Barth And God S Story

Karl Barth interpreted the Bible in a creative and controversial way. One key to his method is his handling of biblical narratives. He argues from them to his theological conclusions in ways that have many parallels with the literary criticism of realistic novels. The role of the resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel story is perhaps the most fascinating question, and Barth produces an original and, in literary terms, extremely sensitive understanding of it. The biblical narratives are also vital for his doctrine of God. Overall, there is in the Church Dogmatics a Christian spirituality that is based on reading the Bible in a particular way.

Karl Barth interpreted the Bible in a creative and controversial way. One key to his method is his handling of biblical narratives. He argues from them to his theological conclusions in ways that have many parallels with the literary criticism of realistic novels. The role of the resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel story is perhaps the most fascinating question, and Barth produces an original and, in literary terms, extremely sensitive understanding of it. The biblical narratives are also vital for his doctrine of God. Overall, there is in the Church Dogmatics a Christian spirituality that is based on reading the Bible in a particular way. Narrative has been one of the richest themes in recent Christian theology. Its importance in all religions and cultures is obvious, and one of the most powerful factors in the way the Bible crosses barriers of time and place is its inclusion of so many good stories. But what happens when these stories are rigorously examined and reflected upon in theology? What is the relationship of theological to literary interpretation? How can stories be central to a theology while keeping their integrity as vivid, universal literature? There is no general answer to such questions. I have taken one modern theologian of international significance, Karl Barth. By concentrating on that part of his method which has to do with narrative, I have attempted both to offer a new assessment of his achievement and also to open a door into his works that will help to make them accessible to those of many backgrounds and cultures with a keen interest in narrative and literature. --from the Preface

World War I changed Karl Barth's theology forever. In this book William Klempa presents for the first time in English thirteen sermons that offer Barth's unique view and commentary on the Great War. Barth saw the war as “a unique time of God,†believing it to represent God's judgment on militarism. The sermons reveal a deep strain of theological wrestling with the war's meaning, as Barth comes to see the conflict as the logical outcome of all human attempts to create God in our own image. As it demonstrates a decisive shift in Barth's early theology, this volume is essential for anyone who wishes to understand the twentieth century's greatest theologian.

This is a challenging critique of narrative theologies. Murphy argues that the widespread notion that the role of the theologian it so 'tell God's story' has not helped theology to advance the reality of its doctrines. She offers her own alternative approach, making use of cinema and film theory.

Christiane Tietz relates Karl Barth's fascinating life in conflict - conflict with the theological mainstream, against National Socialism, and privately, under one roof with his wife and his mistress, in conflict with himself

'The Great Promise' gives a powerful exegesis of the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke which tells the story of the Advent - the birth of John the Baptist, preparing for the birth of Christ. It consists of four stenographically recorded biblical lectures which Karl Barth gave to his theology students during Advent in 1934, after his lectures at the University of Bonn had been suspended by the Nazi regime. Uncovering what he calls the spiritual birth story of John the Baptist, Barth proclaims it to be the spiritual birth story of anyone who knows himself to be standing under God. His biblical account is thus interwoven with a continuous reference to the way in which God acts upon the world today no less than in the past and how humans may or may not submit to such acting. Translated from the German by E. Hans Freund.

This classic volume of Barth's essays was first published in 1924 under the title 'Das Wort Gottes und die Theologie'. In this brand new English edition all the critical apparatus is translated, each chapter including an explanatory passage giving general historical context and details of Barth's own biography. These essays represent the very best of Barth's work. Far from being superceded by the Church Dogmatics, indeed, a thorough understanding of the Church Dogmatics must presuppose a close knowledge of them. The style is vivid, deeply engaged and engaging, often expressionistic (making frequent use of irony and hyperbole). Peter Gay described Weimar culture as a "dance on the edge of a volcano." If so, then it was essays like these that provided the music.

These three essays show how Karl Barth's later work moved beyond his revolt against the theology dominant in the first decades of this century.