Søren Kierkegaard was born into a large, wealthy family in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 5, 1813. He grew into an awkward but witty boy, often infuriating his teachers and classmates alike. His father, although at times distant and depressed, encouraged his sons to think deeply and defend what they believed. After spending some time in the university, Kierkegaard began writing books. He explored many important theological topics and defended his views on them regardless of the opposition from Denmark’s established church. Most of his ideas were underappreciated in his day, but many of them are now studied throughout the modern world.