Church Dogmatics, Vol 1.1, Sections 1-7: The Doctrine of the Word of God, Study Edition 1 [1, 1 ed.] 0567202909 / 0567202901

Table of contents :
§ 1. The Task of Dogmatics / 1. The Church, Theology, Science / 2. Dogmatics as an Enquiry / 3. Dogmatics as an Act of Faith / § 2. The Task of Prolegomena to Dogmatics / 1. The Necessity of Dogmatic Prolegomena / 2. The Possibility of Dogmatic Prolegomena / § 3. Church Proclamation as the Material of Dogmatics / 1. Talk about God and Church Proclamation / 2. Dogmatics and Church Proclamation / § 4. The Word of God in its Threefold Form / 1. The Word of God Preached / 2. The Word of God Written / 3. The Word of God Revealed / 4. The Unity of the Word of God / § 5. The Nature of the Word of God / 1. The Question of the Nature of the Word of God / 2. The Word of God as the Speech of God / 3. The Speech of God as the Act of God / 4. The Speech of God as the Mystery of God / § 6. The Knowability of the Word of God / 1. The Question of the Knowability of the Word of God / 2. The Word of God and Man / 3. The Word of God and Experience / 4. The Word of God and Faith / § 7. The Word of God, Dogma and Dogmatics / 1. The Problem of Dogmatics / 2. Dogmatics as a Science / 3. The Problem of Dogmatic Prolegomena

Citation preview

KARL BARTH CHURCH DOGMATICS I.l The Doctrine of the Word of God

STUDY

EDITION

.\\ t&t

clark

KARL BARTH CHURCH DOGMATICS

VOLUME I

THE DOCTRINE OF THE WORD OF GOD

THE WORD OF GOD AS THE CRITERION OF DOGMATICS

EDITED BY

G. W. BROMILEY T. F. TORRANCE

-~

t&t clark

Translated by G. W. Brorn iley, G. T. Thomson , Harold Knight Published by T&T Clark A Continuum imprint The Tower Building, 11 York Road, London SE1 7NX So Maiden Lane, Suite 704, New York, NY 10038 www.continuumbooks.com

Copyright© T&T Clark, 2009 Authorised translation of Karl Barth, Die Kirchliche Dogmatil< 1 Copyright © T heologischer Verlag Zurich , 193 2-1938 All revisions to the original English translation and all translations of Greek, Latin and French © Princeton Theological Seminary, 2009 All rights rese rved. No part of this pub lication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Typeset by Interactive Sciences Ltd, Gloucester Printed on acid-free paper in Great Britain by MPG Books Group

ISBN 10: os671oooi4 ISBN 13: 978os671oooi6

PUBLISHER'S PREFACE Since the publication of the first English translation of Church Dogmatics I. I by Professor Thomson in 1936, T&T Clark has been closely linked with Karl Barth. An authorised translation of the whole of the Kirchliche Dogmatik was begun in the 1950s under the editorship of G. W. Bromiley and T. F. Torrance, a work which eventually replaced Professor Thomson 's initial translation of CD !.I. T&T Clark is now happy to present to the academic community this new Study Edition of the complete Church Dogmatics. Its aim is mainly to make this major work available to a generation of students and scholars with less familiarity with Latin, Greek, and French. For the first time this edition therefore presents the classic text of the translation edited by G. W. Bromiley and T. F. Torrance incorporating translations of the foreign language passages in Editorial Notes on each page The main body of the text remains unchanged. Only minor corrections with regard to grammar or spelling have been introduced. The text is presented in a new reader friendly format. We hope that the breakdown of the Church Dogmatics into 31 shorter fascicles will make this edition easier to use than its predecessors. The General Index (fascicle 31) has been revised incorporating the work by Frank McCombie. The indices of biblical references and names have been completely replaced and many corrections for the other indices have been incorporated. The publishers would like to thank the Center for Barth Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary for supplying a digital edition of the text of the Church Dogmatics and translations of the Greek and Latin quotations in the original T & T Clark edition made by Simon Gathercole and Ian McFarland. London, Candlemas 2009

v

HOW TO USE THIS STUDY EDITION The Study Edition follows Barth's original volume structure. Individual paragraphs and sections should be easy to locate. A synopsis of the old and new edition can be found on the back cover of each fascicle. All secondary literature on the Church Dogmatics currently refers to the classic 14 volume set (e.g. II.2 p 520). In order to avoid confusion, we recommend that this practice should be kept for references to this Study Edition. The page numbers of the old edition can be found in the margins of this edition.

