A Quick Kierkegaardian Supplement

I was reading the "mad dane" today and came across a phenomenal quote I wish I would have known about earlier when writing my paper.

In context, Kierkegaard is talking about the dangers of over-complicating the Scriptures, particularly through "Christian scholarship" -- essentially, for him, something that aims to assert and defend human constructions instead of understanding the often straightforward (albeit provocative and challenging) message of Christ. He's upset with the taming of God.

"I open the New Testament and read: 'If you want to be perfect, then sell all your goods and give to the poor and come follow me.' Good God, if we were to actually do this, all the capitalists, the officeholders, and the entrepreneurs, the whole society in fact, would be almost beggars! We would be sunk if it were not for Christian scholarship! Praise be to everyone who works to consolidate the reputation of Christian scholarship, which helps to restrain the New Testament, this confounded book which would one, two, three, run us all down if it got loose (that is, if Christian scholarship did not restrain it)...We lock it up but argue that we are doing the opposite, that we are busily engaged in helping it gain clarity and control. But then, of course, no insane person, no prisoner of the state, would ever be as dangerous to us as the New Testament would be if it were set free."