Karl Barth (Brief & PhD Edit)

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.

Photo: Santorini, Greece, Paulo Travels, Facebook, 20230713 

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.

SCHELLING, F.W.J. (1845)(1936) Schelling, Of Human Freedom, Translated by James Gutmann, The Open Court Publishing Company, Chicago.

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. 

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[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).

[23] Hume (1779)(2004: 50).