VI

CONTENTS § 1-7

§

§

l.

THE TASK OF DOGMATICS l. The Church, Theology, Science 2. Dogmatics as an Enquiry 3· Dogmatics as an Act of Faith

2. THE TASK OF PROLEGOMENA TO DOGMATICS l.

The Necessity of Dogmatic Prolegomena

2. The Possibility of Dogmatic Prolegomena §

l.

Talk about God and Church Proclamation

l.

The Word of God Preached

l.

The Question of the Nature of the Word of God

3· The Speech of God as the Act of God 4· The Speech of God as the Mystery of God

w8

118

123 130 140 159

6. THE KNOWABILITY OF THE WoRD OF GoD l.

The Question of the Knowability of the Word of God

2. The Word of God and Man 3· The Word of God and Experience 4· The Word of God and Faith §

s5 96

5· THE NATURE OF THE WoRD or GoD 2 . The Word of God as the Speech of God

§

44 69

4· THE WoRD OF GoD IN ITS THREEFOLD FoRM 2. The Word of God Written 3· The Word of God Revealed 4· The Unity of the Word of God

§

25 35

3· CHURCH PROCLAMATION AS THE MATERIAL OF DOGMATICS 2. Dogmatics and Church Proclamation

§

10 16

184 187 194 222

7· THE vVORD OF GoD, DoG~1A AND DoGMATI CS l.

The Problem of Dogmatics

2. Dogmatics as a Science 3· The Problem of Dogmatic Prolegomena

Vll

245 270 282

§

[003]

1

THE TASK OF DOGMATICS As a theological discipline dogmatics is the scientific self-examination of the Christian Church with respect to the content of its distinctive talk about God.

1.

THE CHURCH, THEOLOGY, SCIENCE

Dogmatics is a theological discipline. But theology is a function of the Church. The Church confesses God as it talks about God. It does so first by its existence in the action of each individual believer. And it does so secondly by its specific action as a fellowship , in proclamation by preaching and the administration of the sacraments, in worship, in its internal and external mission including works of love amongst the sick, the weak and those in jeopardy. Fortunately the reality of the Church does not coincide with its action. But its action coincides with the fact that alike in its existence in b elievers and its communal existence as such it speaks about God. Its action is "theology" in both the broader and the narrower sense.

a

Th eology is de divinitate ratio sive sermo £N J (Augustine, De civ. Dei VITI , 1). EiEOAoyoS' est TOV (hov EK 8EOu EVW71'LOV TOV 8EOu EiS' aogav a thou ,\E'ywv EN 2 (Coccejus, Summa theol. , 16gg, 1, I).

But as it confesses God the Church also confesses both the humanity and the responsibility of its action. It realises that it is exposed to fierce temptation as it speaks of God , and it realises that it must give an account to God for the way in which it speaks. The first and last and decisive answer to this twofold compulsion consists in the fact that it rests content with the grace of the One whose strength is mighty in weakness. But in so doing it recognises and takes up as an active Church the further human task of criticising and revising its speech about God . This brings us to the concept of theology in the third, strictest and proper sense of the word. is

Cf. for this threefold conce pt of th eology J. Gerhard, Loci theol., 161 o , Prooem., 4: Theology 1. fi des et Teligio Christiana, quae omnib·us jidelibus doctis aeque ac indoctis communnis est, ul sic

F.N >

ENz

argume nt or discourse on divinity A theologian is someone who speaks of God , from God, before God to God 's glory

§ [ 004]

1.

The Task of Dogmatics

theologi dicantur"N' ; 2. Junctio ministerii Ecclesiastici EN" ; 3. accuratior divinorum mysteriorwn cognitio, qua ratione theologi dicuntur, qui possunt veritatem divinam solide stabilire, eique oppositam Jalsitatem potenter destruereEN 3 .

Theolog-y as a science, in distinction from the "theology" of the simple testimony of faith and life and the "theology" of the service of God, is a measure taken by the Church in relation to the vulnerability and responsibility of its utterance . It would be meaningless without justifYing g-race, which here too can alone make good what man as such invariably does badly. But it can be meaning-ful as an act of obedience to this grace, i.e., of the obedience in which here too man may believe that he is doing well even though he does not see it. Theology saw this guite early ... et hominum officio ipso sancto Spiritu largiente in docendis etiam ips is doctoribus non debere cessare et tamen neque qui plantat esse aliquid neque qui rigat sed Dewn qui incrementum datF N•i (Augustin e, De doct. christ. IV, 16) .

