COMPARE THE PRESENTATION OF THE ISSUES OF RELIGIOUS FAITH AND

THE ABSURD IN KIERKEGAARD AND CAMUS.

Absurd and Religious faith are existentialism themes that are essential to understand the meaning
of living authentically. They are explained clearly by the rival existentialists Kierkegaard and
Camus in their philosophical works. According to Kierkegaard and Camus faith is a tool that
most individuals in quest for meaning tend to adopt after realizing that universe indifferent to
give them meaning of being (Golomb, 1995). Camus viewed absurd as confrontation between
human need and the unreasonable silence of the world. On the other hand, Faith is one of the
three options that Camus and Kierkegaard recognize as solution to absurd such that person
should live authentically by reaffirming his own existence. The presentation of Absurd and
Religious faith by Camus and Kierkegaard seems carries both similar and different elements. As
such, this paper aims at comparing the understanding of these existentialism themes namely
absurd and religious faith by Kierkegaard and Camus. However, to achieve this task paper
revolves around the following parts; Kierkegaard's understanding of Absurd and Religious faith,
Camus thoughts on absurd and religious faith and the last part contains comparisons of Camus
and Kierkegaard's ideas on Absurd and Religious faith.

Kierkegaard’s Existential thoughts on Absurd and Religious faith

Since, authenticity is revolving theme in existentialism, Kierkegaard believed that authentic life
is found in trusting God hence excel through absurdity in this world. He defines absurd as quality
of Religious faith that runs counter to all mundane human experience (Golomb, 1995). The term
absurd precisely by reason of its objective repulsion is the dynamometer of the inward faith
(Evans, 2009). It is clearly presented by Kierkegaard that absurd or act by virtue of the absurd is
to act upon faith, trusting in God. In addition, faith reaches ultimate realities beyond our senses
such that acting by faith considered fundamental in existence.

On faith Kierkegaard argues that faith is above reason such that cannot be proved,
comprehended, demonstrated for the link which makes the linking together possible is missing
hence considered as paradox (Stewart, 2015). This implies that faith is composed of paradoxical
truth and it is above reason. It is a superiority of faith above reason that led him to come up with
a conclusion that reason is of less important in as far as authentic life is concerned. On the
example of Abraham, claims that through the virtue of absurd Abraham defying all reason and
duties regained his son and reaffirm faith. This implies that faith is not something communal but
is a matter of individual conception because Abraham put aside all societal installed codes of
conduct to win the relationship with God.
Camus understanding of Absurd and Faith
Camus include Christian faith in his existential ideas as one of the solutions to absurdity that
people tend to adopt in desperate for meaning of this life. He accepts that there are three options
that an individual tends to adopt to curb absurdity namely, acceptance, leap of faith and suicide.
However, Camus consider acceptance as absolute solution to absurd. Camus agreed with absurd
echoes of Nietzsche that inner harmony and the courage to accept the contradictions as well as
immanence of our world are characteristics of the authentic urbermensch (Golomb, 1995). This
implies that acceptance of absurd as part and parcel of existence responsible for enlightening
individual to recognize that searching meaning in this world is unattainable. Sisyphus acceptance
of his labor as normal thing in life makes him to achieve authentic life and affirm his existence. .
According to him, choosing faith over acceptance is a suicide because faith kill reasoning part of
humanity since faith and reason cannot coexist as such faith is not a solution to absurd.

Comparison of Kierkegaard and Camus Presentation of issues on Absurd and Religious

faith.

To start with, Camus and Kierkegaard agreed that there are three recognized options for
individual who is desperately in quest for meaning yet the world is indifferent can choose
namely; Suicide, Leap of faith and acceptance or facing the absurdity(Golomb, 1995). These
three options are solutions to absurd as explained by Camus. People when trying to pass through
absurd in the world tend to adopt one of these three in order to wipe the absurd situation.
However, as already pointed out in exposition part of this paper Camus rules out suicide and a
leap of faith as viable answers to the absurd. This marks the diverging point of their ideas on
how to deal with absurd in this meaningless world.

