Karl Barth has long been an object of both suspicion and curiosity for evangelical Christians. Those who do want to know more about Barth often find themselves daunted by the sheer volume of his massive output, unsure of where to start or how to engage with the famously prolific theologian.
"We flip through the nearly 9,000 pages of the
Church Dogmatics," says author Mark Galli, "read a passage or two of his dense prose, and run for our theological lives."
In this reader-friendly introduction to Karl Barth, Galli takes readers on a whirlwind tour of the life and writings of this giant of twentieth-century theology, paying special attention to themes and topics of concern for contemporary evangelicals, who may need Barth's acute critique as much as early-twentieth-century liberals did--and for surprisingly similar reasons.
"To be sure, Barth has his share of personal and theological flaws," admits Galli. Even so, he contends, "because his theology is so grounded in Scripture, Barth is able as few can to remind us of the height, breadth, and depth of God's love in Jesus Christ."
