Barth's Account Research Articles

Barth's Repetition*

AbstractIn chapter three of volume 1.2 (§19‐21) of the Church Dogmatics, Karl Barth provided one of his most thoroughgoing accounts of the concept of scripture. Throughout, he held in tension the Word of God with the frailty of the Bible's human words. As Barth explored this two‐fold aspect of the Bible, he relied upon the concept of repetition. However, what has not been fully appreciated is how repetition was at work not just in Barth's account of the Word and letter of the text, but also the Bible's book form. In response, the following essay concentrates upon these three aspects of repetition in Barth's thought. First, it evaluates trinitarian repetition and circular imagery throughout the Church Dogmatics. Second, it clarifies how repetition featured in Barth's hermeneutics of the interior letter of the text. Third, it demonstrates how despite Barth's ambiguities on these matters, repetition also included the physical book. The result reframes Barth's relevance to the material study of the Bible, which when viewed in this light can inform critical debate about the openness of technological information cultures today.

Barth backwards: reading theChurch Dogmatics‘from the end’

AbstractThis article proposes a way of reading Karl Barth'sChurch Dogmaticsbackwards or ‘from the end’. Employing this method to exploreThe Doctrine of GodandThe Doctrine of the Word of Godhighlights two aspects of Barth's theology. The first is the importance of communion to Barth's account of the immanence and economy of God, especially in his understanding of God as the ‘Lord of Glory’. The second is Barth's careful balancing of christology and pneumatology across the first two volumes of theDogmaticsthrough the use of a chiastic structure that underpins his construal of divine election and his account of divine revelation.

Reason After Revelation: Karl Barth on Divine Word and Human Words

AbstractThough little understood, Karl Barth's moral theology is widely criticized. Indeed, it is so widely criticized because it is so little understood. Among ethicists, the principal objects of criticism are Barth's account of practical reason and the account of revelation on which it depends. This essay argues that such criticisms miss their mark, because they rest on an incomplete understanding of Barth's doctrine of the Word of God that results in an incorrect understanding of his doctrine of divine command. Because critics neglect his account of subjective reception of revelation through which divine command is heard, they ignore the account of disputation, deliberation, and decision present in his account of scriptural interpretation and ecclesial confession. By laying out the discursive practices of scriptural interpretation and ecclesial confession, and by drawing out the deliberative dimensions of Kantian self‐legislation and Hegelian mutual recognition at work in interpretation and confession alike, this essay argues that these practices provide a fuller account of what Barth calls “practical casuistry,” as well as his most fulsome and winsome account of practical reason.

Thomas Aquinas and Karl Barth on the Christian life: similarity and differences

AbstractAquinas and Barth both describe the Christian life in light of who God is and how God acts, rather than with a primary concern for morality or apologetics. They differ in that Aquinas describes a single, essentially monastic, and normative form of discipleship that, because it cannot be taken up by most Christians, issues in practice in a two-tier conception of the Christian life. By contrast, Barth's account of vocation individualises the call to each Christian so that it is possible for everyone to lead the Christian life equally well yet in very diverse ways. For this reason, and because our true relation to God is hidden, even to ourselves, we may conclude that it is dangerous to make negative judgement as to anyone's standing before God – and therefore their relative standing in the church, too – based upon a view of the normative form of the Christian life.

Understanding as a Liturgy of the Whole Church: The Critical Hermeneutics of Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics, Volume 1, Part 2

Abstract: As a re-examination of Karl Barth's hermeneutic, this article argues that while Werner Jeanrond's identification of Barth with Gadamer may be appropriate, his blindness to Barth's provision of a critical element, which Jeanrond believed Bultmann alone provides, reveals a general hermeneutical prejudice. The work first contrasts the hermeneutical methods of Barth and Bultmann, identifying where Jeanrond believes Bultmann's critical hermeneutic progresses beyond Barth. Then, through comparison with the method Gadamer employs, it gives evidence that Barth both acknowledges and addresses the need Jeanrond believes only Bultmann addresses. Finally, it shows how, when followed to its proper conclusion, Barth's hermeneutic provides the critical element Jeanrond believes lacking in Barth. Where Barth differs is in his identification of the critical element with the dogmatic task, a task to which he believed all believers contributed and is in that sense a liturgical work; leitourgeo, from which liturgy is derived, being a derivative of laos (people) and ergon (work). That the methodology Barth employs is what truly distinguishes his hermeneutic from Bultmann's is defended, and that Barth believed it the true solution to the hermeneutical problem Jeanrond identifies. Thus, it is argued that Barth takes the problem much more seriously. The work concludes with an outline of some of the implications of Barth's account, in which it is argued to be both ecumenical and emancipative and thus politically charged. It is also proven instructive for a correct understanding of his commitment to the principle semper reformanda.

The Christian Life: In Addition to Augustine and Aquinas

AbstractThe paper offers an alternative to the prevailing “discipleship” model of the Christian life that requires self-transformation, considerable effort and self-sacrifice, and tends to make negative judgements against those who fail to live according to the model. The model is illustrated by the example of Thomas Aquinas. A second, complementary model is drawn from the role of the crowds, who followed Jesus in the Gospels. With the help of Karl Barth's account of vocation, the second model makes it possible for the church to consider those who, for certain reasons, do not live in accord with the discipleship model to be considered good Christians, rather than unsatisfactory ones.

Person and Being: Conversation with T.F. Torrance about the Monarchy of God

AbstractIn whom is the unified rule of God centred? Does ultimate determination and authority reside with God the Father or is supreme power shared equally by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? T.F. Torrance's conception of a triune Monarchy, with its differentiated senses of God's Fatherhood, is here expounded and contrasted with Karl Barth's account of command and obedience as integral to God's eternal Being. A brief exegetical study in the Fourth Gospel is also undertaken to seek clarification. The main strengths of Torrance's view are reckoned the unqualified divinity of the Son and Spirit, and their full participation together with the Father in all God's ways and works. A weakness is identified, however, in an under‐determination of the Father's fatherliness. Resolution is then pursued in terms of Person and Being. Although Torrance makes wide‐ranging use of these terms, he does not appear to employ them sufficiently regarding the Monarchy. It is subsequently argued that with respect to Person God the Father is Monarch, while with respect to Being the Three share the Monarchy of God equally and eternally.

FOLLOWING AT A DISTANCE (AGAIN): GENDER, EQUALITY, AND FREEDOM IN KARL BARTH'S THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

AbstractThis article explores the possibility of moving beyond the apparent incapacity of Karl Barth's theological anthropology to accommodate gender equality. Barth's theological anthropology is read by critics and appreciative readers alike as confining the basic form of humanity to a binary opposition (I and Thou) from which he then derives a gender‐specific, hierarchical account of man and woman, and finally, of husband and wife as a paradigmatic ethical relationship. I first forward a close reading of Barth's account of I and Thou in order to explicate the nature of the normative form that is basic to his account of human being‐in‐relation. I apply this reading as a lens through which to re‐read and re‐orient his account of Man and Woman/Husband and Wife. I argue that the inequalities that appear intrinsic to Barth's formal ordering of Man and Woman/Husband and Wife owing to the absence of a standard concept of “equal regard” might be re‐oriented, and limitations of his account surpassed, by grasping with greater precision and enunciating the orientational implications of Barth's christologically‐anchored conception of freedom as the “root and crown” of human being‐in‐relation generally, and gendered relationship in particular.

Claiming Barth for Ethics: The Last Two Decades

AbstractSince 1990, there has been something of a reversal in scholarly opinion regarding Karl Barth's forays into Christian ethics. Against the previously held conclusion that Barth's account of divine action overwhelms the possibility of human agency and therefore any meaningful basis for ethics, more recent scholarship has tried to show that Barth did in fact take seriously the human being as moral agent. This article surveys the key publications from the past twenty years, in places bringing them into critical dialogue with one another, before assessing what can be learned about Barth's contribution to Christian ethics. There is discussion of Barth's relationship to casuistry and natural law, as well as the extent to which modern scholarship must rework Barth's theological ethics in order for it to publicly viable in the future.

Human and Animal Relations in the Theology of Karl Barth

This article presents a theological approach to human and animal relations by way of engagement with the theology of Karl Barth. Barth's specific discussion of the ethical status of the killing of animals and his theological presuppositions are critically assessed. The author argues that Barth's theological framework, especially his use of the concept of “secondary responsibility” and the implications of God's covenantal relationship with human beings for animals, is morally problematic. A theology of human relationships with animals is inextricably linked to christology, eschatology and ecclesiology. Barth's account is persuasive, though limited, in the first two categories, but is wanting in ecclesiology. An ecclesiological account of human relationships with animals is proposed by means of an engagement with Barth's eschatological ecclesiology.

Election and the Pattern of Exchange in Karl Barth's Doctrine of the Atonement

AbstractBruce McCormack has described Barth's doctrine of the atonement as even more forensic than the traditional Protestant account due to the role played therein by his doctrine of election. The content of this election is fleshed out by the covenant of grace. This essay gives attention to the place of one aspect of that covenant of grace—the pattern of exchange—as it is found in Barth's account of the atonement, arguing that a mutually constitutive relation of unity-in-distinction obtains between the pattern of exchange and election in Barth's treatment of the atonement, with an asymmetrical priority given to election.

Religious Diversity, Christian Doctrine and Karl Barth

: The recognition of the heterogeneity of the goals of the world's religions has led to a greater alertness to the doctrinal questions raised by the presence of truth and rectitude which Christians might recognize in the other religions. In this article J.A. DiNoia's proposals for the recognition of subordinate and non-oppositional truths in the other religions, and his more recent defence of Barth's account of the religions in Church Dogmatics§17, are brought into dialogue with Karl Barth's account of truth extra muros ecclesiae in CD§69. It is argued that the latter raises a number of crucial doctrinal questions for DiNoia's own proposal for the recognition of subordinate and non-oppositional truth, and that it is a more important resource for contemporary discussions than is the controversial CD§17.

Trinitarian Missiology: Towards a Theology of God as Missionary1

: This article explores the possibilities of using ‘missionary’ as an attribute of God, as has been done recently in some ecclesial discourse. To this end, it offers an exegesis of John 20:21–23 via expositions of Augustine's discussion of the divine missions in De Trinitate, Barth's account of election, and the Lateran condemnation of Joachim of Fiore, and a discussion of the relationship between trinitarian theology and the divine attributes.

Schöpfung aus dem Nichts. Zur soteriologischen Brisanz und Relevanz eines Theologumenons

The theological concept of creatio ex nihilo (creation from nothing) pointedly expresses the sola gratia (by grace alone) for the doctrine of creation. Natural sciences reflecting upon the boundaries of their knowledge, philosophy inquiring metaphysical problems and theology converge on the perception of nothingness. But they differ deeply in their way of perceiving and entitling it. The present article deals with the soteriological implications of the metaphysical concept of nothingness in the early Heidegger in the light of Karl Barth's account of nothingness (Das Nichtige). Against this background, different phenomena observed and interpreted by psychology and sociology are examined as to their soteriological implications. Thus, the radical way of perception and the liberating challenge implied in the concept of creatio ex nihilo become apparent.

“Church Practices”: Sacraments or Invocations? H¨tter's Proposal in Light of Barth's

The concept of "church practices" has entered in a prominent way into current theological discussion. While the lineage of this concept includes Alasdair MacIntyre and Stanley Hauerwas, the concept most recently has been taken up as a special point of concentration by a group of Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Anglican theologians, which this year has brought out a book entitled, Knowing the Triune God: The Work of the Spirit in the Practices of the Church. Among its accomplished contributors is Reinhard Hütter who, as is indicated by the title of his recent book, has been a principal advocate in the development of the concept. Hütter's work is especially instructive for the following reasons: (a) his account of what is meant by the concept of church practices; (b) his account of the comprehensive role church practices (together with church doctrine) play in determining what theology is and does, and; (c) his criticism of Barth's account of church practices and, consequently, of the way in which Barth does theology. Since Hütter's account of church practices gains some of its descriptive force from its polemical relation to Barth's theology of the Christian community, it is useful to compare Hütter's proposal (first section) with Barth's (second section). Further, it may be noted, Barth provides something that Hutter does not-the exegetical support for his proposed understanding of one church practice-water baptism. (The implication of his exegesis for the understanding of the other church practices is, I believe, evident.) The question posed, then, is: are Barth's exegetical grounds (recounted in the third section) for his description of church practices clear enough and convincing enough to withstand Hutter's criticism and alternate proposal? Contrariwise, Hutter is challenged to provide more convincing exegetical grounds for his proposal than has Barth.

