Sancta Clara is mentioned in Book 19 of Goethe’s atobiograhy.Kierkegaard oned the folloing edition: Goethe’s Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand [in 55 olmes], ols. 1–40, Stttgart and Tübingen: J.G. Cotta’sche Bchhandlng 1827–30;Goethe’s nachgelassene Werke, ols. 41–55, Stttgart and Tübingen: J.G. Cotta’sche Bch-handlng 1832–33 ( ASKB 1641–1668).27 Briefwechsel zwischen Schiller und Goethe in den Jahren 1794 bis 1805 , Stttgart andTübingen: J.G. Cotta’sche Bchhandlng 1828–29, ol. 4, . 335. The letter is from October 9, 1798. In this edition it is listed nder the nmber 516. For more detail on the discssionabot the Kapuzinerpredigt beteen Schiller and Goethe see letters nos. 510, 511, 512a, 514,and 515.28 Schillers sämmtliche Werke in zwölf Bänden, ols. 1–12, Stttgart and Tübingen: J.G.Cotta’sche Bchhandlng 1838 ( ASKB 1804–1815). Scene vIII of Wallenstein’s Camp hichcontains material borroed from Abraham a Sancta Clara is fond in ol. 4, . 33–8.29

The fact that Schiller as insired by Abraham a Sancta Clara hen riting hisWallenstein is mentioned in at least to other sorces that Kierkgaard robably conslted:Ersch and Grber, Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste, section 1, ol. 1, . 160; Karl wilhelm Böttiger, ols. 1–8, Verdenshistorien i Levnetsbeskrivelser , Coenhagen:C. Steens Forlag 1840–45, art 2, ol. 6, . 200.30 SKS 17, 225, DD:18.e / KJN 1, 217.




in Kierkegaard’s notes already in March 1836 hen the hilosoher as readingChristian Molbech’s (1783–1857) Lectures on More Recent Danish Poetry,31 andin 1837 he is part of Kierkegaard’s reections on his attitude to journal-writing.32 Jean pal mentions Abraham a Sancta Clara in his Vorschule der Aesthetik , hich

Kierkegaard oned in to ersions,33

and hich as at his time a olar iece of reference literatre. Jean pal’s brief ode to Abraham a Sancta Clara is fond in therst part of the work, at the beginning of Program VIII, whose focus is epic, dramaticand lyric humor. Here Jean Paul virtually places a ower on the grave of Abrahama Sancta Clara and claims that the greatest obstacle to the recognition of his talentas “the centry and a trile lace: Germany, vienna and the lit.”34 AlthoghKierkegaard does not exlicitly mention Jean pal’s raise of the Agstinian

satiricus, in his The Concept of Irony he refers to the resentation of irony and hmor in Vorschule der Aesthetik , hich follos almost immediately after the reference to

Abraham a Sancta Clara.35

Kierkegaard cold also hae encontered Abraham a Sancta Clara in theanthology of German songs Des Knaben Wunderhorn, edited by Achim on Arnim(1781–1831) and Clemens Brentano (1778–1842). This anthology—hich as artof Kierkegaard’s library—comrised the oem “Anthony of pada’s Fish Sermon”adoted from Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Judas der Ertz-Schelm, hereby the editorsinclded both the name of the original athor and the title of the sorce.36

A short and highly ositie resentation of the Agstinian reacher is fond inwolfgang Menel’s Die deutsche Literatur —hich Kierkegaard rchased as earlyas 1836—here Abraham is referred to as “a most siritos hmorist and a laghing

31 Christian Molbech, Forelæsninger over den nyere danske Poesi, særdeles efter Digterne Evalds, Baggesens og Oehlenschlägers Værker , ols. 1–2, Coenhagen: C.A.Reitel 1832. Cf. SKS 17, 60, BB:1 / KJN 1, 53–6.32 SKS 17, 229, DD:28 / KJN 1, 221–2.33 [Johann pal Friedrich Richter], Jean pal, Vorschule der Aesthetik nebst einigenVorlesungen in Leipzig über die Parteien der Zeit , ols. 1–3, 2nd reised ed., Stttgart andTübingen: J.G. Cotta’sche Bchhandlng 1813 ( ASKB 1381–1383); Jean pal, SämmtlicheWerke, Berlin: G. Reimer 1826–28, ol. 41 ( ASKB 1777–1799).34 Jean pal, Vorschule der Aesthetik , ol. 1, . 293: “ Eine Blume werde auch hier auf das Grab des guten Abraham a Santa Clara gelegt, welches gewiß einen Lorbeerbaurn trüge,wär’ es in England gemacht worden und seine Wiege vorher; seinem Witz für Gestalten und Wörter, seinem humoristischen Dramatisieren schadete nichts als das Jahrhundert und eindreifacher Ort, Deutschland, Wien und Kanzel .” See also Jean pal, Sämmtliche Werke, ol.41, . 198.35 SKS 1, 284 / CI , 244–5.36 Achim on Arnim and Clemens Brentano, Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Alte deutsche

Lieder , ols. 1–3, 2nd ed., Heidelberg: Mohr nd winter 1819 ( ASKB 1494–1496), ol. 1,

. 357–9. The editors shortened and adated the oem, and gae it the title Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt . For frther detail see Clemens Brentano, Sämtliche Werke und Briefe,Stttgart: verlag w. Kohlhammer 1975ff., ol. 9, 1, . 578–81; Josef Schmidt, “Kein predigniemalen den Fischln so gfallen,” in Deutsche Barocklyrik , ed. by Martin Bircher and AloisM. Haas, Bern: Francke verlag 1973, . 311–26. In Kierkegaard’s edition of Abraham aSancta Clara’s Complete Works, the oem is fond in ol. 2, . 47–8.



