Karl Barth’s Theology as a Resource for a Christian Theology of Religions

by Ensminger, Sven

• ISBN13: 9780567655769
• ISBN10: 0567655768
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2014-09-25
• Publisher: Bloomsbury T&T Clark

Summary

This book uses Karl Barth's theology as a resource for Christian theology of religions. For this purpose, it examines Barth's theology under the doctrinal aspects of revelation, revelation and religion, theological anthropology and election, addressing questions such as the possibility of and context for revelation, Barth's understanding of religion, the theological approach to the human being, and soteriology. Furthermore, Barth's thought is put into conversation with other approaches in the field of theology of religions, notably Karl Rahner's inclusivism and John Hick and the pluralist paradigm. It is shown that Barth's theological system as a whole can serve as a resource for the Christian approach to and interaction with those of other faiths or no faith at all. This is achieved through maintaining a balance between the commitment to the own faith and the openness to the sovereignty of God impacting the whole of creation. Central to Barth's approach is the challenge to the Christian community to see their presuppositions challenged in the most unexpected circumstances, while looking beyond human categories to affirm the dignity bestowed upon all of humanity through the divine Yes in the person Jesus Christ. Barth's theology with its starting point in the person of Jesus Christ is advocated as a framework for the members of the Christian community as they live alongside those with a different faith from their own.

Author Biography

Sven Ensminger (PhD, Bristol University, UK) is an Adjunct Teaching Fellow at the University of St. Andrews, UK

Table of Contents

Introduction
Chapter 1
1.1 Barth’s Doctrine of Revelation
1.2 Approaching the doctrine of Revelation
1.3 The one revelation of Jesus Christ and other Revelations
1.4 Conclusion
Chapter 2
2.1 Barth’s Understanding of Revelation and Religion
2.2 Approaching Barth’s Understanding of Religion
2.3 Analysis of §17 of Church Dogmatics
2.4 Revisiting Revelation in the Context of Religion
2.5 Conclusion
Chapter 3
3.1 Barth’s Theological Anthropology and Doctrine of Sin
3.2 Approaching Barth’s Theological Anthropology
3.3 Barth’s Doctrine of Sin
3.4 Conclusion
Chapter 4
4.1 Barth’s Doctrine of Election – The Electing God and the Elected Human Being
4.2 Approaching the Doctrine of Election
4.3 The Question of Universalism & Human Freedom
4.4 Conclusion
Chapter 5
5.1 Engaging the Inclusivist Paradigm – A Conversation between Karl Rahner and Karl Barth
5.2 Outline of the Inclusivist Paradigm
5.3 Engaging the Inclusivist Paradigm
5.4 Conclusion
Chapter 6
6.1 Engaging the Pluralist Paradigm – John Hick as Question and Challenge to Karl Barth
6.2 Outline of the Pluralist Paradigm
6.3 Engaging the Pluralist Paradigm
6.4 Conclusion
Chapter 7: Conclusion
7.1 Karl Barth’s Theology as Resource for Christian Theology of Religions
7.2 Barth’s Theology in the Field of Christian Theology of Religions
7.3 Barth’s Theology of Religions – A New Approach
7.4 Conclusion
Bibliography