An Explorer's Guide to Karl Barth

Explorer's Guides

by David Guretzki

Anyone exploring a new territory knows the benefit of an experienced guide. A guide can make the difference between tiresome drudgery and a life-changing adventure. This is as true for exploring new thinkers and books as it is for places. If ever a theologian required a guide, it would be Karl Barth. His many writings have secured his place as the most significant theologian of the twentieth century. The massiveChurch Dogmatics alone spans over eight thousand pages and six million words. David Guretzki has been reading and teaching Barth for decades, and he has gathered numerous hints and notes along the way for how best to explore the writings of the Swiss theologian. Inside, you will find:
frequently asked questions
a glossary of key concepts and persons
a tour guide to Barth's early writings
tips on how to write a paper on Barth
a guided tour to the Church Dogmatics

Whether you are a first-time reader or a seasoned student, An Explorer's Guide to Karl Barth will give you the tools and tips to get the most out of your experience. Enjoy the journey!

Genres: Theology

225 pages, Paperback

Published December 2, 2016

About the author

David Guretzki is professor of theology, church, and public life at Briercrest College and Seminary in Caronport, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is a coauthor of Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of books on Barth but this one, I think, is the absolute best for beginners. Guretzki captures biography, bibliography, key terms, and suggested readings all in one volume. You could realistically read this book, the sections he encourages you to read in the CD and become more than conversant with recent Barth scholarship. This being an achievement all the more because the sheer magnitude of Barth’s corpus.

Guretzki writes as an instructor and lover of Karl Barth’s work and that shines through here. Highly recommended!

[Christan Reksa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an enjoyable introduction to Karl Barth for those of us, layman with no scholarly capacity whatsoever (at least not yet)! Guretzki seems to have learned and taught about Barth for so long that he can persuade curious minds about Barth in such a non-intimidating way!

Even better, he wrote this book not as a general introduction per se, but as intriguing teaser that invite us to delve deep into the world of Karl Barth's life, theology, writing, and pursuit in order to know God revealed in Jesus Christ.

Guretzki had done such a brilliant job of designing mouth-watering invitation to see Barth beyond what others say about him, familiarize us with his stories, tidbits, and brief theology. Of course he provided us also with guidance on how to read Barth's magnum opus, Church Dogmatics, without being intimidated from the start.

Therefore, this book is successful not because it can compress and summarize Barth's mind in such an amazingly concise book, but because it triggers our curiosity to actually read and learn about him by ourselves, although indeed with the help of those who have learn Barth deeply first (as he shared with us through the helpful and comprehensive reference to learn).

Barth can be intimidating due to his prolific body of work, language difference, and his dialectical method that did not shy away from tensions and seemingly contradictions. However, Guretzki stands in as a deeply knowledgeable and helpful guide to fight the feeling of intimidation and navigate through the amazingly vast forest of Barth's mind.

As Guretzki has iterated, learning Barth is also answering an invitation to read the Bible even deeper, since for Barth theology has to always be in the service of the Church in its duty of spreading the Good News and living its identity as the Body of Christ.

If you want to open your mind to see and understand Barth as he is, read this book and keep this book as a guidance and navigation for your exploration.

[Kyle Church · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful, concise guidebook for anyone wondering where to start reading Karl Barth. The author does a good job outlining how to approach his works, which translations are best for beginners, as well as addressing some terminology to be aware of and answering some Barth FAQ’s.

I will say personally, I was hoping the book would delve a little more into the nitty gritty of his theology… but that was an expectation I shouldn’t have placed on the book. I would have rated it a 3 or something, based on my enjoyment of it… but that wouldn’t be fair to the author.

From the start, the author compares this book to a travellers guide for tourists, and I would say that was a fair comparison. To use that analogy, book was more aimed more at letting you know key places to visit, how / when to visit, local slang to be aware of and what to pack in preparation for visiting… not an actual shortened tour or visit.