Peter Šajda8

satyrist”37 ith the remark that he “hardly rote a age on hich the sirit old not be able to nd nourishment.”38

A rare Danish sorce of information on Abraham a Sancta Clara aailable toKierkegaard as Karl wilhelm Böttiger’s (1790–1862) Die Weltgeschichte in

Biographieen translated from German in art by Kierkegaard’s relatie HansBrøchner (1820–75).39 The deiction has an encycloedic character and containsseeral hrases obiosly borroed from the aboe mentioned Allgemeine

Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste.An intriging resentation of Abraham a Sancta Clara—that ndobtedly old

hae been of interest to Kierkegaard—aears in Joseh on Eichendorff’s (1788– 1857) Geschichte der poetischen Literatur Deutschlands.40 This ork as, hoeer, blished only in 1857, to years after Kierkegaard’s death. In Eichendorff’shistorical analysis Abraham a Sancta Clara is described as “the most eident

antiode to the pietists,”41

since he scceeded in combining the seriosness of theChristian kerygma with humor and satire, thus exerting a much greater inuence onthe belieers than the astere pietists.42 In his exposé Eichendorff also elcomes thefact that the ritings of German Catholic athors, sch as Abraham a Sancta Claraor Angels Silesis (1624–77), began to exerience a reial after the long decadesof ignorance.

III. Kierkegaard’s Reading of Abraham a Sancta Clara

Kierkegaard became acqainted ith the literary legacy of Abraham a Sancta Clarathrogh the 21-olme Sämmtliche Werke, blished beteen 1835 and 1847 inpassa and Linda. Since this edition as aimed at romoting the baroqe athor in the literary milie of the nineteenth centry, it soght to adat the original orksto the standards and taste of the contemorary reader.43 Althogh the reslt of

37 wolfgang Menel, Die deutsche Literatur , ols. 1–4, 2nd enlarged ed., Stttgart:Hallberg’sche verlagshandlng 1836, ol. 3, . 246 ( ASKB u 79).38 Ibid., . 247.39 Karl wilhelm Böttiger, Verdenshistorie i Levnetsbeskrivelser , ols. 1–8, trans. byA.C. Lnd and Hans Brøchner, Coenhagen: Steens Forlag 1840–45, ol. 6, . 199–200(originally, Die Weltgeschichte in Biographieen, ols. 1–8, Berlin: Dncker nd Hmblot1839–43).40 Joseh Freiherr on Eichendorff, Geschichte der poetischen Literatur Deutschlands,parts 1–2, paderborn: verlag on Ferdinand Schöningh 1857.41 Ibid., art 1, . 203–4: “ Endlich müssen wir auch noch den ausgemachtesten

Antipoden der Pietisten, den Wiener Hofprediger Abraham a Santa Clara (Ulrich Megerle,1642–1709) hier anreihen. Nicht als ob etwa Abraham Jene wissentlich parodirt hätte; aber es läßt sich kaum ein entschiedener Gegensatz des reimelichen Pietismus denken, als dieseherzhafte Volksfrömmigkeit, die, weil sie ihrer innerlich sicher ist, sich mit Scherz und Lachen

gar wohl verträgt .”42 Ibid., . 204.43 Cf. Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Sämmtliche Werke, ol. 1, . IX–XI.




this “adatation” as rather dbios and the original lost mch of its elegance,44 the edition fullled its purpose of reintroducing the Augustinian author into theconsciosness of the age. At the time of the blication of this edition, secondaryliteratre on Abraham a Sancta Clara as basically non-existent,45 so Kierkegaard’s

encounter with the Augustinian writer was almost entirely conned to his reading of rimary sorces.Kierkegaard oned all 21 olmes of the Sämmtliche Werke and rchased them

in seeral stages at C.A. Reitel’s in Coenhagen.46 Althogh he read the baroqeauthor most intensively in 1847–48, his rst mention of Abraham a Sancta Claraaears in a jornal entry as early as 183747 and the last one as late as 1854.48 The Danish thinker read Abraham’s orks attentiely, highlighting 63 different assages,49 some of hich he directly coied or arahrased in his orks and jornals. An imortant asect, hich certainly contribted to the ositie recetion

of Abraham a Sancta Clara on the art of Kierkegaard, is the fact that the Agstinianathor focses minimally on the seclatie exosition of theological doctrine, andinstead concentrates on the ractical alication of Christian ethics. In this senseKierkegaard mst hae erceied Abraham a Sancta Clara in a ay similar to other bilding athors—sch as Johannes Taler or Johann Arndt—ho insired theformlation of his on doctrina practica and its focal oint, the imitation of Christ.

44 Schillinger, Abraham a Sancta Clara. Pastorale et discours politique dans l’Autriche

du XVII siècle, . 294.45 Scientic discourse on Abraham a Sancta Clara’s life and work began in the late 1860sith Theodor Georg on Karajan and wilhelm Scherer and as later contined by a nmber of German-seaking scholars (Johann willibald Nagl, Hans Schl, Karl Bertsche, etc.).46 According to the bills listed in H.p. Rohde’s article, Kierkegaard rchased seeralolmes of Abraham a Sancta Clara’s orks at C.A. Reitel’s bookstore on Janary 7, 1846and Setember 10, 1850. Hoeer, he had robably oned some of the olmes already before 1846, as he qoted Abraham a Sancta Clara in 1837 and 1841. Cf. H.p. Rohde, “OmSøren Kierkegaard som bogsamler,” Fund og Forskning , no. vIII, 1961, . 120; . 122.47 SKS 17, 126, BB:37 / KJN 1, 116–25.48 SKS 26, 179, NB32:90.a / JP 2, 1538. For frther detail on Kierkegaard’s readingof Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Sämmtliche Werke see the folloing article: peter Šajda, “OnSome Asects of Kierkegaard’s Reading of Abraham a Sancta Clara,” in Kierkegaard and Great Philosophers, ed. by Roman Králik et al., Mexico City, Barcelona, and Šaľa: SociedadIberoamericana de Estdios Kierkegaardianos 2007 ( Acta Kierkegaardiana, ol. 2), . 80–9.49 The text of 61 assages highlighted by Kierkegaard in Abraham a Sancta Clara’sComplete Works can be fond in Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 1–61. The editors of the Papirer incldedthe fll text of the marked assages. Hoeer, in seeral instances a broader context is neededin order to nderstand the meaning and osition of the highlighted texts. Kierkegaard’s modes

