Barth, Israel, and Jesus: Karl Barth's Theology of Israel (Barth Studies)

145 Pages·2007·0.72 MB·English

by  Mark R. Lindsay

BARTH, ISRAEL, AND JESUS
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.
Professor 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.
Professor John Webster, King’s College, Aberdeen
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, Nova Scotia, Canada
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’.
Barth Studies
Series Editors
John Webster, Professor of Theology, University of Aberdeen, UK
George Hunsinger, Director of the Center for Barth Studies,
Princeton University, USA
Hans-Anton Drewes, Director of the Karl Barth Archive, Basel, Switzerland
The work of Barth is central to the history of modern western theology and remains
a major voice in contemporary constructive theology. His writings have been the
subject of intensive scrutiny and re-evaluation over the past two decades, notably on
the part of English-language Barth scholars who have often been at the forefront of
fresh interpretation and creative appropriation of his theology. Study of Barth, both
by graduate students and by established scholars, is a significant enterprise; literature
on him and conferences devoted to his work abound; the Karl Barth Archive in
Switzerland and the Center for Barth Studies at Princeton give institutional profile to
these interests. Barth’s work is also considered by many to be a significant resource
for the intellectual life of the churches.
Drawing from the wide pool of Barth scholarship, and including translations of
Barth’s works, this series aims to function as a means by which writing on Barth,
of the highest scholarly calibre, can find publication. The series builds upon and
furthers the interest in Barth’s work in the theological academy and the church.
Other titles in this series
The Resurrection in Karl Barth
R. Dale Dawson
Ethics in Crisis
Interpreting Barth’s Ethics
David Clough
Karl Barth’s Christological Ecclesiology
Kimlyn J. Bender
Conversing with Barth
Edited by John C. McDowell and Mike Higton
Barth, Israel, and Jesus
Karl Barth’s Theology of Israel
MARK R. LINDSAY
University of Melbourne, Australia
and University of St Andrews, UK
© Mark R. Lindsay 2007
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Mark R. Lindsay has asserted his moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act,
1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
Published by
Ashgate Publishing Limited Ashgate Publishing Company
Gower House Suite 420
Croft Road 101 Cherry Street
Aldershot Burlington, VT 05401-4405
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England
Ashgate website: http://www.ashgate.com
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Lindsay, Mark R., 1971–
Barth, Israel, and Jesus : Karl Barth’s theology of Israel. – (Barth studies)
1. Barth, Karl, 1886–1968 2. Israel (Christian theology) 3. Christianity and other religions
– Judaism – 1945–
I. Title
231.7'6'092
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lindsay, Mark R., 1971–
Barth, Israel, and Jesus : Karl Barth’s theology of Israel / Mark R Lindsay.
p. cm.—(Barth studies) Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Barth, Karl, 1886–1968. 2. Christianity and other religions—Judaism—1945–
3. Judaism—Relations—Christianity—1945– 4. Barth, Karl, 1886–1968. Lehre von der
Versvhnung. 5. Reconciliation—Religious aspects—Christianity. 6. Holocaust (Christian
theology) 7. Israel—History—Religious aspects—Christianity. I. Title.
BX4827.B3L56 2007
261.2'6092—dc22
2006018458
ISBN 978-0-7546-5087-4
Printed and bound in Great Britain by MPG Books Ltd, Bodmin, Cornwall.
‘Your name will be Israel, because you have struggled
with God and with men and have overcome.’
—Gen 32:28
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Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
List of Abbreviations xv
Introduction xvii
1 Jewish–Christian Relations Since 1945 1
Obstacles Along the Way 3
Confessional mea culpas: Church statements addressing the Holocaust 5
Conclusion 12
2 Barth and the Jewish People: The historical debate 15
The Context of Controversy 16
Reading Barth’s Ambiguity 19
Barth and the Jewish People: How scholars have understood him 21
Barth and the Jews: His personal relationships 26
Conclusion 35
3 Karl Barth and Natural Theology: A case study of the Holocaust as a
theologicallocus 37
The Problem of Natural Theology 39
The Holocaust and the Doctrine of Evil 45
Outline of a Doctrine 48
An Evaluation 52
Conclusion 55
Postscript 56
4 Karl Barth and the State of Israel: Between theology and politics 59
Out of the Ashes: The 1948 (re-)creation of Israel 59
The Creation of Israel in ‘The Doctrine of Creation’ 64
De Gubernatione and the King of Israel 67
The History of Israel as a Witness to the Rule of God 73
Political Support for Israel as a Theological Necessity 83
5 The Function of ‘Israel’ in the ‘Doctrine of Reconciliation’ 87
Christological Election as the Presupposition of Dialogic Possibilities 89
The Jews in the Far Country 93
The Royal Man 96
The Ministry of the Reconciled Community 98
viii Barth, Israel, and Jesus
Conclusion 107
Bibliography 111
Name Index 119
Subject Index 123
Preface
As is the lot of many younger scholars, the joy of seeing my doctoral dissertation
published in late 2001 was tempered by the realization that I had completed merely the
first instalment of what, if the job was to be done properly, could only be at least a two-
part study. Now with the second part completed, I find myself part of what can only be
described as something of a renaissance in Barth scholarship. The recently-established
Online Bibliography of Karl Barth—a joint venture between the Center for Barth
Studies at Princeton and the Theological University of Kampen in the Netherlands—is
ample evidence of this renaissance, with new and exciting contributions being made
in recent years from every part of the world. Similarly, in 2006 Princeton Theological
Seminary and the Karl Barth Society of North America hosted the inaugural ‘Annual
Karl Barth Conference’. Everywhere, it seems, Barth scholarship (and appreciation)
is on the increase. The small addition of this book will serve, I trust, a double purpose.
As well as hopefully adding something of value to the existing scholarly literature on
Barth’s enduring theological legacy, it is my hope that through this book I will also be
able to make a contribution—or better, show that Barth himself has already made a
contribution—to the cause of Jewish–Christian dialogue.
Since 9/11, a great deal of theological effort has rightly gone into the delicate work
of Christian–Muslim reconciliation. While undoubtedly a long-overdue and vitally
necessary task, it remains my belief that the history of Jewish–Christian relations is
in even more need of deep repair, largely because it has been a longer and (as we may
tend to forget in light of recent experience) a far bloodier engagement. The anxiety
that greeted the death of Pope John Paul II and the subsequent election of Benedict
XVI, amongst those who have worked for so long toward better understanding
between Christians and Jews, illustrated how fragile the relations still are. There are
hopeful signs that Benedict’s pontificate will not alter substantially the tremendous
gains made under John Paul II. Nonetheless, progress in Jewish–Christian relations
can never be taken for granted, and much work still needs to be done.
The role of Karl Barth—by general consensus the greatest Protestant theologian
since Luther—in assisting or, in the view of his critics hindering, the reconciliation
between Jews and Christians remains a contested subject. Given on the one hand the
importance of seeking peace between these two faith traditions that between them
account for some 2.5 billion people, and on the other hand Barth’s stature within
the theological world, it is vital that these two criteria of modern theology (I would
argue that Barth’s stature accords him status as a theological criterion) be brought
into conversation. That is what this book aims to do, as a service both to interfaith
dialogue and to Barth scholarship.
*
There are, as usual, many people to thank, without whose assistance this project
would never have been finished. Sarah Lloyd at Ashgate has been invaluable from
the start, with her encouragement, always timely advice, and wholehearted support