DESCRIPTION: This course will introduce students to the theology of Karl Barth. It will include an introduction to Barth's life, to his early theology, and to the development of his theological method. Selected portions from Barth's Church Dogmatics will be read and discussed in class, dealing with doctrine of God, election, creation, reconciliation, ecclesiology, ethics, and politics. Students will engage critically with Barth's theology and reflect on its relevance for issues in the church and the contemporary world.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students completing this course will have gained an introductory understanding of the life and theology of Karl Barth. (2) They will have researched one aspect of Barth's theology in depth. (3) They will have developed skills in reading theology critically and in articulating their theological views. (4) Students will have reflected on the relevance of Barth's theology for issues facing the church and the contemporary world.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Because he was writing as a theologian of the church, Barth's works continue to have an impact upon the lives and ministries of Christians who seek to understand him. Though verbose, he was a creative and passionate writer whose works offer new perspectives on evangelical faith and ministry.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet once weekly for three-hour sessions. Assigned readings will be used as a basis for the lecture and class discussion each day.

REQUIRED READING:

Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatics. Selected portions.

Magina, Joseph L. Karl Barth: Theologian of Christian Witness. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2004.

McCormack, Bruce. Karl Barth's Critically Realistic Dialectical Theology: Its Genesis and Development, 1906-1936. Oxford: Clarendon, 1997.

Natural Theology. Comprising "Nature and Grace" by Emil Brunner and the reply "No!" by Karl Barth. Translated from the German by Peter Frankel. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2002.

Bromiley, Geoffrey. Introduction to the Theology of Karl Barth. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1979.

Busch, Eberhard. Karl Barth: His Life and Letters from Autobiographical Texts. Translated by John Bowden. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975.

Webster, John. The Cambridge Companion to Karl Barth. Cambridge University Press, 2000.

__________. Karl Barth. New York: Continuum, 2004.

1. Reading log. Students are required to complete the assigned reading for each class. At the end of the quarter they will submit a reading log (15%).

2. Major paper. Students are required to write and present a research paper (3500-4000 words) on one of the topics provided (60%).

3. Reflection paper. Students will write a reflection paper (1000-1200 words) on the topic of their choice (15%).

4. Active participation in discussion (10%).