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Makers of the Modern Theological Mind
Karl Barth
Karl Barth’s work—especially The Epistle to the Romans and Church Dogmatics—changed the direction of modern theology. He has been called a modern church father. In this brief survey, Mueller—one of his students at the University of Basel—discusses Barth’s life and thought, theological development, central convictions, major concerns, and creative handling of difficult areas.
About the Makers of the Modern Theological Mind series
Who are the thinkers that have shaped Christian theology in our time? This series tries to answer that question by providing a reliable guide to the ideas of the men who have significantly charted the theological seas of our century. Each major theologian is examined carefully and critically—his life, his theological method, his most germinal ideas, his weaknesses as a thinker, his place in the theological spectrum, and his chief contribution to the climate of theology today. Welcome to the series.
About the Makers of the Modern Theological Mind series
Who are the thinkers that have shaped Christian theology in our time? This series tries to answer that question by providing a reliable guide to the ideas of the men who have significantly charted the theological seas of our century. Each major theologian is examined carefully and critically—his life, his theological method, his most germinal ideas, his weaknesses as a thinker, his place in the theological spectrum, and his chief contribution to the climate of theology today. Welcome to the series.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 26, 2020
Having recently read the first complete volume of Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics (Volume 1.1, though this was recently published in two parts as a Study Edition and I read both separately), I thought it might be nice to revisit a book I hadn’t read since I was a young seminary student working on my first magisterial degree. Makers of the Modern Theological Mind was a series published in the latter quarter of the 20th century which was designed to summarize and, put into perspective, the work of some of the foremost theologians of the 20th century. After re-reading Makers of the Modern Theological Mind: Karl Barth, I’ve put the Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Emil Brunner, Charles Hartshorne, Wolfhart Pannenberg, and Teilhard de Chardin volumes on the front burner (I seem to have failed to purchase the Rudolf Bultmann volume—conservative bias?) to rotate into my reading list.
Dr. Mueller doesn’t merely deal with the Church Dogmatics, however. He goes back to the beginning of Barth’s “dialectical theology” to recognize that God always says “Yes” and “No” to humanity. To sin and to human efforts to get free of sin, God always says, “No!” Yet, in Christ and His salvific work, God’s “Yes” can override God’s “No.” (p. 28) Even in his theological method, Barth starts with the idea that, “Man’s knowledge of God is always wholly dependent upon the divine prerogative and initiative.” (pp. 28-29)
That foundation is why Barth became disillusioned with liberal Protestant theology and its attempt to define humanity first and define God completely within human comprehension. As Barth wrote immediately after his break with his former theological authorities, “I found a dogmatics which had both form and substance, oriented upon the central indication based upon the Biblical evidences for revelation,…” (p. 31) As a result, Barth admitted that he had been forced to cut himself off from philosophical, anthropological, and humanistic presuppositions (pp. 37, 51). Perceiving modern theology to be too anthropological, he resolved to be “Christocentric.” His theology begins with the evidence of Trinity in the biblical revelation (although, he admits that it is never fully worked out in the text) such that he emphasizes God’s self-revelation demonstrated concretely in Jesus’ self-revelation and imparted to humanity in the Holy Spirit’s self-revelation. This should start to become clear when one sees that even Barth’s idea of the Trinity underscores the Word of God. Mueller quotes, “The Word of God is the Word that spoke, speaks, and will speak in the midst of all men.” (p. 54)
Of course, the Scripture is a point of origin for humankind, as Mueller quotes: “Scripture is holy and the Word of God, because by the Holy Spirit it became and will become to the church a witness to divine revelation.” (p. 57) Yet, Barth believed that some literalists who interpreted the Bible had used their static orthodoxy to turn the Bible into a “paper pope.” (p. 58) That is why some fundamentalist conservatives identify Barth as liberal, even though he build his theology on the Bible every step of the way. Fundamentalists also misunderstand Barth to undermine the authority of the Bible when he speaks of proclamation in the church as the Word of God because it creates obedience to the Word of God. As Mueller explains, “First, although there are many ways in which the church may speak about God, preaching and sacrament occupy a distinctive place because the church is commissioned by Jesus Christ to proclaim the revelation of God through these two means.” (p. 59) Again, “Second, preaching—if it is to be true preaching—must be subservient to the Word of God attested in Holy Scripture and to nothing else.” (p. 60) Still, Mueller goes on to interpret, “…the human words of the preacher become from time to time the living Word of God. The miracle of God’s presence in the world is not to be located in the physical transformation of the bread and the wine into the body and blood of our Lord, ..Rather, according to God’s good pleasure he sanctifies, as it were, the words of his servants so that while remaining human words, they at the same time become words ‘in which and through which God Himself speaks about Himself.’” (p. 60)
I was glad to see that Dr. Mueller highlighted the same Barthian phrase about the Trinity as I did upon reading the first volume. He notes that God reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, calling this, God’s “threefold repetition” of himself (p. 67). Mueller also underscores Barth’s description in which Jesus Christ is “the objective reality and possibility” of revelation such that Jesus Christ is God’s revelation for us (p. 69). In a similar way, Mueller summarizes Barth’s idea of the Holy Spirit as God’s revelation for us. He notes that: 1) the experience of the Holy Spirit brings the Word of God to humanity in its freedom; 2) the presence of the Holy Spirit enables humanity within its freedom for God’s revelation to come to humankind (as opposed to natural theology emphasized by others); 3) by means of the Holy Spirit, humanity can, within its freedom, allow the Word of Go to become its master (pp. 81-82). In short, as Mueller quotes Barth on the same page, “Biblical faith excludes any faith of man in himself—that is, any desire for religious self-help, any religious self-satisfaction, any religious self-sufficiency.”
