Essay on The Humanity of God by Karl Barth - 1825 Words

For this paper, I read and analyzed the Humanity of God, a series of three writings by Karl Barth. I focused specifically on his writing Evangelical Theology in the 19th Century. Barth begins by defining theology broadly and then evangelical theology specifically, he then expounds on its history, the theologians who represented it and the groundwork it was built on. He also discusses issues brought up by problems in the initial groundwork. This paper will explore the nature of theology drawing from the examples of the 19th century set by Barth and compare and contrast it with personal perspective on and experience with 21st century theology. The paper will conclude with an application of the Barth’s stance on the nature of theology to a†¦show more content†¦He goes on to talk about the importance of history in academic fields but especially in Theology. This resonates with Wesley’s Quadrilateral, in which tradition is one of four important aspects that inform o ur theology. The cause for the breach between the theology of the two centuries is primarily because â€Å"theology turned into the philosophy of the history of religion in general, and of the Christian religion in particular [by the end of the 19th century]† (13). Why did this happen under the watch of individuals who Barth describes as â€Å"[the] type of person that merits our highest respect† (17)? He explains that a multifaceted attack of the culture, outlook and general mindset of the time period on theology as a whole changed its primary objective. According to Barth, the â€Å"[development] of a new and positive understanding of Christian truth and truths in themselves†¦ [is] a primary necessity at all times† (19) and the primary purpose of evangelical theology. However, the 19th century theologians were primarily concerned with how theology would confront the spirit of the age. They managed to get so caught up in trying to grab the attention of the common man universally that they forgot that God was the foundation for theology. Barth describes theology’s self-exposure to the world as its strength (18) but goes onto say that 19th century theology went â€Å"overboard – and this was its weakness – insofar asShow MoreRelatedModern Theology: Karl Barth and Emil Brunner Essay1308 Words   |  6 Pagespresented in the bible. It is important to realize that there are many views pertaining to the doctrine of election ranging from prominent theologians such as Augustine and Pelagius, Calvin and Arminius, Barth and Brunner and various other theologians and their respective counterparts. Karl Barth and Emil Brunner are the giants on the subject of modern theology. 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