of highlighting inclded nderlining, sidelining and folding corners of ages. In addition tothe 61 assages listed in Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 1–61, there are to frther assages highlighted byKierkegaard, hich I fond dring my stdy of Kierkegaard’s coy of Abraham’s CompleteWorks. They are located in ol. 11, . 30, . 31. The coy of Abraham a Sancta Clara’sComplete Works originally oned by Kierkegaard is crrently in the ossession of the RoyalLibrary in Coenhagen.



Peter Šajda10

The fact that it as rimarily Christian raxis that interested Kierkegaard henreading Abraham’s works, is conrmed also by the nding that more than half of the assages highlighted by Kierkegaard in the Sämmtliche Werke are located inGrammatica Religiosa.50 This ork, hose main thematic focs is the ractice of

irte, acconts also for a ast majority of the qotations and references to Abrahama Sancta Clara in Kierkegaard’s blished and nblished ritings.It is a noteorthy fact that Kierkegaard read Abraham a Sancta Clara ith an

oen mind and ithot ideological bias. Neither the marked assages, nor thereections in his writings suggest that he was disturbed by the specics of baroqueCatholicism or the dislays of pietas austriaca. A considerable nmber of assageshighlighted by Kierkegaard in Abraham’s Sämmtliche Werke comrise distinctieCatholic henomena, sch as hagiograhy, aaritions,51 intensie sacramental life,52 litrgical specica,53 or rohetic dreams.54 Some of the marked texts concern also

Catholic doctrine—sch as the belief in rgatory55

—and a strong monastic elementis resent in many of the highlighted stories and qotations.56 It is, therefore, eidentthat Kierkegaard read Abraham a Sancta Clara for the sake of his own edicationand ith a ossible intention of tiliing some of the acqired material for his onbilding orks. From this ersectie, the Agstinian athor certainly fnctionedas one of the channels of Kierkegaard’s dialoge ith Catholicism.

One of the things that ndobtedly aealed to Kierkegaard hen readingAbraham’s orks as the embarras de richesse of references and qotationsfrom older Christian athors. This fact matched Kierkegaard’s habit of recordingin his jornals short textal nits of bilding character, often coying themfrom secondary sorces. Since Abraham as a Catholic baroqe reacher soght to“establish athority throgh tradition,”57 his bilding ritings abond in qotationsfrom sirital athorities, sch as the chrch fathers, saints or mystics.58 Althogh it

50 Ot of the 63 marked assages in Kierkegaard’s coy of Abraham a Sancta Clara’sComplete Works 35 stem from Grammatica Religiosa. It is an interesting fact, hoeer,that all the highlighted passages stem from the rst two volumes of Grammatica Religiosa (Complete Works, ols. 15–16), hereas there is no eidence that Kierkegaard eer read theremaining to olmes of the same ork (Complete Works, ols. 17–18).

51 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 30. when referring to the assages in Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 1–61 a broader context of the marked texts ill taken into accont.52 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 10. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 20. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 54.53 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 3.54 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 14.55 Ibid.56 In the assages marked by Kierkegaard in Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Complete Works almost all of the qoted Christian athorities are monastic. Also, monks lay a central rolein a large art of the edifying stories and legends highlighted by Kierkegaard. The Danishthinker as introdced throgh Abraham to different traditions of religios life, as the marked assages comrise references to desert fathers, hermits, and monastics of the Agstinian,Benedictine, Cistercian, Franciscan, and Dominican traditions.57 Eybl, Abraham a Sancta Clara. Vom Prediger zum Schriftsteller , . 122.58 Joseh Meer, Forschungen zur Beurteilung Abrahams a S. Clara, Bottro: wilhelmpostberg 1938, . 32.




may seem, at rst glance, that Abraham used an immense array of sources to supporthis doctrine with authority, the ndings of modern research have shown that muchof the qoted material stems from a relatiely narro range of sermon handbooks,comendia and other sorces of encycloedic character that ere commonly sed by

the clergy of his time.59

The most qoted athorities in the assages highlighted byKierkegaard are the Doctors of the Chrch, sch as Agstine,60 Gregory the Great61 or Bernard of Clairax,62 bt Abraham also coneyed to Kierkegaard the isdom of later non-canonied athors, sch as Johannes Taler 63 or Blosis.64 Non-Christiansorces lay a sbstantially less imortant role in Abraham’s ritings, bt they alsocaght Kierkegaard’s eye, esecially hen qoted for edifying roses.65

A large art of the texts marked by Kierkegaard in Abraham’s orks deals iththe Christian dialectics of irte and ice,66 hereby, according to Joseh Meer,the rimary focs of Abraham as a reacher ere the irtes of rity, hmility, and

loe.67

Kierkegaard did not approach Abraham’s reections on virtuous conduct ina systematic ay and highlighted assages dealing both ith theological irtes,and arios other irtes. Seeral of the marked assages address the isse of thetransformation of ill and the irte of obedience.68 Some of these relate directlyto the nion of hman ill ith the ill of God, bt the notion of enacting God’sill by means of obedience to one’s seriors is also discssed. In the latter casean inherent connection is resent beteen the transformation of the ill and themonastic o of obedience.

