Sickness Unto Death

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Anti-Climacus begins by referencing the Gospel of John 11.4, questioning whether the statement "This sickness is not unto death" remains valid even without Jesus raising Lazarus. While death is seen as an end in human terms, Christianity views it as a transition in eternal life, making it less fearful. The true "Sickness unto Death" is spiritual despair, which Kierkegaard emphasizes as the real threat. An individual is "in despair" when they do not align with God’s plan for themselves, leading to a loss of self, defined as the "relation's relating itself to itself." Humanity exists in the tension between the finite and infinite, and to become a true self, one must be aware of their identity in relation to a higher purpose. Denying this self or the divine leads to despair. Kierkegaard identifies three types of despair: the first, "inauthentic despair," arises from ignorance of one's self and the existence of God, accepting only finite reality. The second involves recognizing the self but rejecting it, akin to Sartre's bad faith. The third type acknowledges the eternal yet refuses to submit to God’s will, resisting the true nature of the self. Overcoming despair means reconciling the finite with the infinite, achieving awareness of oneself and God. Kierkegaard defines the opposite of despair as faith, where the self rests in the power that created it.