Compare and contrast the Christian existentialism of Søren Kierkegaard (chapter 14) with the atheistic existentialism of Friedrich Nietzsche (chapter 16).

Compare and Contrast the Christian Existentialism of Søren Kierkegaard with The Atheistic Existentialism of Friedrich Nietzsche Student Name Institutional Affiliation Date Compare and Contrast the Christian Existentialism of Søren Kierkegaard with The Atheistic Existentialism of Friedrich Nietzsche Existentialism focuses on individual human lives and aspects of suffering and personal choices for individuals. The philosophy focuses on the existence of the individual as a free and responsible agent, who can establish their development. Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche are the pioneers of the existentialist movement, with the former regarded as the father of Existentialism. Both Kierkegaard and Nietzsche had strong religious backgrounds, which influenced their study of religion and planning to work in the Church as a minister and a pastor respectively. Both studied philosophy, which ultimately changed their minds on Christianity. Despite the parallels that exist between them, there are distinctions in their perspectives, especially regarding their positions on Christianity, where Nietzsche's critique of Christian standards is in plain contrast to Kierkegaard's Christian existentialism. This paper compares and contrasts Kierkegaard and Nietzsche’s works on Christian Existentialism and Atheistic Existentialism respectively, examining their philosophical approaches and the social contexts they were operating. Personal Authenticity Both Kierkegaard and Nietzsche consider personal authenticity important, despite looking at the concept from different perspectives. Kierkegaard demonstrates that authenticity majors on a subjective condition where people are courageous and honest without giving excuses or relying on groups or institutions to derive meaning. Kierkegaard is convinced that institutionalized Christianity lacks authenticity since it ignores the nature and deeds of an individual. The emphasis shifts to the importance of institutions, abstractions and groups. Inauthenticity emerges as individuals and their needs are largely ignored, denied and sacrificed to institutions or groups. Kierkegaard majors on an individual’s subjective relationship with God. He laments that the mid-19th century has become an era of conformity where the "massing of society" which diminishes the individual role has become common. Due to factors like mass production, mass media and the loss of truth due to objectivity. In a society interested in institutions rather than the people who constitute them, people lack passion. Kierkegaard indicates that in a passionless society, “Men’s thoughts are thin and flimsy like lace” (401). Kierkegaard maintains that crowds hinder the authenticity of individuals. Belonging to a crowd forces individuals to give up their rights. They are forced to conform to a set of beliefs to be accepted by the crowd. Unfortunately, Kierkegaard considers the crowd a burden to an individual. The crowd creates a level of dependency which makes an individual feel frightened when they are outside one. Kierkegaard condemns the need for people to get approval from the crowd since it forces them to give up their identity and succumb to those of the group. Kierkegaard indicates that belonging to a crowd forces people to betray part of themselves, stop living their lives and start living a "kind of life.” Kierkegaard has an issue with the loss of authenticity which occurs when people depend on the so-called "experts" from the crowd to show the way for important Christian aspects like salvation and personal growth (402). This negates the very essence of authenticity since it forces people to look up to others. Being Christian becomes an idea that people belong. During a time when people are constantly bombarded with ideas on what it means to be Christian, it can be challenging to identify what is authentic. As a result, Kierkegaard considers crowd-based Christianity to be based on generalizations, denying people an authentic view of what it means to be a Christian. Similarly, Nietzsche challenges present-day authenticity. Nietzsche has an issue with modernity's hindrance to individual expression Nietzsche considers that God does not exist, a discovery that requires an evaluation of the concept of authenticity. In Nietzsche’s evaluation, science and philosophy do not offer a true meaning. Even religion, with its popularity, denies people a real authentic experience, since God does not exist. Rather than looking at other sources for authenticity, Nietzsche advocates that it is within individuals. Meaning comes from looking inward as opposed to looking at external parties. However, un...