In connection ith the ices directly harming the neighbor, Kierkegaard aidsecial attention to the ice of jdging,69 hose original resentation in Grammatica

59 Ibid., . 35–41; Max Michel, “Die volkssage bei Abraham a Sancta Clara,” Formund Geist , no. 61, 1933, . 53–4, . 57; Eybl, Abraham a Sancta Clara. Vom Prediger zumSchriftsteller , . 134–43.60 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 10. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 19. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 27. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 53.61 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 11. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 20. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 26. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 29.

Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 42. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 46. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 58–9.62 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 16. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 25. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 31–32. Pap. vIII–2 C 2,39. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 42.63 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 55.64 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 49–50.65 The assages marked by Kierkegaard in Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Complete Works inclde references to seeral non-Christian athorities, sch as Xenohon, Seneca or MarcsArelis. Cf. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 15. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 21. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 52. Kierkegaard alsohighlighted a art of the story abot zexis and parrhasis that originates from pliny the Elder and a story abot Alexander the Great. Cf. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 11. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 24. See alsoCf. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 7.66 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 13. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 15. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 17. Pap. vIII–2 C 2,19–20. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 23–25; Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 28. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 32–33. Pap. vIII–2 C2, 35. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 43–5. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 55–59.67 Meer, Forschungen zur Beurteilung Abrahams a S. Clara, . 47–54.68 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 43–4. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 53–5.69 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 29–31. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 33. Both of the assages highlighted byKierkegaard in Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Complete Works, hich are not inclded in Pap.



Peter Šajda12

Religiosa insired him to deelo frther his on critiqe of relating to the neighbor through the prism of his sins. He turned to Abraham’s reections on this topic whencomposing the nal part of Works of Love,70 in hich he introdced to the reader hisconcet of Christian like for like.

The ractice of asceticism in Abraham’s texts is often linked to the notion of dyingto nite realities71 and per consequens also to a certain form of contemptus mundi.72 Althogh the Agstinian riter does not call for an external fuga mundi, he shoshigh areciation for abnegation, solitde,73 oerty,74 and other detachment-orientedideals common in monasticism. Some of the assages highlighted by Kierkegaard alsosggest Abraham’s critical stance, or een a essimistic ie of the age he lied in, 75 hich is an interesting arallel to Kierkegaard’s on ie of his contemorary age.

According to Jean Schillinger, one of the major themes that can be tracedthroghot Abraham a Sancta Clara’s oeuvre is that of martyrdom.76 This theme,

hich as of ital imortance for Kierkegaard’s concet of discileshi andChristianity in general, aears in some of the highlighted assages77 hich erelater directly qoted both in Kierkegaard’s jornals and blished orks.78

Seeral of the texts marked by the Danish hilosoher in Abraham a SanctaClara’s orks direct the attention of the reader to the isse of rayer, both criticiingmisgided ractice and offering instrctions on a roer aroach to rayer.79 Condence in God in temptations and tribulations is a related phenomenon, whichalso catred Kierkegaard’s attention in seeral instances.80 A secial case in thisconnection is the tradition of ars moriendi and the Christian challenge of ieinglife sub specie mortis.81

The highlighted passages also include reections on the role of fear andthe necessary combination of fear and hoe,82 hereby Abraham a Sancta Claraintrodces this concet by claiming that salation is obtained in fear and trembling.83

vIII–2 C 2, 1–61, concern the sin of jdging: Cf. Abraham a St. Clara’s Sämmtliche Werke,ol. 11, . 30–1.70 SKS 9, 375 / WL, 382–3.71 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 7; Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 16. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 38.72

Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 61.73 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 16. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 39–42.74 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 38. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 55.75 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 5. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 11. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 14.76 Schillinger, Abraham a Sancta Clara. Pastorale et discours politique dans l’Autrichedu XVII siècle, . 93; . 196–202.77 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 8. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 32. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 34. Pap. vIII–2 C 2,46–7.78 SKS 9, 223 / WL, 220. SKS 18, 290, JJ:449 / KJN 2, 268. Pap. vIII 2 C 2, 8.79 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 1. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 12. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 14–16.80 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 18. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 26. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 34. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 45.

Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 49–51.81 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 4. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 23. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 43.82 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 17. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 19. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 27.83 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 17.




The text marked by Kierkegaard in Auff auff ihr Christen concerns an isse hichhe treated at length in seeral of his orks and hich became a recrrent toic inhis critiqe of the Danish religios status quo. In the mentioned assage Abrahama Sancta Clara oints ot the emtiness of nominal Christendom and comares the

title “Christian” to the names of constellations, hich are called Pisces or Aquila,although—as he points out—they neither swim, nor y.84

The rst seven volumes of Abraham’s Sämmtliche Werke roided Kierkegaardwith rich material on the gure of Judas Iscariot,85 whom he repeatedly reected on both in his blished orks and in his jornals. The deiction of Jdas in Abraham’s Judas der Ertzschelm —hich as largely of medieal origin—fond a direct echoin seeral of Kierkegaard’s jornal entries.

Abraham’s niqe style of riting, his mastery of langage, as ell as hisfreqent se of hmor and satire, ere certainly among the factors that attracted

Kierkegaard’s attention. There are, hoeer, only a fe assages that sggestthat Kierkegaard highlighted them rimarily de to Abraham’s stylistic abilities.86 Contrary to the classical and romantic sorces, hich might hae introdcedKierkegaard to Abraham a Sancta Clara’s literary legacy, the Danish hilosoher was not interested in the rst place in the literary value of the Swabian author. It isobios from the texts he marked in the Sämmtliche Werke that he read Abrahamrst and foremost as a Christian author. This is conrmed also by the fact that inhis jornals and blished orks Kierkegaard referred to Abraham a Sancta Claraalmost exclusively when reecting on religious matters.

