Barth and Schleiermacher on the Doctrine of Election A Systematic-Theological Comparison

by Gockel, Matthias

• ISBN13: 9780199203222
• ISBN10: 0199203229
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-03-01
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The first detailed comparison between the theologies of Friedrich Schleiermacher and the early dialectical theology of Karl Barth. Matthias Gockel shows that the doctrine of election in Barth's early theology bears a remarkable resemblance to the position of Schleiermacher. He challenges theconventional wisdom that these two positions - or 'liberal theology' and 'dialectical theology' - stand in irreconcilable opposition. Barth articulates a fresh assessment of the doctrine not only in Church Dogmatics II/2, but in the second edition of his Epistle to the Romans and in his first seriesof lectures on Systematic Theology, the so-called Gottingen Dogmatics. Hence, a resemblance between Schleiermacher and Barth is already discernible in Barth's early theology - at a time when he was writing his most virulent criticisms of Schleiermacher.

Author Biography

Matthias Gockel is assistant pastor in a congregation near Wittenberg, Germany.

Table of Contents

Introduction: 'Quite close-excuse me-to Schleiermacher	p. 1
Barth on Election	p. 1
Barth on Schleiermacher	p. 5
Barth and Schleiermacher	p. 9
Probing the Tradition: Schleiermacher's Revision of the Doctrine in his Essay on Election	p. 16
Unconditional Grace and Predestination	p. 18
Election and General Redemption through Christ	p. 22
One Divine Decree	p. 26
God, Sin, and Eternal Damnation	p. 30
A Universal Predestination to Salvation in Christ: The Doctrine of Election in The Christian Faith	p. 37
Theology, the Church, and Christianity	p. 38
The Fundamental Difference between God and the World	p. 46
Sin, Grace, and Redemption through Jesus	p. 57
Summary and Critical Evaluation	p. 98
From Reprobation to Election: Earth's Revision of the Doctrine of Election in his Commentary on Romans	p. 104
Predestination as an Act of God	p. 105
Reprobation and Election	p. 115
Jesus Christ and God's Universal Faithfulness	p. 124
To Believe or not to Believe: The Doctrine of Election in the Gottingen Dogmatics	p. 134
The Function of the Doctrine	p. 135
God's Revelation in Hiddenness	p. 139
The Teleology of God	p. 144
Summary: Earth's Earlier Doctrine of Election	p. 156
Earth's Christological Revolution	p. 158
Lectures on the 'Big Theme' of Election in 1936 and 1937	p. 159
The Revision of the Doctrine in Church Dogmatics II/2	p. 164
The Changes in Earth's Doctrine of Election	p. 195
Conclusion: Earth and Schleiermacher on Election: A Challenge for Twenty-First-Century Theology	p. 198
Bibliography	p. 212
Name Index	p. 223
Subject Index	p. 226
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