Essence of Christianity: Two Essays

The two essays contained in this volume were originally published in Swedish under the titles of Det bestdende i kristendomen and Forsoningen en Gudsgarning respectively. The first of them has been much used in Sweden as an introductory textbook for theological students. It outlines in nontechnical and more or less popular language the philosophy of religion underlying Nygren’s theological work. Since none of Bishop Nygren’s quite substantial philosophical writings is available in English, this essay can well serve as an introduction to his thought in that field for English readers. It furnishes something of the background against which Agape and Eros, for example, was written and can most profitably be read. It is also not irrelevant, despite the lapse of time since its original publication, to contemporary discussions of the meaning of religious language and ideas. The second essay elaborates a theme which in the first is claimed as a quite central concern of all religion and not least of Christianity. It also illustrates something of the theological implications of the idea of Agape, which is basic to the whole of Anders Nygren’s theology.