Although, they agreed on the three options as solutions to absurd Kierkegaard and Camus
recommend different options as best to deal with absurd. Kierkegaard views faith as ultimate
option to curb absurd while Camus recommend acceptance. As exposed in the exposition part
both Kierkegaard and Camus have reasons behind their option. According to Camus, having
faith in a spiritual reality is irrational as the choice cannot be made utilizing human reason
derived from intellect or science but in conjunction with that belief (Camus, 1955). He insist that,
to live authentically in the meaningless world we must live within the realm of known being. On
the other hand, for Kierkegaard faith allows us to transcend the unknown which we have filled
with stories, myths, creatures and all imagined happy endings (Stewart, 2015). He also contends
that faith is the body of every individual’s perpetual quest for meaning. This implies that, faith is
not esthetic but something far higher and it is not spontaneous inclination of the heart but the
paradox of existence.
The other thing that can be explained much about Kierkegaard and Camus is a role of reason in
absurd world and the question of whether reason and faith can coexist. Kierkegaard viewed
reasoning as of less important in dealing with absurd, by claiming that faith is above reason. He
adopts Jacobs’s idea that truth cannot be reached by rational thinking alone, and viewed faith as
basic human altitude to which even the rationalists resort in order to choose reason (Stewart,
2015). This implies that reason and faith cannot coexist since reason with tangible things while
faith is beyond tangible which is transcendental world reality. On the other hand, Camus
explanation hinges on reason as basic element in the world where people are in continuous quest
for meaning of life. Camus contends that, in order to satiate our endless thirst for meaning, we
are inclined to utilize reason in our justification for our beliefs in spiritual reality but reason is
not capable of justify those beliefs. He consider leap of faith as suicide because it amounts
killing off the fundamental and distinctive part of the human being which is human reasoning

Kierkegaard’s conception of self is reflected in Camus ideas. This marks a similarity in their
existentialism particularly on absurd and Faith. In their explanation of absurd and faith there is
much elements of self especially when dealing with absurdity individual is responsible to choose
a path without being coerced by someone else. Both Camus and Kierkegaard shares a structure
and a goal, ultimate end in similar place namely reflective self-known as individual excellence.
According to Camus, the absurd hero is a one who is aware of limit and lives at its verge but
never retreats (Golomb, 1995). This explicitly highlight the tension constitutes the self in an
individual who is trying to excel through absurd. As Kierkegaard claims, to exist implies being a
certain kind of individual, an individual who strives, who considers alternatives, who chooses,
who decides and who above all makes a commitment (Stumpf & Fieser, 2012). This implies that,
individual has all power to choose a path that is good and issue of dealing with absurd is a matter
of individual affair not a group. In addition to that, Kierkegaard argues that faith and hope are the
only things available for individuals to reaffirm their subjective sense of self which assists and
guide their being Therefore, Kierkegaard and Camus understanding of absurd and faith is that
individual is ultimate entity to deal with them in order to affirm his/her existence as authentic
life.

The other similarity that marks the final point of this part is that both Kierkegaard and Camus
accept that reason and faith cannot coexist at some point. According to Kierkegaard when
individual want to win God should leave aside reasoning part since faith is above reason and
reality in transcendental world cannot be explained by reason but faith itself (Evans,2009). On
the other hand, Camus also accepts the limited of reason to reach the transcendental reality. He
argues that it is rational to act only on what is available to us through our human experience.
This implies that reason exists within our current human condition and cannot be extended
further, which means our knowledge ends in this material world but the rest are construction.
Camus rejection of transcendental reality explained by Kierkegaard based from his
understanding that our knowledge about transcendence is limited and reason cannot reach such
realm such that adoption of faith as prerequisite for reason is irrational.
The other similar that marks the final point of this part is that both Kierkegaard and Camus
accept that reason and faith cannot coexist at some point. According to Kierkegaard when
individual want to win God should leave aside reasoning part since faith is above reason and
reality in transcendental world cannot be explained by reason but faith itself. On the other hand,
Camus also accepts the limited of reason to reach the transcendental reality. He argues that it is
rational to act only on what is available to us through our human experience. This implies that
reason exists within our current human condition and cannot be extended further, which means
our knowledge ends in this material world but the rest are construction.

In summation, Kierkegaard and Camus as existentialist recognized absurdity as part and parcel
of being. However, to propel through this absurd is a means to live authentically and fully
affirming our being. Religious faith on the other hand, is one of the three main options that man
in despair tends to choose in order to curd absurd, all of these aims at achieving authentic life.