Theology as Fighting Talk

Back when I attended Aberystwyth Theological College in the early 80's I first heard about the theologian Karl Barth. In one of the small libraries, lining the shelf were his 14 volumes of Church Dogmatics. A collection well beyond my budget! But I did manage to get a couple of paperbacks that featured his work. His writing took me into a different world. A place where theology was argued with great seriousness and no conclusions were reached without deep reflection. Words that carried opinions about matters that had never even crossed my mind.

Then I learnt about the Barmen Decleration and the stand Barth made against Hitler. My dad was in the army in the second world war and, though we never spoke about it, I knew that somehow, if a nation of ordinary people hadn't laid down their lives, then I may never have been born. Even if I was, the world I would have been born into would be nothing like the one I experience today.

Until I encountered the Barmen Deceration I could never connect my Christian faith to the titanic struggle of a world war. In Barth I discovered a theologian, who through his words, laid his life on the line and sought to bring down a tyrant. Theology as fighting talk.

In the early 90's I heard that T.T Clarke had released his 14 volumes in a paperback edition. Well... could I jusstify the expense? Not right then. I'd just emigrated, was serving a small church in West Virginia and had two kids to put through college. So the dream of owning those 14 volumes I'd seen in Theo Coll years before was laid aside.

Then a few weeks back I received a Christian book catalogue that had them, in hardback, on sale for $129. (This was reduced from $995, a saving of $865). My current church allows me a study budget so I consulted with the treasurer and got the all clear. They arrived (from Christianbook.com) in a box this afternoon.

So now the journey begins. Now I get to dive into that unfamiliar theological world of the early twentieth century. It's not going to be easy. I may get lost from time to time. But I want to discover more about the belief system of a man who used theology as a weapon in opposition to one of the most evil regimes the world has ever known.

Blogging as I go seems like the way to proceed. If you have found this blog and wish to comment, then please do. It's going to be a lengthy journey after all!