Forgiveness

Abstract

After opening with a brief discussion of the etymology of the Danish terms Tilgivelse and Forladelse, this paper moves on to discuss how Kierkegaard addresses the theme of forgiveness throughout his authorship. The discussion is organised under the following themes: the apparently impossible - yet true - possibility of the forgiveness of sins; how despair over the forgiveness of sins can be transcended in faith; how the consciousness of the forgiveness of sins turns a heavy burden into a light one; and the implications of Kierkegaard's discussion of the forgiveness of sins for interpersonal forgiveness and self-forgiveness. In line with the purposes of the volume, the focus is on exegesis rather than critique.