Existentialism Its Religious Proponents And Detractors

Existentialism is a European philosophical movement that was fostered by Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard in the early 19th Century. French writer Jean-Paul Sartre revived existentialism in 1943 with the publication of Being and Nothingness. Sartre and Kierkegaard are examples of the extremes of existentialist thought. Kierkegaard advocated a God-centered existentialism in his works and Sartre represents the atheistic/agnostic sphere of existentialist thought. The latter branch of this philosophical movement views man as alone and in a desperate situation in the world. In the absence of God he must struggle to find himself, using his own methods to find meaning and purpose in his life.