The Core of Learning presents the philosophical framework of N.F.S. Grundtvig’s educational, poetic, theological, and political writings. In each of these fields he made a major contribution to the formation of modern Denmark. He situates humanity in the wider background of creation and nature, and in his alternative programme of enlightenment he focuses on the core and advance of Learning in the history of human civilization, and the role of emotions for all philosophical reflection.

As part of its agenda to digitalise and translate Grundtvig’s vast output, the Grundtvig Study Centre at Aarhus University is pleased to publish this fifth volume in the series, ‘N.F.S. Grundtvig: Works in English’. Volume 1, The School for Life (2011), contains Grundtvig’s major writings on education, while Volume 2, Living Wellsprings (2015) contains a selection of his hymns, songs, and poems. Volume 3, Human Comes First (2018) contains articles and sermons relating to Grundtvig’s Christian theology, and Volume 4, The Common Good (2019) deals with his historical and political ideas.