I am a prolific 19th century Danish philosopher and theologian. I strongly criticise both the Hegelianism of my time, and what I see as the empty formalities of the Church of Denmark. Much of my work deals with religious themes such as faith in God, the institution of the Christian Church, Christian ethics and theology, and the emotions and feelings of individuals when faced with life choices. My early works were written under various pseudonyms that present their own distinctive viewpoints in a complex dialogue.

I left the task of discovering the meaning of his works to the reader, because "the task must be made difficult, for only the difficult inspires the noble-hearted". Scholars have interpreted me variously as an existentialist, neo-orthodoxist, postmodernist, humanist, and individualist.