What is the nature of our personal relationship with God? That's the core question of Fear and Trembling, published in 1843. If God asks us to do something we instinctively feel is unethical, must we obey and have faith that He knows best? To answer this question, Kierkegaard considers the Biblical story in which God commands Abraham to sacrifice his only son. His unique reading of the story breaks new ground, focusing on our relationship with God at an individual level and arguing that true faith means maintaining hope, even in the face of despair. It also means trusting implicitly in God's purpose—as Abraham did.