Christian existentialism

noun

: a form of existentialism stressing subjective aspects of the human person considered as a creature of God
especially : such a theory emphasizing (1) the natural desire of God's creatures to seek God (as in the philosophers and thinkers Augustine, Pascal, Nikolai Berdyaev, and Gabriel Marcel) or (2) the distance between humans as sinners and omnipotent God (as in Kierkegaard and the dialectical or crisis theology of Karl Barth and Emil Brunner)

called also respectively 1 Catholic existentialism, 2 Protestant existentialism

The Ultimate Dictionary Awaits

Expand your vocabulary and dive deeper into language with Merriam-Webster Unabridged.

  1. Expanded definitions
  2. Detailed etymologies
  3. Advanced search tools
  4. All ad-free

Discover what makes Merriam-Webster Unabridged the essential choice for true word lovers.

Start Your Free Trial Now

Dictionary Entries Near Christian existentialism

Cite this Entry

“Christian existentialism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Christian%20existentialism. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!