Dogmatics in Outline [Paperback]

Karl Barth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 1959

Barth stands before us as the greatest theologian of the twentieth century, yet the massive corpus of work which he left behind, the multi volume Church Dogmatics, can seem daunting and formidable to readers today. Fortunately his Dogmatics in Outline first published in English in 1949, contains in brilliantly concentrated form even in shorthand, the essential tenets of his thinking. Built around the assertions made in the Apostles Creed the book consists of a series of reflections on the foundation stones of Christian doctrine. Because Dogmatics in Outline derives from very particular circumstances namely the lectures Barth gave in war-shattered Germany in 1946, it has an urgency and a compassion which lend the text a powerful simplicity. Despite its brevity the book makes a tremendous impact, which in this new edition will now be felt by a fresh generation of readers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent summary of and introduction to Berthian theology." -- The Times (London) Literary Supplement

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter OneThe Task

Dogmatics is the science in which the Church, in accordance withthe state of its knowledge at different times, takes account of thecontent of its proclamation critically, that is, by the standard ofHoly Scripture and under the guidance of its Confessions.

Dogmatics is a science. What science really is has already been pondered, discussed and written about infinitely often and at all periods. We cannot develop this discussion even allusively here. I offer you a concept of science which is at any rate discussible and may serve as the basis for our expositions. I propose that by science we understand an attempt at comprehension and exposition, at investigation and instruction, which is related to a definite object and sphere of activity. No act of man can claim to be more than an attempt, not even science. By describing it as an attempt, we are simply stating its nature as preliminary and limited. Wherever science is taken in practice completely seriously, we are under no illusion that anything man can do can ever be an undertaking of supreme wisdom and final art, that there exists an absolute science, one that as it were has fallen from Heaven. Even Christian dogmatics is an attempt-an attempt to understand and an attempt to expound, an attempt to see, to hear and to state definite facts, to survey and co-ordinate these facts, to present them in the form of a doctrine. In every science an object is involved and a sphere of activity. In no science is it a matter of pure theory or pure practice; on the one hand, theory comes in, but also, on the other hand, practice guided by this theory. So by dogmatics, too, we understand this twofold activity of investigation and doctrine in relation to an object and a sphere of activity.

The subject of dogmatics is the Christian Church. The subject of a science can only be one in which the object and sphere of activity in question are present and familiar. Therefore it is no limitation and no vilification of the concept of dogmatics as a science to say that the subject of this science is the Church. It is the place, the community, charged with the object and the activity with which dogmatics is concerned-namely, the proclamation of the Gospel. By calling the Church the subject of dogmatics we mean that where dogmatics is pursued, whether by pupil or by teacher, we find ourselves in the sphere of the Church. The man who seeks to occupy himself with dogmatics and deliberately puts himself outside the Church would have to reckon with the fact that for him the object of dogmatics would be alien, and should not be surprised if after the first steps he could not find his bearings, or even did damage. Even in dogmatics familiarity with the subject must be there, and this really means familiarity with the life of the Church. This, of course, cannot mean that in dogmatics one would have to deal with what had been said in ancient or modern times by a Church authority, so that we should merely be repeating what it had prescribed. Not even Roman Catholic dogmatics has so interpreted its task. By calling the Church the subject of dogmatics, our only thought is that whoever is occupied with this science, whether as pupil or as teacher, must take his stand in responsibility upon the basis of the Christian Church and its work. That is the conditio sine qua non. But please note that this involves a free participation in the Church's life; it involves the responsibility which the Christian has to shoulder in this matter also.

In the science of dogmatics the Church draws up its reckoning in accordance with the state of its knowledge at different times. It might be said that this is quite obvious, given the premised concept of science. But it is not so automatically obvious, according to certain ideas about dogmatics which many have in their heads. I repeat that dogmatics is not a thing which has fallen from Heaven to earth. And if someone were to say that it would be wonderful if there were such an absolute dogmatics fallen from Heaven, the only possible answer would be: 'Yes, if we were angels.' But. since by God's will we are not, it will be good for us to have just a human and earthly dogmatics. The Christian Church does not exist in Heaven, but on earth and in time. And although it is a gift of God, He has set it right amid earthly and human circumstances, and to that fact corresponds absolutely everything that happens in the Church. The Christian Church lives on earth and it lives in history, with the lofty good entrusted to it by God. In the possession and administration of this lofty good it passes on its way through history, in strength and in weakness, in faithfulness and in unfaithfulness, in obedience and in disobedience, in understanding and in misunderstanding of what is said to it. Amid the history unfolded upon earth, for example, that of nature and civilisation, of morals and religion, of art and science, of society and the State, there is also a history of the Church. It too is a human, earthly history; and so it is not quite indefensible for Goethe to say of it that in all periods it has been a hotch-potch of error and power. If we Christians are sincere, we have to concede that this holds no less of Church history than of world history. That being so,, we have cause to speak modestly and humbly of what the Church is capable of, and therefore also of the Church work that we are doing here-namely, dogmatics. Dogmatics will always be able to fulfil its task only in accordance with the...

