This paper aims to explore Søren Kierkegaard's concept of self-consciousness and sin-consciousness,as it is mainly presented in his work "The Sickness Unto Death" and their implications for a contemporary understanding of hamartiology.
Continously Kierkegaard posits that the human being is created as a Synthesis to become spirit. In its dynamic process to become the self, that it is ought to be, the Individual can exist in a state of a spiritual duality, oscillating between self-awareness and an acute awareness of sin. These poles of existing will be analysed in this paper.This paper will argue, that a time-sensitive-hamartology, meaning one that acknowledges the contextualty of theological teachings, can be established with Kierkegaard's method, can provide a more nuanced understanding of human existence. I will investigate how self-consciousness allows individuals to confront their existential despair, while sin-consciousness reveals the nature of guilt and alienation in modern life and additionally the need for some kind of redemption and reconciliation to fullfill the individual's task to become a true self as spirit.Ultimately, this study seeks to contribute to Contemporary theological and philosophical discourse by highlighting the relevance of Kierkegaards existential approach.
The paper aims to show, that an existential understanding of self-consciousness and sin-consciousness not only enriches our comprehension of Kierkgaard's thought but also offers valuable Perspectives for addressing the complexities of modern existence. By engaging with these concepts from a theological perpective a better understanding for the ongoing struggle forauthenticity -often marked by disconnection and alienation -can be reached. Furthermore, with the help of Kierkegaard, who consindered himself a "religious writer" and a "witness of the truth", this study can also be of Service for a inner- theological perspective on what theology has to offer in the modern discourses.