Karl Barth (Brief & PhD Edit)
Preface
20241121
It seems to me that I read through more Karl Barth than was used in the PhD thesis. My original tutors were very empirical theology minded, to the exclusion of significant philosophical content, whereas I wanted more philosophical content, as in philosophical theology, philosophy of religion and philosophy. Therefore, some Barth content was edited out of the working version. When the thesis went to the Viva, the reviewers agreed with me that the work needed to be more philosophical, but had different suggestions for theological and philosophical content other than Barth, which I wisely followed.
The PhD has my name on it, but also the University of Wales, so rules had to be followed.
It seems to me that I read through more Karl Barth than was used in the PhD thesis. My original tutors were very empirical theology minded, to the exclusion of significant philosophical content, whereas I wanted more philosophical content, as in philosophical theology, philosophy of religion and philosophy. Therefore, some Barth content was edited out of the working version. When the thesis went to the Viva, the reviewers agreed with me that the work needed to be more philosophical, but had different suggestions for theological and philosophical content other than Barth, which I wisely followed.
The PhD has my name on it, but also the University of Wales, so rules had to be followed.
My brief work from Karl Barth (May 10, 1886 – December 10, 1968) from my Doctorate. From what I remember reading his work,
it is not really strong in the areas of the problem of evil and theodicy, in my
opinion, but I did find him very good as a secondary source. This Blogger article was originally published 20130527, edited on Blogger for a new version for academia.edu, 20241121.
Providence
Within ‘The Doctrine of Creation’ in Church Dogmatics, Volume III, Karl Barth
defines God’s providence as dealing with the history of created beings, in the
sense that in every way through this entire span of time, this providence takes
place under the care of God the creator.[1] This includes those that are in Christ in the
covenant between God and humanity.[2] It is God’s fatherly Lordship over the entire
world.[3] Natural events that take
place are very personal for God.[4] God’s providence includes the ‘superior
dealings of the Creator with his creation, the wisdom, omnipotence and goodness
with which He maintains and governs in time this distinct reality according to
the council of his own will.’[5] God knows all things appropriately and
therefore acts in a proper way in relation to each and every creature.[6] In the act of creation, God associates himself with his creature as the
‘Lord of its history’[7] and acts in the appropriate manner.[8] Both the creator and creation possess types
of freedom,[9] and this does not simply leave God’s creatures with a type of
freedom[10] but causes the creature to share in the divine glory and the
opportunity to serve God.[11] God can provide his human creation with
protection and guardianship along with human purpose and joy.[12] Schelling, although not noted as a Christian
theologian, within Of Human Freedom states that all earthly creatures are dependent on
God.[13] If God ‘withdrew his power
for an instant, man would cease to be.’[14] There exists ‘nothing before or outside of
God.’[15] Shedd explains that God’s
work of providence demonstrates he is the ‘most holy,’ ‘wise’ and ‘powerful’ as
he governs his creatures and their actions.[16] God works in the material universe with its
nature and laws.[17] Phillips explains that a Reformed view is that
God has the freedom to act as he wants.[18] This would be God’s sovereign providence, but
Hume is skeptical of this concept.[19] People throughout the world view certain evils,
which may be rectified in other regions of the world or in the future, and understand
these good events as being connected to general laws and the existence of a
good deity.[20] Hume suggests that these are superstitions,[21] and
questions whether in many cases a ‘cause can be known but from its known
effects?’[22] The idea is then presented
that if God is benevolent his providence should lead to a world without
suffering and wickedness.[23]
The Trinity
Karl Barth explains within The Doctrine of Creation that the
essence of God himself is eternal, he is before time, above time and after
time. Barth (1932-1968: 67).
God within the Trinity is of one
essence Barth explains in his section on the Trinity from Church Dogmatics. Barth (1932-1968: 371). God is of one nature, not three. Trinitas is the Latin word meaning threeness
and the Christian doctrine of trinitas consists of an idea of the threeness of
God. Packer (1973: 57).
The Trinity is quite difficult to
understand, in part because as Barth states in The Doctrine of Creation, God is non-temporal, non-historical,
eternal and yet triune. Barth
(1932-1968: 68). God and his triune
nature cannot be empirically studied or known by history. God and the triune divine nature accepted by
Christianity is primarily understood through Biblical Studies and theology.
