Quote for the day (7-3-05)

Orthodox Quote for the Day

From Soren Kierkegaard (Provocations, Chapter 15; Plough Publishing pgs. 58-60):
 
    "There are two ways of reflection. For objective reflection, truth becomes an object, and the point is to disregard the knowing subject. By contrast, in subjective reflection truth becomes personal appropriation, a life, inwardness, and the point is to immerse oneself... When the question about truth is asked objectively, what is reflected upon is not the relation but the 'what' of the relation... when the question about truth is asked subjectively, the individual's relation to the truth is what matters... God is a subject to be related to, not an object to be studied or meditated on... The person who chooses the subjective way immediately grasps the difficulty of trying to find God objectively. He understands that to know God means to resort to God, not by virtue of objective deliberation, but by virtue of the infinite passion of inwardness. Whereas objective knowledge goes along leisurely on the long road of deliberation, subjective knowledge considers every delay of decision a deadly peril. Knowing subjectively considers decision so important that it is immediately urgent, as if the delayed opportunity had already passed by unused."