IV. Abraham a Sancta Clara in Kierkegaard’s Corpus

Kierkegaard’s rst mention of Abraham a Sancta Clara appears in a journal entry in1837 within a longer reection on the education of children.87 The reference is ery brief and Kierkegaard qotes Abraham ithot indicating the cited ork.88 The sameqotation from Abraham reaears for years later in Kierkegaard’s dissertation TheConcept of Irony, here again it has only minimal fnction in the text.89 These toinstances are the only references to Abraham a Sancta Clara in Kierkegaard’s corpus

that do not carry any exlicitly religios meaning.After Kierkegaard’s rchase of frther olmes of Abraham a Sancta Clara’sSämmtliche Werke in 1846, a direct German qotation from Huy! und Pfuy! Der

84 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 5.85 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 2–3.86 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 6. Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 13.87 SKS 17, 126, BB:37 / KJN 1, 116–25.88 Curtis L. Thompson identied as the source of this reference Gotthold Ephraim

Lessing’s letter to his brother Karl Gotthelf from Janary 5, 1778. Cf. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s sämmtliche Schriften, ols. 1–32, ols. 1–28, Berlin: vossische Bchhandlng 1825– 27; ols. 29–32, Berlin and Stettin: Nicolaische Bchhandlng 1828, ol. 28, . 327–8 ( ASKB 1747–1762). For more detail see Crtis L. Thomson’s article “Gotthold Ehraim Lessing:Aroriating the Testimony of a Theological Natralist” in ol. 5, tome I of this series.89 SKS 1, 89 / CI , 28.



Peter Šajda14

Welt aears in Kierkegaard’s jornal, this time ith an exact reference to the citedsorce.90

Hoeer, the highest density of qotations from the Agstinian athor inKierkegaard’s jornals is fond in the smmer of 1847, shortly before Kierkegaard

nished Works of Love. At rst, Kierkegaard paraphrases Abraham in Danish, butlater sitches to German and qotes directly from the original. All 10 referencesand qotations from this eriod stem from Grammatica Religiosa, and all bt oneare highlighted in Kierkegaard’s coy of Abraham’s Sämmtliche Werke.91 In seeralinstances they are accomanied by ladatory comments from Kierkegaard.

One of the mentioned qotations esecially deseres a more detailed analysis,as it reaears—directly and indirectly—in for other instances in Kierkegaard’scorpus. The qotation reresents Abraham a Sancta Clara’s ersion of the ancientChristian legend of the conersion of St. Thais the Harlot throgh St. pahntis,

hich Kierkegaard arahrases in Danish ith the remark: “This is an excellent story;a little rning old imroe it.”92 He indeed rerites the story hen comosingthe nal part of Works of Love and has the edited ersion ready in a draft form for the “Conclsion” of Works of Love.93 In the end he decides not to inclde the storydirectly, bt instead he sms its key message of the imossibility of God’s absenceand combines it ith another tacit reference to Abraham a Sancta Clara.94

The story of St. Thais’ conersion is qoted again in Kierkegaard’s jornal in 1850,as the hilosoher recalls his discssion ith Martin Hammerich (1811–81) abotChristianity that took lace dring a isit at Jens Finsteen Giødad’s (1811–91).Kierkegaard mentions the maxim of the Greek hilosoher Stilo that hen talkingabout the gods one should nd a place where the gods cannot hear you. To this headds that there is no such a place, which he exemplies with “that incomparablestory hich I hae t aay some lace,” confessing that he has the story fromAbraham a Sancta Clara.95 In this instance Kierkegaard relates the story in a necontext by coling it ith “hat I hae said continally, that men hae to be taken

90 SKS 18, 290, JJ:449 / KJN 2, 268.91 SKS 20, 178, NB2:90 / JP 3, 3787. SKS 20, 178, NB2:91 / JP 5, 6024. SKS 20, 179, NB2:97 / JP 2, 2000. SKS 20, 180, NB2:98 / JP 3, 3741. SKS 20, 180, NB2:99 / JP 5, 6027.SKS 20, 180, NB2:100. The last of the indicated citations is dated Agst 1847 and incldesve different references to Grammatica Religiosa. The only qotation hich is not highlightedin Kierkegaard’s coy of Grammatica Religiosa is SKS 20, 178, NB2:90 / JP 3, 3787.92 SKS 20, 178, NB2:91 / JP 5, 6024. Neither in his jornals, nor in his draft for Worksof Love does Kierkegaard mention the rotagonists of the story by name. The names are,hoeer, inclded in Abraham a Sancta Clara’s ersion of the legend. Cf. Abraham a SanctaClara’s Sämmtliche Werke, ols. 15–16, . 54–6.93 Pap. vIII–2 B 69, 3. Kierkegaard’s ersion of the legend is not a mere mirror translationof Abraham a Sancta Clara. Kierkegaard’s draft starts ith an instrctie introdction, thestory is re-hrased, it incldes direct seech and is een more dramatic than its conterart inGrammatica Religiosa.94 SKS 9, 375–6 / WL, 382–3. The other tacit reference concerns Kierkegaard’s se of Abraham a Sancta Clara’s critiqe of the sin of jdging, hich is analyed belo.95 SKS 23, 480–1, NB20:163 / JP 4, 4307.




aside, if ossible into the confessional, before there is any se in talking to themabot Christianity.”96

Kierkegaard comes back to the story one last time in 1851, hen in a jornalentry he rerites the ending of the story, strengthening the emhasis on God’s

omniresence.97

On this occasion he refers to his recording of the story in earlier jornal entries and mentions the rotagonists ithot indicating their names.Another area, in hich Kierkegaard dre ital insiration from the Agstinian

athor, is the interretation of the Ne Testament imeratie of beneolencetoards the neighbor qua sinner. Kierkegaard’s concet of like for like, hich heexonded at length in Works of Love, concerned in art also the notion of jdging,hich the gosels of Matthe and Lke resent by means of the metahor of seeinga slinter in the eye of the neighbor and ignoring a log in one’s on eye. Kierkegaardhad already reected on this dialectic in Four Upbuilding Discourses blished in

184498

and later marked to considerations ertaining to this theme in Abraham’sGrammatica Religiosa.99 In this ork Abraham a Sancta Clara refers to a reelationof Christ to St. Mechtilde,100 according to hich the act of jdging makes the oneho jdges gilty of the same sin as that committed by the neighbor.101 Abrahamcontinues with a paraphrase of a sermon by St. Dorotheus, who identies the sin of the neighbor as the slinter and the jdging of it as the log, claiming that jdgingis a mch greater offense than the sin itself.102 Kierkegaard as intriged by this resentation, marked it in his coy of Grammatica Religiosa and inclded it in hisdraft of Works of Love, remarking that sch an aroach goes beyond the sal like

for like.103 when making his hilosohical exegesis of the ords of the gosel on theeil of jdging in Works of Love, Kierkegaard decided to refer directly to Abrahama Sancta Clara’s interretation of Christ’s admonition.104 In line ith Abraham’semhasis that jdging the neighbor is sch a grae sin that “its eil sersedes allother sins,”105 the Danish hilosoher states that the sin of jdging is “high treason”[Majestæts-Forbrydelse].106 In his argmentation Kierkegaard claims that the

96 Ibid.97 SKS 24, 341, NB24:41.

98 SKS 5, 328 / EUD, 340.99 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 29–30. See also the thematically related text highlighted byKierkegaard in Abraham a St. Clara’s Sämmtliche Werke, ol. 11, . 31.100 The knoledge of the Helfta mystics as commnicated to Abraham a Sancta Clarato a large extent by Blosis. Cf. Meer, Forschungen zur Beurteilung Abrahams a S. Clara, . 60.101 Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Sämmtliche Werke, ols. 15–16, . 147.102 Ibid., . 148; Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 30.103 Pap. vIII–2 B 66. See also Pap. vIII–2 B 67–9.104 SKS 9, 375/ WL, 382: “A ios man has iosly interreted these ords as follos:The log in yor on eye is neither more nor less than seeing and condemning the slinter inyor brother’s eye.”105 Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Sämmtliche Werke, ols. 15–16, . 148; Pap. vIII–2C 2, 30.106 SKS 9, 375 / WL, 383. Pap. vIII–2 B 68, 5.



Peter Šajda16

jdging of the neighbor goes hand in hand ith another sin, namely, the lack of consciosness of God’s omniresence: “At a moment hen yo really think God is resent, it srely old not occr to yo to see any slinter in yor brother’s eye.”107 This is an indirect reference to the moral of Abraham a Sancta Clara’s story abot

the conersion of St. Thais, in hich the idea of God’s omniresence is the key tothe rostitte’s conersion, and hich Kierkegaard originally intended to inclde inthis lace, as his draft ersion of Works of Love roes.108 In this ay the hilosoher makes a arallel se of to ideas borroed from Abraham a Sancta Clara, as hecombines the critiqe of mistaken relating to the neighbor throgh jdging iththe latent coniction that God is not alays resent. He sms his moral oint insaying that eole “still often forget God’s omniresence as they relate themseles toother eole, forget that God is resent in the relationshi.”109 It is therefore obiosthat the Coenhagen hilosoher aailed himself of the edifying material fond in

Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Grammatica Religiosa hen articlating his concet of Christian like for like, hich he laced in oosition to hat he denoted as theJeish and the orldly like for like.

Abraham a Sancta Clara certainly had an imact also on Kierkegaard’s ie of the biblical gure of Judas Iscariot, and the seven volumes of Judas der Ertzschelm contained robably the most olminos resentation of Jdas that Kierkegaardeer read.110 Hoeer, the aocryhal biograhy of Jdas, hich Abraham a SanctaClara coied to a large extent from Jacob of voragine’s Legenda aurea, met ithlittle nderstanding on the art of Kierkegaard. It is obios from Kierkegaard’sreections that initially he formulated his conception of Judas in oppositionto the resentation he fond in Abraham a Sancta Clara. In a jornal entry from1848 the Danish hilosoher commented critically on Abraham’s one-sided andsimlistic ie of Jdas and arged that Abraham only denigrates Jdas ithotexlaining him: “One ill get a dee insight into the state of Christianity in eachage by seeing ho it interrets Jdas. Abraham of St. Clara is naïely conincedthat he as the most illainos of all scondrels, abot hom one is to say onlyeery conceiable eil.”111 As a matter of fact, in the seenth olme of Judas der

Ertzschelm Kierkegaard marked a assage here Abraham refers to Jdas as “themost illainos scondrel,”112 and Kierkegaard‘s comlaint that Jdas’ name is

linked to “every conceivable evil” is apparently a reference to a number of ctitiouscrimes and deciencies attributed to Judas by the medieval tradition present in

107 SKS 9, 375 / WL, 383.108 Cf. Pap. vIII–2 B 69, 3–4.109 SKS 9, 375 / WL, 383.110 Kierkegaard as also familiar ith Carl Dab’s resentation of Jdas, hich hementions in his jornals. Cf. SKS 21, 183, NB8:95 / JP 2, 2229. SKS 23, 63, NB15:91 / JP 4,4030. See also Carl Dab, Judas Ischariot oder das Böse in Verhältnis zum Guten , Heidelberg:Mohr nd winter 1816. 111 SKS 21, 183, NB8:95 / JP 2, 2229.112 The exression sed by Abraham a Sancta Clara is “der ärgste Bösicht.” Cf.

Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Sämmtliche Werke, ol. 7, . 3. Kierkegaard ses the exression“den nederdrægtigste af alle Skurke.”




Abraham a Sancta Clara. The isse of an in-deth interretation of Jdas comes in Kierkegaard’s jornal again shortly after his critiqe of the Agstinian athor,hereby the hilosoher maintains that “on the hole, Jdas mst be constred as being far more than a mere scondrel. when Christ said: I hae chosen them myself,

he said it of Jdas, too. And the hole relationshi mst be made mch more actal,far beyond aearances.”113 In a late jornal entry from 1854 Kierkegaard argesthat “eerything has been set in motion in Christendom to make Jdas ot to be the blackest of characters,”114 hich is yet another allsion to the negatiist resentationof Jdas in Christian sorces that ere at Kierkegaard’s disosal.

A brief bt interesting remark abot Abraham a Sancta Clara aears ina journal entry shortly after Kierkegaard nished Works of Love in Agst 1847.The hilosoher mentions Abraham in a rather recarios matter, hen onderingon the alleged reelation of Christ to astor Adolh peter Adler (1812–69). 115 The

isse Kierkegaard examines in this case is the henomenon of Christ’s ersonalmessages to indiidals and the athority of seaking in Christ’s name. He ointsot the difference beteen the consciosness of the age resented in Abraham aSancta Clara’s books and the absence of sch consciosness in modern protestantDenmark.

The fact that Kierkegaard dre direct insiration from Abraham a Sancta Clarahen comosing his on edifying orks is docmented also in Christian Discourses,here the Agstinian is qoted in the chater on “The Care of poerty.” Similarlyto the citations in Works of Love, here also Kierkegaard tilies textal materialhose rimary athor is not Abraham a Sancta Clara. Kierkegaard arahrases astory abot St. Arsenis, hich he fond in Grammatica Religiosa,116 and ses it toillstrate the aradoxical natre of the Christian concet of oerty.117 The text isqoted ithot an exlicit reference to Abraham a Sancta Clara and the rotagonistof the legend is simly referred to as “a ios hermit.”

Chronologically the last qotation from Abraham a Sancta Clara aears inKierkegaard’s jornal in 1854 and once again stems from Grammatica Religiosa.The philosopher quotes Abraham from memory in a side comment to a reection onhman righteosness and the notion of sin.118

V. Kierkegaard’s Fulllment of Abraham’s Intention

It is eident from the ay Kierkegaard aroached Abraham a Sancta Clara’s textsthat he did not look in the Agstinian’s orks either for systematic theology or for ne imlses concerning the literary sage of irony and hmor. Althogh he clearly

113 SKS 21, 185, NB8:99 / JP 3, 3672.114 SKS 26, 32, NB31:44 / JP 2, 2232.115 SKS 20, 196, NB2:138 / JP 5, 6044.116 Pap. vIII–2 C 2, 38. The qotation is fond in the Chater 14 of Grammatica

Religiosa, hose title is On Poverty.117 SKS 10, 29 / CD, 17.118 SKS 26, 179, NB32:90.a / JP 2, 1538.



Peter Šajda18

areciated Abraham’s ability to coney sirital messages by means of ahorisms andahoristic stories, his rimary target as the legacy of Christian siritality, instrctionon moral life and reections on the practice of asceticism contained in the works of theviennese reacher. The fact that Kierkegaard marked and coied from Abraham’s orks

stories and qotations from a broad ariety of Christian athors of all ages sggests thatthe Danish hilosoher aroached the Agstinian’s oeuvre as a kind of encycloediaof Christian isdom. Kierkegaard later tilied some of the material fond in Abraham’sorks in his on bilding ritings, hich as in line ith Abraham’s intention of comosing his edifying orks as otential sermon handbooks.

Kierkegaard soke of Abraham a Sancta Clara in seeral instances ith recognitionand resect, referring to him as “a ios man”119 and raising his texts and ideas as“excellent,”120 “aakening,”121 “ery enetrating,”122 or een “incomarable.”123 On theother hand he did not hesitate to distance himself from elements in Abraham’s orks

hich he deemed triial or one-sided, as in the case of the deiction of Jdas Iscariot.It can be maintained, hoeer, that on the hole, Abraham’s intention to coney to thereader the riches of the sirital tradition of the chrch fell in the case of Kierkegaard onfertile grond. He fond in Kierkegaard an attentie and interested reader and a fellosirital athor ith hom he shared not only the ideal of addressing the commonChristian instead of a narro intellectal or sirital elite, bt also the circmstancethat both rote their orks in the midst of the rban middle class.124

Althogh Kierkegaard’s interest in Abraham reached its highest oint arond thetime of his comletion of Works of Love, the Danish hilosoher also retrned toAbraham’s ideas soradically later. It seems, hoeer, that his reading of the Sabianriter after 1848 as limited, as his comments are merely an echo of his earlier readingand reections.

