Sorry for My Theologizing

Reading Barth is like taking in a breath of fresh air.  One would not naturally think this should be so when reading a book with “Dogmatic” in the title (as that word has taken rather negative connotations).  Not that Barth does not create difficulty with the breathing (its quite a struggle and rather slow going [...]

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Deus Absconditus

In reading Barth…one cannot help but be confronted by his notion that only God can reveal God.  For instance, Who can reveal God except God Himself? Neither a man that has been raised up nor an idea that has come down can do it.  These are both creatures. (CD I.1 p.406) Barth moves from this [...]

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The Freedom to Pray

The real basis of prayer is man’s freedom before God, the God-given permission to pray which, because it is given by God, becomes a command and order and therefore a necessity.  As he is created free before God, man is simply placed under the superior, majestic and clear will of God.  He is not, therefore, [...]

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Theology as “science”?

Barth opens his Church Dogmatics by making pronouncements concerning the nature of theology as “science”.  This is not the normal language that I personally am accustomed to and wonder what others think of this?  He regards theology in its own right as a unique science that does “not have to justify itself” to the other [...]

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Overcome by the Dogmatics

My copy of Church Dogmatics arrived in the mail today. It was delivered to my door by our own Jeff and Joel. After they had left, sensing that it was no longer in the company of those who had a handle on it, the Church Dogmatics attacked me and I was overcome. Actual police crime-scene [...]

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Why I Want to Read Barth

As we begin our new blogging venture, I am thinking about why we all ordered Barth’s Church Dogmatics and why we want to read them. Marc has spoken his mind. Here are my reasons. (Bear in mind, I haven’t read much Barth, so what follows are my impressions of Barth. Actually reading his books might [...]

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A community blog is born

I realize I’ll be preaching to the choir–that is, the guys who will participate in this blog are the only ones who know about it at this point–but I have an urge to write something, because I’m excited about this new venture. I hope none of the guys mind. T & T Clark, the original [...]

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