Hierarchical Image and Reality: The Construction of a Tribal Chiefship

Image and reality interplay in chiefship of Basseri tribe of southern Iran. We know Basseri through and rightly esteemed ethnography, Nomads of South Persia, by Fredrik Barth. Barth's account of Basseri chief is vivid and striking, and, in placing chiefship within complex society of Iran, was an original contribution to ethnographic literature. And yet there appear to be certain subtleties of Basseri chiefship, which, while implied in historical and ethnographic information provided by Barth, are not included in his explicit description. As a result, Barth overstates, I believe, degree of Basseri chief's power, and underestimates extent to which chief depended upon consent of his tribemen. Image and reality interplay in social life because people present themselves and describe others pragmatically, in ways that help them to achieve their objectives and goals. The images that people thusly present of themselves and others-the clever student, influential professor, honest used-car salesman, public-spirited politician, well known to us all-may be partial, incomplete, or totally false, but usually involve some degree of misrepresentation. To extent that claims people make in constructing their and others' images do not correspond to their actions and activities, to their practice and practices, images diverge from reality. This is criterion we apply in our everyday lives, and I believe it is appropriate for understanding other people's lives. But story does not end with simple distinction between words and actions, between image and reality. For while referent of an image may be all or partly illusory, presentation of that image to other people is itself social, intentional, goal-oriented action; it can and does lead others to act, and so construction and management of images is itself part of reality. To this extent, image presentation shapes worlds we wish to understand, and is thus a legitimate and necessary focus of our attention. Among Basseri, the chief

The Stranger as Sacrament: Karl Barth and the Ethics of Ecclesial Practice>

Recent theology has devoted attention to ecclesial practices as a matrix for ethical reflection. Barth stands in ambivalent relation to these developments. On the one hand, Barth urges consideration of the relation of church practice to the gospel of divine action; on the other, Barth's christocentric account of ethics might be corrected by an ethics of ecclesial practice. The ambivalence is explored in an interpretation of Barth's account of the ministry of the Christian community in Church Dogmatics IV/3 and of his treatment of love of one's neighbour in I/2.

THOMAS AND BARTH IN CONVERGENCE ON ROMANS 1?

This article summarizes research on the natural knowledge of God and the construal of sacred doctrine in question one of the Summa Theologiae and chapter 1 of Thomas's Romans commentary, with a comparison to Karl Barth. It takes as its challenge and motivation to uncover some of the affinities (indeed, to create a convergence) between Karl Barth and Thomas Aquinas just where both modern Barthians and modern Thomists would have thought convergence least likely: on the natural knowledge of God. It seeks to do so on the basis of their reading of Romans 1:20 in Barth's Shorter Commenta and Thomas's Super epistolam S. Pauli ad Romanos? where each of them ends up saying surprising things about the natural knowledge of God under the pressure of following Paul. Part II of the article simply asserts the reading of Thomas on Romans and takes theologian's licence to do so in theses defended elsewhere. Part III makes the comparison of the two commentaries (Barth's and Thomas's), arguing a convergence, and it too concludes in theses. Some readers may find the procedure circular. If so, I can only hope the circle is attractive enough to make them curious enough to seek more information. Part of what I hope to do is provide a reading of Thomas's theological procedure that resembles in a smaller way Barth's account of Anselm's.

