"The nothing, that can appear" Soren Kierkegaard′s concept of reason and its hermeneutic relevance for theology

The paper outlines the notion of occasion [Andlegning] as it is to be found in the works of Soren Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard describes occasion as a rather mysterious but also powerful element in communication on all levels of human existence, i.e. in aesthetics, ethics, and religion. His analysis shows that occasion determines the function of aesthetic expressivity, ethical reflection and religious semiotics in human communication. By following Kierkegaard's interpretation the essay draws conclusions for the understanding of a theological hermeneutics that sees occasion as a dynamic element in the self-communication of the gospel rather than as a given objectivity that has to be interpreted.