- En historisk Theodice

En historisk Theodice[A Historical Theodicy]By Ole VindGrundtvig’s first World Chronicle from 1812 (VK 1812) is noted especially for itssharp criticism of contemporary culture. It can be read as a Lutheran revivalistsermon passing judgment on great historical as well as contemporary figures who are condemned for their lack of orthodox Christian faith. Read in the light of Grundtvig’s later works, however, the book carries the seeds of that philosophy of history which from 1832 onwards became the mainstay of all his writings.Thus, in VK 1812 are found the first traces of that original vision which inChristenhedens Syvstjerne (The Seven Sisters of Christendom, Grundtvig’s greatcycle of church historical poems written 1854-55, published 1860) follows churchhistory through seven national Churches of which the future Hindu (Christian)Church is the last. Likewise, in the chronicle are found Grundtvig’s first speculations on ethnic origins, later clarified into his idea of four principal peoples in World History (i.e. the Jews, the Greeks and the Romans in antiquity and the Scandinavians in modern times).In spite of his harsh condemnation of his contemporaries, Grundtvig concludesVK 1812 optimistically, prophesying a spiritual and Christian renewalin Scandinavia through the future university in Kristiania (i.e. Oslo) in Norway(founded 1811 and opened 1813). Such a trust in learning and scholarship wascharacteristic of the European age of Enlightenment with its belief in progress. In later major works, Grundtvig expressed this attitude in an original Nordic version which also formed the basis of his thoughts about education and folk high schools.In VK 1812 Grundtvig briefly characterizes the German thinkers who werethe foundation of his philosophy of history. Even if they are all blamed fortheir lack of orthodox faith, his delineation of them is remarkably mild. Later,rather surprisingly, Grundtvig appeared to reconcile himself to a great extentwith the German “naturalists imbued with spirit”.The quite positive words about those German philosophers whom he otherwiserather criticized, presage the deep inspiration in Grundtvig’s mature worksparticularly from Herder and Fichte. An exceptional role is played to Grundtvigby Lessing who raised the principal question of Protestant religious philosophyabout the relationship between Christianity and history. Already in VK 1812,Grundtvig’s philosophy of history is also a philosophy of religion in the shapeof a historical theodicy. As in his works to come, Grundtvig’s answer to Lessing’s question is thus quite the opposite of Søren Kierkegaard’s to whom Lessing, too, meant a serious philosophical challenge.