The Church produces theology in this special and peculiar sense by subjecting itself to self-examination. It puts to itself the question of truth, i.e., it measures its action, its talk about God, ag-ainst its being- as the Church. Thus theology exists in this special and peculiar sense because before it and apart from it there is in the Church talk about God. Theology follows the talk of the Church to the extent that in its question as to the correctness of its utterance it does not measure it by an alien standard but by its own source and object. Theology guides the talk of the Church to the extent that it concretely reminds it that in all circumstances it is fallible human work which in the matter of relevance or irrelevance lies in the balance, and must be obedience to g-race if it is to be well done . Theology accompanies the utterance of the Church to the extent that it is itself no more than human "talk about God," so that with this talk it stands under the judgment that beg-ins at the house of God and lives by the promise g-iven to the Church. The work in which the Church submits to this self-examination falls into three circles which intersect in such a way that the centre of each is also within the circumference of the other two , so that in view of that which alone can be the centre it is as well neither to affirm nor to construct a systematic centre, i.e., the centre of a circle embracing the other three . The question of truth, with which theology is concerned throughout, is the question as to the ag-reement of the Church ' s distinctive talk about God with the being- of the Church. The criterion of past, future and therefore present Christian utterance is thus EN

EN

3

4

1. the Christian faith and religion , which is common to all the faithful, the unlearned no less than th e learned, with the result that they may all be called theologians; 2. the function of the Church's ministry; 3· more specifically, knowledge of divin e mysteries , for which reason th ey are called theologians who are able both to give firm support to divine truth and effectively refute the falsehood that opposes it Whil e in th e teaching even of teachers the Holy Spirit is the giver, human participation must not cease, and yet neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who gives the growth

2

1.

The Church, Theology, Science

the being of the Church, namely, Jesus Christ, God in His gracious revealing and reconciling address to man. Does Christian utterance derive from Him? Does it lead to Him? Is it conformable to Him? None of these questions can be put apart, but each is to be put independently and with all possible force . Hence theology as biblical theology is the question of the basis, as practical theology the question of the goal and as dogmatic theology the question of the content of the distinctive utterance of the Church. What is called Church history does not correspond to any independently raised question concerning Christian talk about God, and it cannot therefore be regarded as an independent theological discipline. It is an auxiliary science indispensable to exegetical, dogmatic and practical theology.

When the Church puts to itself the question of truth in its threefold form in a way which is objective and not arbitrary, its self-examination acquires the character of a scientific undertaking which has its own place alongside other human undertakings of the same or a similar kind. It is this particular science, i.e., theological science. Naturally, however, it is only in practice and with reservations that we can claim for it either its character as a science or its distinctiveness among the sciences. Even the asserted independence of theology in relation to other sciences cannot be proved to be necessary in principle. It is indeed unfortunate that the question of the truth of talk about God should be handled as a question apart by a special faculty, and, while we have to recognise that such a course is unavoidable in practice, we cannot find any final reasons to justifY it. Only theological arrogance could argue the point on other than practical grounds. Within the sphere of the Church philosophy, history, sociology, psychology, or pedagogics, whether individually or in conjunction, might well take up the task of measuring the Church's talk about God by its being as the Church, thus making a special theology superfluous. Theology does not in fact possess special keys to special doors. Nor does it control a basis of knowledge which might not find actualisation in other sciences. Nor does it know an object of enquiry necessarily concealed from other sciences. Only by failing to recognise the actualisation of revelation , the possibility of grace and therefore its own nature, could it possibly make any such claim. Similarly, we cannot possibly prove that there is any necessity in principle for a theology of the service of God. Might it not be thatJer. 31 34 is in process of fulfilment? Philosophy and secular science generally do not have to be secular or pagan. There might be such a thing as philosophia christiana ENs. Porro si sajJientia Deus est, jJer quem facta sunt omnia sicul divina auctoritas veritasque monstravit, verus jJhilosojJhus est amator DeiENfi (Augustine, De civ. Dei VIII , 1).

EN

5

ENii

Christian philosophy Now, if wisdom is God through whom all things were made (as divine authority and truth have shown), then the true philosopher is a lover of God

3

[005]

§

[006]

1.

