Philosophy and Theology in Karl Barth’s Neo-Orthodoxy

Abstract

In the proposed article the author explores the concept of God’s Word in theocentric theology of K. Barth and theology of early K. Barth in times of the second edition of 'Romans’, in terms of their philosophy founding. The author compares the block of philosophical and theological topics such as the theory of temporality, dialectic concept of the beginning (Ursprung) and other types in philosophical discourses used by K. Barth (platonism, neo-Kantianism, existentialism, scholasticism, phenomenological philosophy and others) with theology of K. Barth. The article gives a brief reconstruction of the theology of God’s Word by K. Barth in its two complementary projections as presented in the ‘Sketch of Christian Doctrine’ and ‘Dogma of the Church’. During the presentation the reader is well acquainted with the third projection of the concept of God’s Word by K. Barth at the time of the genesis of the book ‘Fides quaerens intellectum’. The article tests the hypothesis that the second edition of the ‘Romans’, ‘Fides quaerens intellectum’ and ‘Sketch of the Christian Dogma’ with ‘Church Dogma’ explicate the form of Christian theology, which, absorbing primarily the important philosophic achievements of 19–20th centuries, yet tries to stay free of them. Using various forms of philosophical discourses Karl Barth implements his own task of building a Christian theology beyond metaphysics, history and human existence.

Keywords

• K. Barth
• God’s Word
• revelation
• theology
• dialectics