Barth’s Theme – “Not I but Christ”

Karl Barth is not the Name. Jesus, for salvation, came. Barth points us to the One, Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. If Barth were here today, I think he would still say, Look from Barth, look away. Look to Jesus, he would say. Karl Barth spoke of Christ’s grace. Yes! Karl Barth knew his place. …

Berkouwer, Barth and Brunner: A Discussion of General Revelation and Natural Theology

In his book, ‘General Revelation’, Berkouwer rejects natural theology while affirming the doctrines of general revelation & common grace. He places himself between Barth & Brunner. Barth rejects both general revelation & natural theology. Brunner teaches both general revelation and natural theology. In connection with common grace, here are two important observations made by Berkouwer: …

Karl Barth the Preacher – Jesus loves me.

What are we to say about Barth the preacher? Surely, J. S. Stewart has described him well in these words of commendation: “this Colossus of a theologian is basically concerned with simple things… no one reading Barth can have any doubt… (about his) single-hearted devotion to Christ” (Prayer and Preaching, 7, from ‘Preface’ by J. …

Let’s listen to what the Bible tells us about Jesus …

Assessing Pannenberg's Critique of Barth's Theology PANNENBERG IS VERY BOLD IN HIS CRITICISM OF BARTH’S THEOLOGY. HE CALLS IT ‘THE FARTHEST EXTREME OF SUBJECTIVISM MADE INTO A THEOLOGICAL POSITION … THE IRRATIONAL SUBJECTIVITY OF A VENTURE OF FAITH WITH NO JUSTIFICATION OUTSIDE ITSELF’ (THEOLOGY AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE, P.273). IN HIS STRONG REACTION AGAINST BARTH’S …

Theological Connections between G. C. Berkouwer and Herman Bavinck: Berkouwer’s Critique of Barth’s Anthropology and Christology

For Barth, Christ is the key to understanding our human life. If Christ, God’s revelation, is taken away, man is thrown into an abyss of meaninglessness. Man cannot, by himself, bring meaning to his life. Christ alone can reveal to man the meaning of his life. This insight lies at the heart of Barth’s radical …

Assessing G. C. Berkouwer’s Critique Of Karl Barth’s Refusal to Affirm Universal Salvation

In his book, “The Knowledge of the Holy” (a book on the Attributes of God in the Christian Life), A. W. Tozer spoke about an ocean liner travelling across the Atlantic from Liverpool to New York. The destination has been set for the ship’s journey. The travellers can do as they wish while they are …

Berkouwer and Barth: The Nature of Truth

Emphasizing the close connection between Christ and the Bible, Donald G Bloesch writes, “The most potent symbol for the Word of God is not the book itself but the cross of Christ shining through the pages of the open Bible. For it is Jesus Christ whom the Bible attests; it is his salvation that the …

The Triumph Of Grace In The Theology Of Karl Barth

G C Berkouwer’s book on Barth is entitled, The Triumph of Grace in the Theology of Karl Barth. Barth was not happy with this title. He felt that it might create the misunderstanding that grace is to be viewed as an impersonal principle which can be isolated from the person of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, Barth …

Berkouwer and Barth : Christ at the Centre

For Barth, Christ is the key to understanding our human life. If Christ, God’s revelation, is taken away, man is thrown into an abyss of meaninglessness. Man cannot, by himself, bring meaning to his life. Christ alone can reveal to man the meaning of his life. This insight lies at the heart of Barth’s radical …

Karl Barth the Preacher: “Keep before your eyes our Lord Jesus Christ”

Prior to his ‘forty years as a professor’, Barth spent ‘twelve years as a preacher’ (Evangelical Theology: An Introduction (from the Foreword to the German Edition). As a theologian, he never lost sight of the importance of preaching. Although he worked for so many years in the university, he always saw his theological work as …

Karl Barth and Universalism: Comments from Berkouwer, Brown, Bromiley and Bloesch

By asking us to consider the question, “How convincing is Barth’s rejection of universalism?”, Berkouwer is really calling in question Barth’s understanding of election. He is really asking, “Does Scripture teach this idea of universal election?” —– Colin Brown has also been forthright on this point. He suggests that Barth’s reservation with regard to universalism …

Berkouwer and Barth on Universalism

More about Berkouwer, see The Theology Of G C Berkouwer ----- Barth has tried to affirm universal election without moving from there to universal salvation. There have been different reactions to his theology.   (a) Some have written positively about this approach - affirming universal election without embracing universal salvation. (b) Others have moved on from …

G C Berkouwer and Karl Barth on “Natural Theology and General Revelation”

Barth proposes three reasons for the persistence of natural theology (Church Dogmatics, Vol. II, 1, pp. 85-126. The three reasons are succinctly stated by G W Bromiley: "(a) It is thought to be possible and practicable ... (b) It is thought to be pedagogically useful at least as an introduction to theology ... (c) It …

Berkouwer on Barth’s Distinction Between Universal Election And Universal Salvation

Some people are impressed by Barth’s distinction between universal election and universal salvation. They defend his position. Some have been influenced by Barth and have become universalists. Berkouwer’s view was that our critique of Barth must begin with looking closely at his teaching concerning universal election.* By speaking of the idea of the depth-aspect of …

Karl Barth and Paul Tillich: Responding to Theological Liberalism

Two quite different responses to theological liberalism are represented in the theologies of Karl Barth and Paul Tillich. In his protest against theological liberalism, Barth seeks to re-emphasize the lost emphases on man the sinner and God the Judge . In his article, “Liberal protestantism, Liberal Theology, Liberalism” in A. Richardson (editor), A Dictionary of …

A Critique of J D Bettis, "Is Karl Barth a Universalist?"

More about Berkouwer, see The Theology Of G C Berkouwer The question of universalism in Barth’s theology has been raised directly by J D Bettis in his article, “Is Karl Barth a Universalist?” (Scottish Journal of Theology, Vol. 20, No. 4, December 1967, pp. 423-436).This article requires to be carefully discussed not only for its significance as …

A Little Bit about "The Triumph of Grace … " and "A Half Century … "

As well as Berkouwer's 'Studies in Dogmatics', there are the interesting books - The Triumph of Grace in the Theology of Karl Barth & A Half Century of Theology. Reading the first title makes some inclined to connect Berkouwer with Barth. We should be careful at this point. Though he has clearly studied Barth's works …

Berkouwer and Barth on Divine Revelation

The Question of "Christomonism" An important question in the assessment of Barth's theology revolves around his view of the relationship between natural theology and general revelation, Discussing "Karl Barth's Offensive Against Natural Theology" (General Revelation (GR), Chapter II, pp. 21-33), Berkouwer notes that "Barth's conception of revelation ... is frequently called 'Christomonism' " (GR,p. 25). …

Berkouwer and Barth: The Character of Certainty

Certainty is concerned with knowing and is, therefore, closely related to truth. One can only know when the truth has been made known to one. For Barth, God’s “Yes” is the all-important decision (Berkouwer, The Triumph of Grace in the Theology of Karl Barth (TG), pp. 30. 33). God’s gracious affirmation of sinful man is …