Barth for Armchair Theologians
This little book tells the story of Barth's theological journey from
liberalism to a new form of theology. He sought to resist the assumptions
and conclusions of liberal theology while at the same time avoiding the
temptation to simply return to some supposedly pristine, premodern form of
Christian orthodoxy. Instead Barth took the intellectual traditions of the
Enlightenment and Protestant orthodoxy with upmost seriousness while at the
same time subjecting both to critical scrutiny. The result is an approach to
theology that is deeply immersed in the Bible and the faith of the church
while also being significantly engaged with the questions and challenges of
contemporary life and thought.
Excellent introduction to the man and his theology. I love the way Barth
thinks. He writes theology not for the academics but for the church and its
members. Theology is for the people and not for some hair-splitting exercises.
Unfortunately he is way ahead of his time and very few people understood what he
wrote. I believe only now are we beginning to recognize the genius of the man.
As ministers we ought to speak of God. We are human however, and so
cannot speak of God, We ought therefore to recognise both our obligation
and inability and by that recognition give God the glory...
the impossible possibility...
From the standpoint of human beings, theology is an impossiblity.
Theology becomes possible only where God speaks when God is spoken of. Since
human beings have no control over this self-revelatory speech, they are
always dependent on God in the task of theology.
|posted 13 June 2011|
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