The Coenhagen hilosoher, hose main aim hen reading Abraham asedication, was able to see beyond the literary and stylistic peculiarities by meansof hich the Agstinian caght the eye of many of his non-Catholic readers. In thecase of Kierkegaard the deiction of imitatio Christi, ractice of irte or ays of martyrdom largely oershadoed Abraham’s talents as a satirist or hmorist. Fromthis ersectie Kierkegaard as the oosite of the adience hich Karl FriedrichFlögel described in his Geschichte des Burlesken, here he exlained that Abraham’s

preaching was “diligently attended by many not for the sake of edication, but for thesake of laghter.”125

119 Kierkegaard referred to Abraham a Sancta Clara as “a ios man” tice in Works of Love. Cf. SKS 9, 223 / WL, 220; SKS 9, 375 / WL, 382. In his draft of Works of Love the Danish hilosoher referred to Abraham as “an old athor.” Cf. Pap. vIII–2 B 69, 3.120 SKS 20, 178, NB2:91 / JP 5, 6024. SKS 20, 180, NB2:100.121 Pap. vIII–2 B 69, 3.122 SKS 20, 179, NB2:97 / JP 2, 2000.123 SKS 23, 480–1, NB20:163 / JP 4, 4307.124 when determining Abraham a Sancta Clara’s target adience Fran Eybl seaks of “Abraham’s osition as a astor of the rban middle class.” Cf. Eybl, Abraham a SanctaClara. Vom Prediger zum Schriftsteller , . 116.125 Flögel, Geschichte des Burlesken, . 241.



Bibliograhy

I. Abraham a Sancta Clara’s Works in The Action Cataloge of Kierkegaard’s Library

Abraham a St. Clara’s Sämmtliche Werke, ols. 1–21, ols. 1–2, passa: winkler and vienna: Gerold 1835; ols. 3–6, passa: winkler, vienna: Gerold et al. andBresla: Max 1835; ols. 7–12, passa: winkler 1836–37; ols. 13–14, passa:

pstet 1840–41; ols. 15–21, Linda: Stettner and Agsbrg: Rieger 1841–47( ASKB 294–311).

II. Works in The Action Cataloge of Kierkegaard’s Librarythat Discuss Abraham a Sancta Clara

Adler, Adolh peter, Theologiske Studier , Coenhagen: Trykt aa ForfatterensForlag hos Lois Klein i Commission hos uniersitets-Boghandler C.A. Reitel

1846, . 32; . 82, note ( ASKB u 12).Arnim, Ldig Achim and Clemens Brentano, Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Altedeutsche Lieder , ols. 1–3, 2nd ed., Heidelberg: Mohr nd winter 1819, ol. 1, . 357–9 ( ASKB 1494–1496).

Ersch, Johann Samel and Johann Gottfried Grber (eds.), Allgemeine Encyclopädieder Wissenschaften und Künste in alphabetischer Folge von genanntenSchriftstellern bearbeitet , section 1, ols. 1–29; section 2, ols. 1–14; section3, ols. 1–9, Leiig: F.A. Brockhas 1818–37 [section 1, ols. 1–99; section 2,ols. 1–43; section 3, ols. 1–25, Leiig: F.A. Brockhas 1818–89], section 1,ol. 1, . 160 ( ASKB 1311–1363).

Flögel, Karl Friedrich, Geschichte der komischen Litteratur , Liegnit and Leiig:Daid Siegert 1784–87, ol. 1, . 171; ol. 2, . 444–6 ( ASKB 1396–1399).

—— Geschichte des Burlesken, Leiig: Schickertscher verlag 1794, . 241–5( ASKB 1400).

Jöcher, Christian Gottlieb, Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexicon, ols. 1–4, Leiig:Johann Friedrich Gleditschens Bchhandlng 1750–51, ol. 1, . 31 ( ASKB 948–951).

[Lessing, Gotthold Ehraim], Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s sämmtliche Schriften,ols. 1–32, ols. 1–28, Berlin: vossische Bchhandlng 1825–27; ols. 29–32,

Berlin and Stettin: Nicolaische Bchhandlng 1828, ol. 6, . 124–5; ol. 28, . 327–8 ( ASKB 1747–1762).

Menel, wolfgang, Die deutsche Literatur , ols. 1–4, 2nd enlarged ed., Stttgart:Hallberg’sche verlagshandlng 1836, ol. 3, . 246–7 ( ASKB u 79).



Peter Šajda20

Moréri, Lois, Le Grand Dictionnaire historique , ols. 1–6, Basel: Jean Brandmller 1731–32, ol. 1, . 39 ( ASKB 1965-1969).

[Richter, Johann pal Friedrich], Jean pal, Vorschule der Aesthetik nebst einigenVorlesungen in Leipzig über die Parteien der Zeit , ols. 1–3, 2nd reised ed.,

Stttgart and Tübingen: J.G. Cotta’sche Bchhandlng 1813, ol. 1, . 293( ASKB 1381–1383). —— Jean Paul’s sämmtliche Werke, ols. 1–60, Berlin: G. Reimer 1826–28 [ols.

61–5, Jean Paul’s sämmtliche Werke. Jean Paul’s literarischer Nachlaß, Berlin:G. Reimer 1836–38 and Jean Paul Friedrich Richter. Ein biographischer Commentar zu dessen Werken by Richard Otto Saier, Neffen des Dichters,Leiig: wigand 1833], ol. 41, . 198 ( ASKB 1777–1799).

III. Secondary Literature on Kierkegaard’s Relation to Abraham a Sancta Clara

Caanaga, victorino, “Kierkegaard y el p. Abraham a Santa Clara,” Mayéutica, no.2, 1976, . 61–6.

Mikloá Thlstr, Marie, “præsentation af kristne mystikere i faglitteratren,Kierkegaard kendte,” Kierkegaardiana, ol. 11, 1980, . 55–92.

Šajda, peter, “On Some Asects of Kierkegaard’s Reading of Abraham a SanctaClara,” in Kierkegaard and Great Philosophers, ed. by Roman Králik et al.,Mexico City, Barcelona and Šaľa: Sociedad Iberoamericana de EstudiosKierkegaardianos 2007 ( Acta Kierkegaardiana, ol. 2), . 80–9.

Kierkegaard and the Renaissance

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