The Significance of Karl Barth for Contemporary Theology

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KARL BARTH FOR CONTEMPORARY THEOLOGY TIE CENTENNIAL OBSERVATION of Karl Barth's rth provides a happy opportunity to reassess the sigficance of the Swiss theologian's work. Such a reappraisal is needed, because American theologians since the 1960s have tended to dismiss Barth as a once influential figure in a now discredited theological movement called " neoorthodoxy ." 1 Setting aside the oddity of a classification which lumps together such diverse thinkers as Barth, Brunner, Bultmann , Tillich, and the Niebuhrs, this easy dismissal hardly does justice to the man who produced the most wide-ranging theological work of the twentieth century, the Church Dogmatics . In this essay I will assess Barth's importance for contemporary theology by first viewing his thought in the context of the disputes surrounding the promulgation of the Barmen Declaration. Through an analysis of the criticisms directed against Barth by his conservative German Lutheran opponents of the 1930s, I will seek to show the ecumenical significance of Barth's work for theology in the 1980s. My introductory comments will focus on the Protestant tradition, because the theological and political disputes of those years were carried on in isolation from the Roman Catholic community.2 1 Both Protestant and Catholic theologians have tended to group Barth with the "neo-orthodox" movement. See, for example, Langdon Gilkey, Naming the Whirlwind (Indianapolis. Bobbs-Merrill, 1969), pp. 73-106: and David Tracy, Blessed Rage for Order (New York: Seabury Publishing House, 1978), pp. 27-31. Tracy treats Barth and the other "neo-orthodox" theologians simply as "critical moments " in the history of modern liberalism. 2 The definitive work on the church in Nazi Germany is Klaus Scholder, Die Kirchen und das dritte Reich, (Frankfurt: Ullstein, 1977). Only the 512 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KARL BARTH 518 The issues raised in that Reformed-Lutheran squabble in those early years of the Third Reich have, however, a continuing significance for contemporary Christian theologians from the full spectrum of confessional traditions. The Barmen Synod of May, 1984, and its famous declaration were primarily the result of the efforts of Reformed theologians . Karl Barth's essay "Theologische Existenz Heute!" launched the confessional protest movement against state interference in church affairs.3 While Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran pastor, founded the " Pastors' Emergency League," the impetus for a confessional synod was provided by those free Reformed churches which first met in Barmen in January, 1984, and issued a statement of theological confession and protest authored by Karl Barth.4 The subsequent confessional synod met on May 29-81 at the Reformed Church of BarmenGemarke , and Barth, of course, authored the document we now know as the Barmen Declaration. Though Lutheran theologians and pastors were involved in the preparations for the Barmen synod, their direct contributions were rather limited. In fact, Barth reported that he wrote a first draft of the theological declaration while his two Lutheran colleagues, Thomas Breit and Hans Asmussen, took three hour long naps! With some glee Barth described the occasion. " The Lutheran first volume, which deals with the period 1914-1933, of this projected two volume work has been completed. The best studies in English of the churches' encounter with Nazism are J. S. Conway, The Nazi Persecution of the Churches Under Hitler, 1933-1945, (London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1968) and Ernst Helmreich, The German Churches Under Hitler, (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1979). For works which focus primarily on Roman Catholicism's situation in the Third Reich, see Gordon Zahn, German Catholios and Hitler's Wars (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1962) and Guenter Lewy, The Catholic Church and Nazi Germany (New York: McGraw & Hill, 1964). s Theologische l!Jwistenz Heute, 1 (1933). English translation: Theological l!Jwistence Today, trans. by R. Birch Hoyle (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1933). 4 Karl Barth, "Erklarung iiber das rechte Verstandnis der reformatorischen Bekenntnisse in der Deutschen Evangelischen Kirche der Gegenwart," Theologische l!Jwistenz Heute, 7 (1943), pp. 9-15. 514 RONALD THIELMANN Church slept and the Reformed Church kept awake ... I revised the text of the six statements fortified by strong coffee and one or two Brazilian cigars." 5 Though Barth's account of Lutheran inaction was somewhat exaggerated, there can be no doubt that Barmen's chief critics...