My favorite quotation curated by Mueller is from a portion of the set to which I haven’t returned in my re-reading. Nonetheless, I was thrilled to be reminded of this quotation from Barth. “Man lives in the allotted span of his present, past, and future life. He who was before him and will be after him, and who therefore fixes the boundaries of his being, is the eternal God, the Creator, and Covenant-partner. He is the hope in which man may live in his time.” (pp. 74-75) There is Barth’s anthropology in a nutshell, once again focused on the revelation of God Himself.
Earlier, I referred to Barth’s intense negative stance toward “natural theology,” basically the idea that humanity can discover God through creation alone. As Mueller recounts Barth’s position, “It is therefore illegitimate to speak, as does natural theology, of a true knowledge of God the Creator which is divorced from a knowledge of God as Redeemer.” (p. 89) From there, Mueller enumerates positions Barth has taken on divine freedom, summarizing “God who loves is the God who is free.” (p. 95) Mueller also reminds us that Barth’s position emphasizes eternal God as three-in-one from the beginning, not allowing for the creed’s “begotten not made” reference to Jesus. Rather, he quotes: “The election of grace is the eternal beginning of all the ways and works of God in Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ, God in His free grace determines Himself for sinful man and sinful man for himself. He therefore takes upon Himself the rejection of man with all its consequences, and elects man to participation in His own glory.” (p. 100)
Since this review is becoming almost a book report instead of a review, suffice it to say that Mueller presents Barth’s work against both the theologian’s life and against his impact on Protestant theology. The summary of “Papa Barth’s” teaching on revelation and Christocentric theology is not only logical, but it is fair. If I were ever to teach a class on modern theology, this book (along with Barth’s short Dogmatics in Outline would likely be the books I would choose to help cover Barth succinctly and fairly.
Dr. Mueller doesn’t merely deal with the Church Dogmatics, however. He goes back to the beginning of Barth’s “dialectical theology” to recognize that God always says “Yes” and “No” to humanity. To sin and to human efforts to get free of sin, God always says, “No!” Yet, in Christ and His salvific work, God’s “Yes” can override God’s “No.” (p. 28) Even in his theological method, Barth starts with the idea that, “Man’s knowledge of God is always wholly dependent upon the divine prerogative and initiative.” (pp. 28-29)
That foundation is why Barth became disillusioned with liberal Protestant theology and its attempt to define humanity first and define God completely within human comprehension. As Barth wrote immediately after his break with his former theological authorities, “I found a dogmatics which had both form and substance, oriented upon the central indication based upon the Biblical evidences for revelation,…” (p. 31) As a result, Barth admitted that he had been forced to cut himself off from philosophical, anthropological, and humanistic presuppositions (pp. 37, 51). Perceiving modern theology to be too anthropological, he resolved to be “Christocentric.” His theology begins with the evidence of Trinity in the biblical revelation (although, he admits that it is never fully worked out in the text) such that he emphasizes God’s self-revelation demonstrated concretely in Jesus’ self-revelation and imparted to humanity in the Holy Spirit’s self-revelation. This should start to become clear when one sees that even Barth’s idea of the Trinity underscores the Word of God. Mueller quotes, “The Word of God is the Word that spoke, speaks, and will speak in the midst of all men.” (p. 54)
Of course, the Scripture is a point of origin for humankind, as Mueller quotes: “Scripture is holy and the Word of God, because by the Holy Spirit it became and will become to the church a witness to divine revelation.” (p. 57) Yet, Barth believed that some literalists who interpreted the Bible had used their static orthodoxy to turn the Bible into a “paper pope.” (p. 58) That is why some fundamentalist conservatives identify Barth as liberal, even though he build his theology on the Bible every step of the way. Fundamentalists also misunderstand Barth to undermine the authority of the Bible when he speaks of proclamation in the church as the Word of God because it creates obedience to the Word of God. As Mueller explains, “First, although there are many ways in which the church may speak about God, preaching and sacrament occupy a distinctive place because the church is commissioned by Jesus Christ to proclaim the revelation of God through these two means.” (p. 59) Again, “Second, preaching—if it is to be true preaching—must be subservient to the Word of God attested in Holy Scripture and to nothing else.” (p. 60) Still, Mueller goes on to interpret, “…the human words of the preacher become from time to time the living Word of God. The miracle of God’s presence in the world is not to be located in the physical transformation of the bread and the wine into the body and blood of our Lord, ..Rather, according to God’s good pleasure he sanctifies, as it were, the words of his servants so that while remaining human words, they at the same time become words ‘in which and through which God Himself speaks about Himself.’” (p. 60)