The Task ofDog;matics

To contest this principle is to combine despair of the world with overvaluation of the Christian world in a way which is incompatible either with Christian hope or Christian humility. Theology as a special science, like the theology of the service of God as special Christian utterance, can be justified only as a relative and factual necessity. As such it is justified. Absolute el simjJliciter Theologia non est necessaria, ne quidem toti Ecclesiae: palest enim Deus homines immediate, h.e. sine ministerio hominum Theologorum informare et converlere-sed ex hypothesi posita scil. Dei voluntateEN 7 (Quenstedt, Theol. did. pol., 1685, I, cap. 1, sect. 2, qu. 1, ekth. 6).

The other sciences have not in fact recognised and adopted the task of theology. To be sure, attempts have always been made on all sides to criticise and correct the Church's talk about God. But what is required is its criticism and correction in the light of the being of the Church, of Jesus Christ as its basis, goal and content. In fact, however, even though we cannot show that this is in accordance with any necessity of principle, even those historians, pedagogues, etc., and especially philosophers who kindly take this aspect into account always miss the real problem by setting it within the sphere of their own sciences, judging the utterance of the Church about God in accordance with alien principles rather than its own principle, and thus increasing rather than decreasing the mischief which makes critical science necessary for the Church. The result is even worse when this is done in the name of "theology." In practice the achievements of the philosopher, historian, etc. can be of only indirect significance to the problem which here confronts us, i.e., by way of a specific interpretation. Directly, in all the three areas of theological enquiry philosophy, history, psychology, etc. have always succeeded in practice only in increasing the self-alienation of the Church and the distortion and confusion of its talk about God. And in the interpretation offered, as the relevant experts at once object, philosophy ceases to be philosophy, or history history. There never has actually been a philosophia christiana ENs, for if it was philosophia it was not christiana, and if it was christiana it was not philosophia. If, then, the concern of the Church is not to go by default, the special function of a scientific theology, corresponding to the special function of the service of God, is in fact indispensable. Its task, not in fact discharged by other sciences, is that of the criticism and correction of talk about God according to the criterion of the Church's own principle. Theology is the science which finally sets itself this task, and this task alone, subordinating to this task all other possible tasks in the human search for truth. Non ubique quidquid sciri ab homine potest in rebus lmmanis ... huic scientiae tribuens, sed illud tanturnmorlo, quo fides sa/uberrima, quae arlvemm beatiturlinem rlucit, gignitur; nutritur; dejenditur, EN

7

ENH

Strictly speaking, theology is not necessary, not even for the Church as a whole; for God is able to instruct and convert persons directly, that is, without the ministry of human theologians, but [it is] postulated by hypothesis as being willed by God Christian philosophy

4

1.

The Church, Theology, Science

roboratur"'N 9 (Augustine, De trin. XIV, 1 , 3) . Theologia ... ita est omnium arbitra et domina, ut de ipsis judicet et ipsa a nulla alia scientia judicetur; ornnes enim aliae disciplinae exigendae sunt ad ejus amussim, ut quicquid habent cum Theologia non consonum reiiciaturEN io (F. Turrettini, Instil. Theol. elenchth. I, 1679, 1, 6, 7). Cf. Thomas Aquinas, S. theol. I, qu. 1 , art. 5·

The other sciences, too, might finally set themselves this task and this task alone, subordinating all other tasks to it. All sciences might ultimately be theology. The fact that they are not is one which we need neither bewail nor justifY in the present context. But it is a fact which creates a vacuum intolerable for the Church. The separate existence of theology signifies the emergency measure on which the Church has had to resolve in view of the actual refusal of the other sciences in this respect. It can have no epistemological basis. From the standpoint of the Church itself and therefore of theology, the separate existence of the latter is theoretically very questionable. Of the efforts made to assign it a place in the system of sciences, theology itself must say that the honour is both too great, and too small. The case is much the same when we ask whether theology is really a science at all. This question is not a vital one for theology. There is no necessity of principle, nor are there any internal reasons, why it should claim to belong to this genus. On the contrary, there are good grounds why it should definitely refrain from doing so. Among the older orthodox , so far as I am aware, Baier was the first ( ComjJ. Theol. posit., Prot., 1, 15), and then Buddeus (instit. dogmat. , 1724, I, 1, 28), emphatically to call theology a scientia ENu Perhaps in the wake of Thomas Aquinas ( S. theol. I, qu. 1 , art. 2 a nd 6) the older Le id e n school (e.g., WalYJT{av, Kanl T~V avaAoy{av Tij