Encountering Christ: Karl Barth and Mysticism
A. Holmes
Lumen et Vita June 1, 2018 DOI: 10.6017/lv.v8i2.10508 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Key points | Argues that contrary to common assumptions, Karl Barth's theology contains a rich and modern mystical sensibility, evident in his treatments of union with God, the 'existentials of the theologians', and 'ecstatic socialism'. The paper contends that scholarly misrepresentations of Barth as hostile to mysticism overlook this dimension and raises the question of how dogmatic theology and religious experience became separated in church history and theological scholarship. |
Abstract
By virtue of his insistence on the once and for all revelation of God in Jesus Christ, Karl Barth’s theology has sometimes been perceived as hostile to mysticism and contemplative spirituality. Allegedly, the significance of ongoing encounters with God is lost under the weight of the proclamation of Jesus Christ as the decisive moment of God’s dealing with humankind. A closer reading of Barth, however, reveals a different story. Interestingly, no serious survey of Barth’s thought on mysticism exists. This paper will seek to address this gap in scholarship by briefly exploring Barth’s relationship to mystical theology through engagement with his work, especially on 1) Union with God, 2) existentials of the theologians, and 3) Barth’s ecstatic socialism. Contrary to the general assumptions, Barthian theology represents an undeniably rich, and modern, mystic sensibility. Aside from challenging scholarly misrepresentations of Barth, the paper raises the question of how dogmatic theology and religious experience came to treated separately in the historical development of the church and theological scholarship.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |