The Great Passion: An Introduction to Karl Barth's TheologyWidely regarded as the twentieth century s greatest theologian, Karth Barth refocused the task of Christian theology and demonstrated its relevance to every domain of human life, from the spiritual to the social to the political. It is precisely the broad sweep of Barth s theology that makes a book like The Great Passion of such great value a succinct yet comprehensive introduction to Barth s entire theological program. Of the many people who write on the life and thought of Karl Barth, Eberhard Busch is uniquely placed. A world-renowned expert on Barth s theology, he also served as Barth s personal assistant from 1965 to 1968. As Busch explains, one cannot fully understand Barth the theologian apart from understanding Barth the man. In this book he weaves doctrine and biography into a superb presentation of Barth s complete work. Busch s purpose in this introduction is to guide readers through the main themes of the multivolume Church Dogmatics against the horizon of our own times and problems. In ten sections Busch clearly explains Barth s views on all of the major subject areas of systematic theology: the nature of revelation, Israel and Christology, the Trinity and the doctrine of predestination, the problem of religion, gospel and law, creation, salvation, the Holy Spirit, ecclesiology, and eschatology. A distinctive feature of the book is the way Busch lets Barth speak for himself, often through surprising quotations and paraphrases. Busch also shows how Barth s writing should be read as a dialogue, constantly and consciously engaging other voices past and present, both inside and outside the church. Most important, The Great Passion demonstrates that Barth s thought is still remarkably helpful today. |
Contents
His Profile | 3 |
No Bungling | 9 |
Path | 16 |
The Wonderful Beginning The Doctrine | 57 |
The Fulfilled Covenant Israel and Christology | 82 |
The Divine Freedom Trinity and Predestination | 106 |
The Disconcerting Truth The Problem of Religion | 128 |
Exacting Exhortation Gospel and Law Ethics | 152 |
The Good Creation Its Basis and Preservation | 176 |
The Critical Reconciliation The Doctrines | 199 |
The Prevailing Spirit Pneumatology | 219 |
Moving Out Together The Doctrine of the Church | 242 |
Limited Time Time and Eternity Eschatology | 264 |
Bibliography | 289 |
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Common terms and phrases
absolute According to Barth action alien already atheism Barmer basis become beginning Christengemeinde und Bürgergemeinde Christian Christological church claim command concept Confessing Church confession contradiction corresponds covenant creation creature criticism decisive distinction divine doctrine dogmatics Eduard Thurneysen election encounter Epistle eternal ethics event evil existence fact faith fellowship freedom Friedrich Gogarten Friedrich Schleiermacher fulfillment God’s godless gospel Gospel and Law Götze wackelt grace gracious Grand Rapids Gütersloh Holy Spirit human person Israel Jesus Christ judgment Jürgen Moltmann Karl Barth kingdom Kirche knowledge live Lord means modern Munich natural theology negation obedience object one’s ourselves parousia partner position possible presupposition question reality reconciliation relation relationship religion revelation Römerbrief self-determination sham truth sinners speak statement Theologische Existenz heute thesis thing thinking thought tion true understand universal reconciliation Word Zollikon Zollikon-Zurich Zurich