Being in Action: The Theological Shape of Barth's Ethical VisionThis book investigates the way in which the 'actualistic ontology' - i.e., the fact that God and human agents are beings-in-act in a covenant relationship - that underlies the Church Dogmatics of Karl Barth affects his conception of ethical agency. It analyses this effect along three paths of inquiry: knowing what is right (the noetic dimension), doing what is right (the ontic dimension), and achieving what is right (the telic dimension). The first section of the book explores the discipline of theological ethics as Barth construes it, both in its theoretical status and in its actual practice. In the second section, the ontological import of ethical agency for Barth is considered in relation to the divine action and the divine command. The final section of the book examines the teleological purpose envisaged in this theological ethics in terms of participation, witness, and glorification. At each stage of the book, the strong interconnectedness of theological ethics and actualistic ontology in the Church Dogmatics is drawn out. The resultant appreciation of the actualistic dimension which underlies the theological ethics of Karl Barth feeds into a fruitful engagement with a variety of critiques of Barth's conception of ethical agency. It is demonstrated that resources can be found within this actualistic ontology to answer some of the diverse criticisms, and that attempts to revise Barth's theological ethics at the margins would have catastrophic and irreversible consequences for his whole theological project. |
Contents
1 Introduction | 1 |
NOETIC ASPECTS OF BEING IN ACTION | 15 |
ONTIC ASPECTS OF BEING IN ACTION | 85 |
TELIC ASPECTS OF BEING IN ACTION | 169 |
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Common terms and phrases
abstraction activity actualism actualistic ontology analogy argues authority autonomy baptism Barth asserts Barth notes Barth posits Barth writes Barth’s ethics become Biggar called character Christian Church Dogmatics clear command of God concept concrete conformity Consequently considered construal context continually correspondence correspondingly creation creature criticism decision demands determination direction distinction divine action divine command doctrine election encounter eternal ethical agent event existence fact faith freedom genuine give given God’s Gospel grace hand Hastening hear Hence Holy Spirit human action human freedom important individual Jesus Christ Jüngel Karl Barth knowledge limitation living means moral nature never notes obedience observes offer participation particular person posits possibility practice prayer precisely principles question reality reference reflection relation relationship remains response revelation Scripture sense sinfulness specific sphere suggests theological ethics true understanding unity Webster whole Willis witness