Abstract
This article explores two views of happiness in Christianity. According to one view, happiness is heavenly, something that is attained only in eternal life. In the other view, happiness can be experienced on earth. Augustine (354–430) advocated the first view, in which life on earth is viewed as full of misery. The conception of happiness as earthly is articulated by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945) in his Letters and Papers from Prison. This article clarifies both views by pointing to the use of different types of content regarding transcendence. The focus is on the comparison between the two views and their impact on daily life.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1198 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-11 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Religions |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| Early online date | 19 Sept 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2023 |
Bibliographical note
This article belongs to the Special Issue: Transcendence and Happiness: New Perspectives from Religion and Philosophy.Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the author.
Keywords
- Augustine
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- good life
- happiness
- interpretation of the Bible
- transcendence