If you approach it with that expectation, then I think this book is quite thorough in laying the groundwork for anyone who feels intimidated by the Church Dogmatics, wondering where and how to start.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth appear to be the two German patron saints of modern American evangelicalism. Barth is more important of the two. This book is a very useful introduction to Barth's theological work. It is aimed at the beginner, but I suspect the intermediate Barth reader would find some help here as well. Though the book as a whole is useful, three of the chapters particularly stood out to me. The first is an FAQ about Barth himself (ch 3). The second is a glossary of concepts and people (ch 4). The latter is particularly helpful in dealing with theological terms that Barth used in ways not characteristic of previous Reformed theologians. The third is a guided tour of the Church Dogmatics (ch 8). This gives a brief summary of each section of the CD and a reading guide for beginning, intermediate, and advanced readers (identified as Sampler, Study, and Scholarly). Recommended for anyone considering (or needing) to get into Barth.

[Jake Raabe]

**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

Oh, Karl Barth. Few theologians match him in depth, contribution, or sheer volume. Barth is possibly my favorite theologian and has had a massive impact on the way I think about God. That said, he’s a difficult read. Reading Barth is like running a marathon: it should only be undertaken after much preparation and requires great endurance. That’s why I was excited to see IVP Academic publish David Guietzki’s An Explorer’s Guide to Karl Barth. Barth has much to offer contemporary Christianity, but working through him requires assistance. Hopeful for both a personal guide to the overwhelming amount of Church Dogmatics I haven’t read and something to refer Barth newbies to, I read Guietzki’s book.

I’ve read several introductions to Barth, but this was by far the most readable and perhaps the most helpful. The amount of material Guietzki covers in 211 pages is astounding. The first two brief chapters- “Why Karl Barth” and “Karl Barth- Who Was He?”- provide a succinct overview of Barth’s contributions to modern theology and his life. The third chapter is an FAQ section for quick reference questions ranging from proper pronunciation of Barth’s name to the debate over Barth and Universalism. This section is fun, varied, and just in-depth enough to give satisfying answers to questions a new student of Barth likely wonders but is afraid to ask.

With the fourth chapter is a glossary of terms and people associated with Barth, and this is where the book’s value really begins to show. Each entry is a mini essay describing important concepts one comes across when studying Barth. The fifth chapter, entitled “A Theological Pilgrimage,” provides an overview of ten of Barth’s most important works prior to writing his magnum opus, the Church Dogmatics. The selections here are fantastic, including sermons, journal articles, and books spanning across Barth’s early career. Each entry has helpful synopsis and guides for reading.
The final three chapters are guides to reading Dogmatics. Chapter dix deals with the physical structure of the Dogmatics (how the footnotes work, how sections, are divided, etc.). The seventh chapter, a particularly unique feature of this book, discusses how to use the Dogmatics for various purposes such as writing sermons, preparing research papers, and engaging in personal Bible study. Though admittedly gimmicky-sounding, this chapter is surprisingly thoughtful in its analysis of how Barth can inform different aspects of the Christian life and ministry.

The final chapter alone is worth the price of the book. It provides three “reading plans” for working through the Dogmatics, each at a varying level of length and intensity of reading. Guretzki accompanies these painstakingly divided reading plans with brief summaries of each of the individual sections of the Dogmatics. One could get a decent overview of its content from these summaries alone, though they serve mainly to orient the reader as they read through the sections according to the reading guide.

If this seems like an eclectic mix of features, it is. An Explorers Guide to Karl Barth is, well, just that. It’s a set of tools meant to help readers navigate one of the most important and difficult writers of the 20th century. Each section is varied in purpose but always helpful and thorough. Guretzki makes great use of contemporary Barth scholarship without overwhelming his target audience of new Barth readers. This is an invaluable tool in working with Barth, and any aspiring theology student would be greatly benefitted by owning it. If IVP Academic or Guretzki decide to make An Explorers Guide into a series covering different theologians, count me in as a collector. The Church needs more books like this.

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short Review: This is what I was looking for. I wanted an introduction to how to think about Barth. An Explorer's Guide to Barth is probably mostly for students, but helpful for those of us that managed to get through seminary without really reading anything by Barth.

It opens with a brief biographical sketch and why Barth is still important. And eventually works to a plan for reading on your own to understand him. There is a chapter on 10 things to read outside of Church Dogmatics and then three chapters on how to approach and think about Church Dogmatics. I am not going to attempt even the short plan for Church Dogmatics (there are three reading plans presented) anytime soon. But I do want to read another biography and then one of his shorter books soon.

my full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/explorers-guide-to-k...

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very helpful, clearly written introduction and guide to the life and work of Karl Barth. Barth’s output, in terms of his written work, was prodigious. The author includes three suggested tracks for sampling Barth’s work based on the reader’s interest level and available time. 4.5 stars.

[Aleah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful overview. Engaging & accessible.

[Alex Tongue · Rating 5 out of 5]

really really useful, well written, and informative. does a good job of introducing the confusing behemoth that is Barth

[george kantartzis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read pages 1-144. Will come back for Church Dogmatics outline.

[Eric Amundson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspired me to read Barth? Anyone want to join me?

[Caleb Rolling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong and readable introduction to Barth and Barth studies. The glossary chapter is golden, and the bibliography throughout is rich. This is a great place to begin one’s journey into Barth.

[John Kight · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Guretzki is professor of theology, church, and public life at Briercrest College and Seminary in Caronport, Saskatchewan, Canada. Guretzki received his Ph.D. from McGill University where he completed his dissertation on Karl Barth and the Filioque, which was first published by Ashgate Publishing (2009) and recently released in the Barth Studies series with Routledge (2016). He is also author of Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (IVP, 1999, with Stanly Grenz and Cherith Fee Nordling). Still, most recently, Guretzki has published a timely introduction to everyone’s favorite twentieth-century theological mind, Karl Barth.

An Explorer’s Guide to Karl Barth is divided into two separate but complementary parts: (1) Getting to Know Karl Barth, and (2) Exploring the Church Dogmatics. In the first part, Guretzki looks to acquaint the reader with Barth through biographical sketch, frequently asked questions, a glossary of concepts and people associated with Barth, and a theological exploration of Barth’s worldview pre-Church Dogmatics. It is clear from this section that Guretzki is well-acquainted with Barth and the Barthian theological framework, and well-equipped to instruct the readers on the importance of such in a contemporary context. It is here, even at the outset of the book, that the reader will discover tremendous benefit.

In the second part, Guretzki looks to guide the reader through the Barthian wilderness of Church Dogmatics. It is here that incoming and seasoned Barthian enthusiasts will find refuge and strength as they navigate the some six-million words that comprise Barth’s magnum opus. Guretzki does an excellent job keeping a broad range of readers in focus during his exploration of Church Dogmatics. If readers are looking to begin the voyage or have already taken the trip, the second section of the book is invaluable and worth the cover price alone. Lastly, throughout the book the reader will discover “Fun Fact” sections with interesting information about Barth, as well as a “For Further Reading” section with a curated list of Barth related reading.

Guretzki frames An Explorer’s Guide to Karl Barth around the concept of travel guides typically associated with a vacation voyage. This is a brilliant concept with which to explore the person and work of Karl Barth, and could possibly be the start of a helpful new series (An Explorer’s Guide to...). As someone who owns Barth’s Church Dogmatics and has found them intimidating, I greatly appreciated the work laid out in this volume and plan on using it in the near future to journey through Church Dogmatics more thoroughly. Karl Barth is by far one of the most interesting and influential figures of the past century, and it would do readers well to get acquainted with him and his theology sooner than later. That said, in my opinion, there isn’t a better way to make that happen than with An Explorer’s Guide to Karl Barth by David Guretzki. It comes highly recommended!!

[Brent Johnson]

Finally, someone with a slight sense of humor and profound theological knowledge who helped me understand Karl Barth. Guretzki places Barth solidly in the Reformed camp of Protestant theology and rarely uses the word neo-orthodox. Helpful book for a pastor.

[Amy Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great entry point for getting curious about Barth.