“If I am capable of grasping God objectively, I do not believe, but precisely because I cannot do this I must believe.”
- May 5, 1813 – November 11, 1855
- Danish
- Philosopher, Theologian, Poet, Father of Existentialism
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Quote
“If I am capable of grasping God objectively, I do not believe, but precisely because I cannot do this I must believe.”
Explanation
This quote captures Kierkegaard’s foundational insight into the nature of faith as a subjective and paradoxical act. He argues that if God could be fully understood or proven objectively, like a mathematical equation or scientific fact, then faith would no longer be necessary—it would be replaced by knowledge. But because God is infinite, transcendent, and beyond the limits of reason, belief becomes a leap into the unknown, a personal and existential commitment in the absence of certainty.
Kierkegaard developed this idea in opposition to the rational theology and Hegelian philosophy of his time, which sought to reduce religious truth to logical systems. For him, faith cannot be reduced to intellectual comprehension—it is precisely the passion of embracing what the mind cannot grasp. Belief in God involves not just accepting doctrines but surrendering the demand for objective proof and embracing the risk and inwardness of trusting in the divine.
In contemporary terms, this quote speaks to those who wrestle with doubt or seek rational certainty before committing to belief. Kierkegaard insists that faith begins not when all questions are answered, but when one chooses to trust despite the unresolvable tension. It is not irrational, but supra-rational—a courageous act that arises not from evidence, but from the deep, personal need for meaning, truth, and relationship with something greater than oneself.
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