I was glad to see that Dr. Mueller highlighted the same Barthian phrase about the Trinity as I did upon reading the first volume. He notes that God reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, calling this, God’s “threefold repetition” of himself (p. 67). Mueller also underscores Barth’s description in which Jesus Christ is “the objective reality and possibility” of revelation such that Jesus Christ is God’s revelation for us (p. 69). In a similar way, Mueller summarizes Barth’s idea of the Holy Spirit as God’s revelation for us. He notes that: 1) the experience of the Holy Spirit brings the Word of God to humanity in its freedom; 2) the presence of the Holy Spirit enables humanity within its freedom for God’s revelation to come to humankind (as opposed to natural theology emphasized by others); 3) by means of the Holy Spirit, humanity can, within its freedom, allow the Word of Go to become its master (pp. 81-82). In short, as Mueller quotes Barth on the same page, “Biblical faith excludes any faith of man in himself—that is, any desire for religious self-help, any religious self-satisfaction, any religious self-sufficiency.”
My favorite quotation curated by Mueller is from a portion of the set to which I haven’t returned in my re-reading. Nonetheless, I was thrilled to be reminded of this quotation from Barth. “Man lives in the allotted span of his present, past, and future life. He who was before him and will be after him, and who therefore fixes the boundaries of his being, is the eternal God, the Creator, and Covenant-partner. He is the hope in which man may live in his time.” (pp. 74-75) There is Barth’s anthropology in a nutshell, once again focused on the revelation of God Himself.
Earlier, I referred to Barth’s intense negative stance toward “natural theology,” basically the idea that humanity can discover God through creation alone. As Mueller recounts Barth’s position, “It is therefore illegitimate to speak, as does natural theology, of a true knowledge of God the Creator which is divorced from a knowledge of God as Redeemer.” (p. 89) From there, Mueller enumerates positions Barth has taken on divine freedom, summarizing “God who loves is the God who is free.” (p. 95) Mueller also reminds us that Barth’s position emphasizes eternal God as three-in-one from the beginning, not allowing for the creed’s “begotten not made” reference to Jesus. Rather, he quotes: “The election of grace is the eternal beginning of all the ways and works of God in Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ, God in His free grace determines Himself for sinful man and sinful man for himself. He therefore takes upon Himself the rejection of man with all its consequences, and elects man to participation in His own glory.” (p. 100)
Since this review is becoming almost a book report instead of a review, suffice it to say that Mueller presents Barth’s work against both the theologian’s life and against his impact on Protestant theology. The summary of “Papa Barth’s” teaching on revelation and Christocentric theology is not only logical, but it is fair. If I were ever to teach a class on modern theology, this book (along with Barth’s short Dogmatics in Outline would likely be the books I would choose to help cover Barth succinctly and fairly.
September 14, 2016
This book was exactly what I was looking for--a distillation of Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics (CD). As might be expected, distilling literally thousands of pages into 155 pages makes it quite concentrated and best consumed in small sips. However, I found Mueller's explanations very accessible. Mueller, who studied under Barth, not only has a clear understanding of Barth's theology, but also is balanced in providing criticism as well as praise. The book is organized in the order of the Church Dogmatics which helps with the understanding of Barth's system. I will keep this book close as a ready reference and easy portal to the CD.
By the way, I actually read a hardback edition I found used which does not have an ISBN but does have the Library of Congress card number 70-188066 number in it. The copyright date is actually 1972 by Word Incorporated (Third Printing, November 1975).
By the way, I actually read a hardback edition I found used which does not have an ISBN but does have the Library of Congress card number 70-188066 number in it. The copyright date is actually 1972 by Word Incorporated (Third Printing, November 1975).
August 2, 2022
A very concise (and somewhat overlooked) introduction to Barth, that still manages to distill a lot of material. Highly recommended if you want an easy read to get a general grip of the man.
December 30, 2023
This book is an introduction to the outlines of Barth's theology, based primarily on materials in Barth's Dogmatics. The book identifies major themes in Barth's thinking and the ways in which he developed his theology from these themes.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews