Evangelical Theology: An Introduction

Karl Barth is probably the most important Protestant thinker that Catholic theology students need to understand. I read hiscommentary on Romans many years ago, so I've done little direct engagement, but had lots of secondary reference to hiswork. What I remember from Romans is that even in English translated from the German, he's probably more eloquentthan any of our English writers, other than C.S. Lewis and a few other literary figures. This book consists of lecturesgiven in the U.S. so I think the English is the original in this case. Barth is called "neo-orthodox" because he in many wayscalled for a return to classical Christian (in his case, Calvinist/Reformed) beliefs after Schleiermacher and centuries ofGerman historical critical scholarship like David Friedrich Strauss, liberal figures like Adolf von Harnack, etc. But he does notfit into the categories of the right or the left. This book actually has a funny 60s social justice feel in some sections, comingabout 45 years after the commentary on Romans from the time of World War I.Evangelical Theology is a wonderful reflection on theology and the theologian. It is better to know about perfect love thannot to know about it. And yet, it is impossible to speak "about" God, as if he can be left in the third person and unawareof it. One can only speak "toward" God. Thus one must direct theology both to humans and to God. Evangelical Theologywonderfully captures the wonder and awe that are due to this daunting task. Our words, our thinking, our intellectus fideior understanding of faith can never do justice to God. Theology is often reduced to "pisteology" (sp?) or the study of faith,but the object of theology is not our faith or ourselves and our processes, but God. Barth relentlessly calls for a purifying ofthe work of theology so that it is duly focused upon the God of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. (He says, in English he certainlyshould not be called the Ghost, which is about the spooks!). We are trying to address the infinite God through human workwhich is always inadequate, and yet the theologian must do this and must say something. The theologian is called to aprofound humility, because as Kierkegaard said, what is a theologian? He is a professor only because someone else wascrucified.The Bible is not self-evident, it needs all the tools of interpretation, and yet the theologian should not shrink from this taskif guided by the Spirit. The problem is when either we are compromised by a hypocritical life, failing to live what we saywe believe, or when we just plain don't believe it. Doubt is part of the life of any theologian, as is loneliness, melancholy,but also great joy and wonder and awe. Doubt is an alternating between saying yes and no to what we believe. "Thedoubter can always be justified, but we don't justify doubt itself, and I wish somebody would whisper that to Paul Tillich".Theology is always for the Church, the community, and is always related to what I might call "everything else". Barthwas famous for saying to preach with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. Theology was the beginningof the university, and yet is often excluded from the modern university faculty. Theology has a dialogical relationship toeverything else, meaning psychology, sociology, linguistics, archaeology, the arts, etc., etc. It is a major problem whena theologian only reads theological stuff-he or she needs to go out to all that other stuff and constantly bring it in dialoguewith God's purifying and enlightening Word. And theology runs into problems when it gets compartmentalized from the wholeand focused on a part, whether it be sociology or any particular philosophy, be it "Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Hegel orHeidegger". Barth famously rejected Aquinas' analogia entis or analogy of being, a way of speaking about God that ispartly the same and partly different from how we speak about created beings. He had a debate with Erich Przywara whowas a teacher of Hans Urs von Balthasar, who influences Catholics through John Paul II and Benedict XVI.He concludes the chapter on study, "all those on the right or on the left, whose spirits are all too cheerful or naive, may andshould repeatedly discover anew in the study of theology that everything in theology is somewhat more 'complicated' thanthey would like it to be. But those spirits who are all too melancholic and hypercritical should discover and rediscover thateverything here is also much more 'simple' than they, with deeply furrowed brow, thought necessary to suppose".

This book serves as a great primer into the thought of Karl Barth, as well as his perspective on the task of theology. I was definitely challenge by this book, and found it stretching, although it remains one of Barth's more approachable books. (It was recommended to me as the first book of Barth's to read.) I like the thought progress of Barth, and I personally found him easy to follow (when I paid attention!), but challenging at times. Some of what he writes is over my head, including his references to philosophy and his latin phrases (although some of them are translated to english, some still remain latin). I needed a dictionary from time to time, but all the effort this book took in concentration and dedication paid of in the end as I began to grasp what Barth is getting at. Great book, wonderful introduction, and worth the effort.

Thus book was ny introduction to the author and theologian Karl Barth and although he demanded that I read some of that which he had written twice. Both his insights and the mental stimulation I received caused me to purchase many of his other works. If anyone is looking for a book of substance look no further, his examination of the WORD and its relationship to the church/individual is excellent. One quote I now keep before me on an index card is: "Let the word speak for itself." That alone made the purchase of the book worth while.

I have just started to read Barth's books so maybe I am being a bit harsh - however .... Barth likes to quote in Greek and Latin a lot which makes following him confusing to one who is not versed in those languages. His point of view is very interesting (enough so that I bought 3 of his books and his 14 volume series on "Church Dogmatics."

I have background in this and related subjects, but found the title of this book misleading. It is an introduction only in the sense that the lectures are intended at that level. Unfortunately, for most readers without more background and explanatory notes for the lectures, I found them all but useless for an understanding of Barth. They are preachy, dogmatic (in the bad sense) and loaded with Barth's jargon with its peculiar meanings. Perhaps a book by another author who has a solid understanding of Barth would provide an introduction for the neophyte. This book does not.

As a conservative Evangelical Protestant I have been fearful of the name Karl Barth as I've heard the name associated with liberal theology, I was so very wrong.This book is essential to understanding how to do true evangelical theology. Barth might challenge many conservative evangelicals as to who is really evangelical.I was blessed, challenged and encouraged as a christian through this book!

I heard Karl Barth lecture in the chapel at the U of Chicago. The entire Chicago lectureship comprises the first six chapters. The lectures are easy to read. I read them on my desktop KINDLE reader.DMJ

This is an excellent short summary of the teachings of the pre-eminent Christian theologian of the twentieth century, Karl Barth, first presented as lectures during his 1962 visit to the United States. Many consider this book the best beginning place for reading Barth.

All good.

Karl Barth's treatment of the discipline of theology in these lectures reframed the way I think. Situating Theology as in essential synergy with prayer, and directly in service to the church is laid out so cleanly that any aspiring student of theology should read this near the beginning of their studies.Beyond this, Barth stands as one of the largest theological figures of the 20th century, and this text provides a very approachable entrance point to his work. Though the form is different than much of his writing, it provides an opening to his larger body of thought.

Very interesting book - has been very helpful

A great, if not required, addition to the library of a theology student.

Just as described, excellent service.