Søren Kierkegaard Promoted Sermon-Free, Participatory Church

“Christianity should not be lectured about. Christ says, my teaching is food. Christ has not appointed assistant-professors — but followers.” –Søren Kierkegaard

“The greatest possible error arises when we reduce the clergy to teachers. Imagine that the police instead of acting, began to teach about thievery.” –Søren Kierkegaard

“If it is assumed that speaking is sufficient for the proclamation of Christianity, then we have transformed the church into a theater. We can then have an actor learn a sermon and splendidly, masterfully deliver it.” –Søren Kierkegaard

“What is needed is not professors, but witnesses.  No, if Christ did not need scholars but was satisfied with fishermen, what is needed now is more fishermen.”  –Søren Kierkegaard

“The essential sermon is one’s own existence.  To let your mouth run with eloquent babbling when such talk is the opposite of your life is nonsense.”  –Søren Kierkegaard

“It is existence which preaches, not the mouth.  What my existence says is my sermon.”  –Søren Kierkegaard

“Christianity cannot be proclaimed by talking–but by acting.”  –Søren Kierkegaard

“Christianity came in as life, sheer daring that risked everything for the faith.  The change began when Christianity came to be regarded as doctrine.  Christianity must begin again as life.”  –Søren Kierkegaard

“Christianity is proclaimed in such a way that obedience is taken away and reasoning put in its place.”  –Søren Kierkegaard

A generation served by huckster clergy has replaced Christianity with a religion of easy terms.”  –Søren Kierkegaard

These quotes are part of a chapter in my book: Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible–Ekklesia.