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; First Edition edition (September 2, 1959)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006130056X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061300561
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A faithful framework..., January 14, 2004

By 

FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Dogmatics in Outline (Paperback)

One of the remarkable things about this text is that it is derived from lectures Barth delivered without notes. Reading the text shows the remarkable clarity and insight of a man who had spent a lifetime developing a massive theological system (although Barth himself would hesitate to call his work systematic theology, constrasting his work with Tillich, who explicitly claimed the description for his work). Barth's 'Church Dogmatics' represents a major achievement in the history of theology, twentieth century or otherwise; this text, 'Dogmatics in Outline', can serve as a good introduction, a brief overview, or a quick reminder of the greater work in 'Church Dogmatics'.

Barth warns against using this text in a Cliff-Notes fashion for the larger work; however, modern reality being what it is, many students and readers will never find the time to explore the larger work, so this is a welcome text. It goes beyond 'Church Dogmatics' in some ways, in that this text (perhaps more than any other of Barth's, or perhaps on a par with his 'Humanity of God') serves as a guide to Barthian thought without the difficulty involved in his weightier works.

'Dogmatics in Outline' has as its backdrop the war-weary European theatre; indeed, these lectures were delivered in the bomb-damaged University of Bonn. If ever there were experiences that would question the love of God and the grace of God toward humanity, the experiences of the few years preceding these lectures would have served as such. Barth takes the experiences of World War II and the Holocaust into full account as he discusses the importance of faith. One of Barth's concerns throughout his career, and certainly in the aftermath of world war, is that moderns have lost the ability to speak in theological and faithful terms. Humanity has a tendency toward idolatry (an idea Barth shares with Tillich), even those who consider themselves orthodox.

Many Christians will readily recognise the overall outline of this Outline -- Barth uses the basic framework of the Apostle's Creed. Indeed, Barth hesitated to publish these lectures, given that he had two other works dealing with the Creed already published; however, it is this collection that stands best in memory. Perhaps it is Barth's method -- rather than reading a lecture, he gave a talk -- that makes this such a powerful work.

Barth begins by describing dogmatics as being a critical science concerned with the Christian church. Science here is not used in the terms of content but rather of intellectual method; like Tillich, Barth wanted the modern world to recapture the sense of necessity and validity of the theological enterprise, and using terminology and methodology made sense in this context. However, almost as soon as Barth described his task in terms of critical science, he gave an extended discourse on faith, in terms of trust, knowledge, and confession. Faith is a decision, Barth claims, that must be credible and comprehensible as well as accountable.

Never leaving aside Barth's key idea of the infinite difference between God and humanity, Barth traces through the statements of the Creed the love and grace of God toward humankind, and our response to that grace. Drawing heavily upon the New Testament texts and the overall history of salvation through the history of ancient Israel, Barth's sensitivity draws God and humanity into close relationship particularly through the person of Jesus Christ, in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, continued in community through the church. The revelation of God, according to Barth, comes solely at God's discretion -- there is nothing we can do to force it, or merit it, but it is given to us all freely in any case, from God's infinite love.

Stanley Hauerwas recommends a yearly re-reading of Barth's 'Dogmatics in Outline' for those of us (which is all of us) 'tempted to forget our strangeness'. The book is not lengthy, and can be read fairly quickly in a few sittings. It is a great text.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent beginning to Barthian thought, October 11, 2000

By 

Robert Knetsch "Wanna-be theologian" (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dogmatics in Outline (Paperback)

It took two readings for me to begin to appreciate the depth that Karl Barth put into this book. As my theology professor says, Barth is "deceptively easy" to read. This is indeed true. You read a paragraph and think you get an idea of what he is saying, but the philosophical ramifications of his perspectives are enormous. They blow apart human, frail understandings of God and forces one to view things differently, yet in a refreshing way. A great beginning to a monumental theologian.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clarity of Thought, April 27, 2000

By 

Mary Anne Karp - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dogmatics in Outline (Paperback)

A wonderful way to delve into what a Christian confesses in the Apostle's Creed. Do you find yourself having repeated the confession without remembering that you have? You won't again. Barth parses the Creed, expaining each phrase within the totality of traditional church teaching as well as reflective of the condition and history of twentieth century man. It is mindful of the historical position of individual contemporary Christians looking backward and forward at their role in salvation history. It is not a casual read, but well worth the theological effort.