BARTH, KARL
(1932-1968) Church Dogmatics, The Doctrine of the Word of God: Volume 1,
Part One, Translated by J.W. Edwards, Rev. O. Bussey, and Rev. Harold
Knight, Edinburgh, T. and T. Clark.
BARTH, KARL
(1932-1968) Church Dogmatics, The
Doctrine of Creation: Volumes 1 and 3.
Translated by J.W. Edwards, Rev. O. Bussey, and Rev. Harold Knight, Edinburgh,
T. and T. Clark.
BARTH, KARL
(1932-1968) Church Dogmatics, The
Doctrine of God: Volume 2, First Half -Volume, Translated by J.W. Edwards,
Rev. O. Bussey, and Rev. Harold Knight, Edinburgh, T. and T. Clark.
BERKOUWER, G.C. (1962) Man: The Image of God, Grand
Rapids, W.M.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
FRAME, JOHN M. (1999) ‘The
Bible on the Problem of Evil: Insights from Romans 3:1-8,21-26; 5:1-5;
8:28-39’, IIIM Magazine Online, Volume 1, Number 33, October 11 to
October 17, Fern Park, Florida, Third Millennium.
FRAME, JOHN M. (2002) The
Doctrine of God, P and R Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
GUTMANN, JAMES (1845)(1936)
‘Introduction’ in SCHELLING, F.W.J. (1845)(1936) Schelling, Of
Human Freedom, Translated by James Gutmann, The Open Court
Publishing Company, Chicago.
HUME, DAVID
(1739-1740)(1973) ‘A Treatise of Human Nature’, in Paul Edwards and Arthur Pap
(eds.), A Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free
Press.
HUME, DAVID
(1779)(2004) Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion,
Digireads.com/Neeland Media LLC, Lawrence, Kansas.
PACKER, J.I. (1973) Knowing God, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.
PACKER, J.I. (1996) ‘Regeneration’ in Walter A. Elwell (ed.),Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.
PHILLIPS, D.Z. (1981) Encountering
Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Atlanta, John Knox Press.
PHILLIPS, D.Z. (2005) The
Problem of Evil and the Problem of God, Fortress Press, Minneapolis.
SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T.
(1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 1, Nashville,
Thomas Nelson Publishers.
SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T.
(1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2, Nashville,
Thomas Nelson Publishers.
[1] Barth (1932-1968: 3). We
cannot escape from God, he is everywhere.
[2] Barth (1932-1968: 3).
[3] Barth (1932-1968: 28). God’s
providence demonstrates ‘preservation and government.’ Shedd (1874-1890)(1980: 527 Volume 1).
[4] Frame (2002: 52).
[5] Barth (1932-1968: 3). God
always accomplishes what he sets out to do.
Frame (2002: 47).
[6] Barth (1932-1968: 5).
[7] Barth (1932-1968: 12).
[8] Barth (1932-1968: 12).
[9] Barth (1932-1968: 12). The
human being has freedom, but participates within the life of God. Schelling (1845)(1936: 11). G.C. Berkouwer reasons that God wants a free
man, not a mechanical tool or creature than can be maneuvered as the Almighty
sees fit. Berkouwer (1962: 333). I
reason human freedom always operates within the framework of God’s sovereignty
and providence.
[10] God governs and maintains the creation, in order that it exists by
means of its own ‘inherent properties and laws.’ Shedd (1874-1890)(1980: 528
Volume 1).
[11] Barth (1932-1968: 12).
[12] Barth (1932-1968: 13).
[13] Schelling (1845)(1936: 11).
[14] Schelling (1845)(1936: 11). Schelling is noted within the ‘Introduction’ to believe in a divine
personality and denied that God’s personality was incomprehensible. Schelling did reason wisdom could be found in
God. Gutmann (1845)(1936: xxv).
[15] Schelling (1845)(1936: 32).
[16] Shedd (1874-1890)(1980: 527 Volume 1). Frame (2002: 274).
[17] Shedd (1874-1890)(1980: 528 Volume 1).
[18] Phillips (2005: 22).
[19] Hume (1779)(2004: 50).
[20] Hume (1779)(2004: 50).
[21] Hume (1779)(2004: 50).
[22] Hume (1779)(2004: 50).
