Kierkegaard, Pietism and Holiness

'The role of Pietism in shaping Kierkegaard's religious outlook has often been alluded to in the secondary literature, but has only rarely been addressed in detail. Christopher B. Barnett's study goes further than any previous work in establishing the historical, biographical and textual basis for this influence and in tracing its effects in Kierkegaard's own writings. This will surely become a point of reference for any future work that takes Kierkegaard's place in the history of theology seriously and, indeed, for any work that seeks to understand what being religious meant for him. It is admirably clear and thorough in its treatment of both primary and secondary materials.' George Pattison, Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity,University of Oxford, UK 'This book should be required reading for any student of Kierkegaard’s religious works, and it is highly recommended for anyone studying the philosophical writings too. Barnett traces key sources of Kierkegaard’s religious outlook back through such figures as J. G. Hamann, Nikolaus Zinzendorf, Gottfried Arnold, Johannes Arndt, Martin Luther, and Thomas à Kempis, all the way to the medieval mystic Johannes Tauler, and before. The analysis thereby illumines Kierkegaard’s polemics against mere philosophical speculation and his call for a Socratic brand of Christianity disciplined by the constant risk of martyrdom.' Andrew Burgess, Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, The University of New Mexico, USA 'Søren Kierkegaard’s intellectual relationship to Pietism is complex and dialectical - indeed, ambivalent. Barnett’s historically detailed treatise on Kierkegaard’s relationship to Pietism will thus become a standard work for international Kierkegaard researchers and for scholars of church history and dogmatics'. Niels Jørgen Cappelørn, Professor of Kierkegaard Studies, University of Copenhagen, Denmark '... Barnett’s Kierkegaard, Pietism and Holiness will one day become a seminal work on this issue