Abstract
Though their biographies vastly differ, Karl Barth's long-term extra-marital relationship with Charlotte von Kirschbaum and John H. Yoder's sexual crimes have been the focus of a range of reactions and proposed approaches on how to read the theology of the two theologians given their biographies. This article will examine those critical responses using an analytical framework appropriated from Sameer Yadav's work on cognate conversations about locating and remedying the causes of white supremacy in the church: are the problems due to problematic theology, problematic institutional practice, or both? A correct diagnosis helps the theologian to then propose the right remedy. This adapted framework will be applied to the cases of Barth and Yoder to critically examine how Steven Plant and Rachel Muers respond to Barth's biography and how Stanley Hauerwas and Hilary Scarsella respond to Yoder's biography. After demonstrating how the different respondents address the issue as one primarily of problematic theology or problematic institutional practices, I will argue that it is both theology and practice that must be addressed in order to satisfactorily deal with the reality and scale of infection when it comes to influential theologians. Sample treatments will be offered for responding to Barth's and Yoder's biographies.
Highlights
Christian theological tradition is no stranger to our era’s steady exposure of sexual misconduct by influential male leaders in society and the church.[1]
Ravi Zacharias and Bill Hybels are some recent examples of notoriety
This is only possible if one learns from the past, learns what went wrong—and mercifully, in that mess, learns what can lead to thriving instead of continued harm
Summary
Christian theological tradition is no stranger to our era’s steady exposure of sexual misconduct by influential male leaders in society and the church.[1]. Instead of asking the question of whether a theologian’s work is still of value given his breach in sexual ethics, my adaptation of Yadav’s typologies offers a different analytic: how can one respond to an influential theologian’s problematic biography in a way that helps correct and remedy harmful attitudes and ideas in theology and practice? There are patterns, norms and behaviours that she needs to understand in order to connect with that universe, to better it, and to challenge what makes that world problematic What this analogy offers is not an estimation of each theologian based on his value against his misconduct; it instead recognizes that the theological code written by Barth, Yoder and others runs through much of our systems and assumptions. In order to call the Church to be more faithful than it was yesterday, the theologian must be informed of the logic and reasoning that led to the problems and values of today.[41]
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