The Barth Lectures by Colin E. Gunton (2007) Paperback

by Colin E. Gunton

Colin Gunton was world renowned as a scholar, systematic theologian and Reformed minister; however, he never lived to fulfill his ambition to write a book devoted solely to Barth. "Gunton on Barth" is an in-depth analysis, derived from the lecture course he gave most years at King's College something of an annual institution it was aimed at undergraduates, though the majority of those attending were MA/PhD students, and researchers from America and Germany! Approximately half of the work consists of quotations representing an essential Colin was a creative lecturer, although he worked from notes he gave space to the free rein of his mind particularly when fielding questions or trying to analyze a particular strand of Barth's thought. Colin's understanding and expertise was world renowned. He did not take all Barth wrote uncritically, he struggled and wrestled with this giant of twentieth-century as he always said at the beginning of the course, "Not everyone buys into Barth...I don't, all the way along the line, as I get older I get more and more dissatisfied with the details of his working out of the faith...over the years I think I have developed a reasonable view of this great man who is thoroughly exciting and particularly, I can guarantee, if you do this course, that you will be a better theologian by the third year, whether or not you agree with him. ..he is a great man to learn to think theologically with."

Genres: Theology

Unknown Binding

First published July 1, 2007

About the author

Colin Ewart Gunton (1941-2003) was a British systematic theologian. As a theologian he made contributions to the doctrine of Creation and the doctrine of the trinity. He was Professor of Christian Doctrine at King's College London from 1984 and co-founder with Christoph Schwoebel of the Research Institute for Systematic Theology in 1988. Gunton was actively involved in the United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom where he had been a minister since 1972. He was arguably the most important British theologian of his generation.

Gunton's most influential work was on the doctrines of Creation and the Trinity. One of his most important books is The One, the Three and the Many: God, Creation and the Culture of Modernity" (1993), and is "a profound analysis of the paradoxes and contradictions of Modernity." The One, the Three and the Many remains a "majestical survey of the western intellectual tradition and a penetrating analysis of the modern condition."

Reviews

[Joseph Sverker]

This is a very good step in to Barth's theology. It is kind of difficult to get an overview of his Church dogmatics from it, but I have, on the other hand, never been able to get an overview of that. I think one has to read it, which Gunton states all the time. What I really like is that Gunton is not afraid to raise questions and give critique. My feeling is that many introductory courses simply presents Barth. I now know a little more about probably the most influential theologian of the last century and I think everyone should know a little about him!

[Richard George · Rating 4 out of 5]

i haven't read this book but I did attend the seminars at King's, the notes of which form this book. As an undergraduate (2nd year) I barely grasped what was going on in the seminars, though thoroughly enjoyed wrestling with Barth in the essays. One day I'll have a go at this material again.