1st Edition
Barth, Israel, and Jesus Karl Barth's Theology of Israel
The attitude of Karl Barth to Israel and the Jews has long been the subject of heated controversy amongst historians and theologians. The question that has so far predominated in the debate has been Barth's attitude, both theologically and practically, towards the Jews during the period of the Third Reich and the Holocaust itself. How, if at all, did Barth's attitudes change in the post-war years? Did Barth's own theologising in the aftermath of the Holocaust take that horrendous event into account in his later writings on Israel and the Jews? Mark Lindsay explores such questions through a deep consideration of volume four of Barth's Church Dogmatics, the 'Doctrine of Reconciliation'.
Biography
Mark R. Lindsay is Fellow in the Department of History, University of Melbourne, Australia, and Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of Religion and Politics, University of St Andrews, UK.
'Very little has been written on Barth's doctrine of Israel in the later volumes of the Church Dogmatics; and Barth's view of the state of Israel is one that will prove as timely - and controversial - as it did in Barth's own day. Professor Lindsay's prose is clear and literate, always welcome in this field. Volume 4 of the Church Dogmatics is the major re-statement of Christology in our era, and the place Jews and the people of Israel have in those volumes should be of interest to all Barth scholars and theologians who work in Christology.' Kate Sonderegger, Virginia Theological Seminary, USA 'Following his earlier analysis of Barth's theological critique of Nazi antisemitism in 'Covenanted Solidarity', Mark Lindsay turns to examine the significance of the holocaust for Barth's post-war theology of Israel, particularly in the doctrine of reconciliation. Lucidly written, with scrupulous attention to the scope and the details of the texts, this is Barth scholarship of a high order, and will also be read with profit by all concerned for the relations of Christians and Jews.' John Webster, King's College, Aberdeen, UK 'It is splendid to welcome Mark Lindsay's latest book. With his rigorous attention to the diverse contexts of Barth's long theological journey, Lindsay persuasively argues that the Shoah and the establishment of the modern state of Israel are proper subjects of theology and shows how they entered into and gave form to Barth's late work. Highly relevant and helpful for current reflection on Jewish-Christian relations and providing a refreshing perspective on Karl Barth's contextuality makes this one of the best studies on Barth today.' Martin Rumscheidt, Atlantic School of Theology, Canada ’Lindsay's profound concern to foster Jewish-Christian dialogue is admirable, and his wide-ranging command both of Barth and of recent Jewish theology is impressive...Lindsay has offered a remarkably fresh challenge to the Barthian stricture on natural theology
