Idolatry and Mystery: Karl Barth’s Protestant Doctrine of Mystery as a Challenge to Apophaticism
This article contrasts the accounts of mystery used to combat idolatry found in the theology of Karl Barth and in contemporary apophatic theology. It describes Barth’s account of mystery as distinctly Protestant in its soteriological nature and basis in contrast to recent apophatic accounts of myste...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
2023
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| In: |
Journal of reformed theology
Year: 2023, Volume: 17, Issue: 1, Pages: 46-68 |
| IxTheo Classification: | FA Theology KAJ Church history 1914-; recent history KDD Protestant Church NBC Doctrine of God NBD Doctrine of Creation NBF Christology |
| Further subjects: | B
Creatio ex nihilo
B Karl Barth B Grace B Mystery B Jesus Christ B Apophaticism |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | This article contrasts the accounts of mystery used to combat idolatry found in the theology of Karl Barth and in contemporary apophatic theology. It describes Barth’s account of mystery as distinctly Protestant in its soteriological nature and basis in contrast to recent apophatic accounts of mystery based on the doctrine of creatio ex nihilo. These divergent theologies of mystery—as either light or darkness based on different dogmatic res—ultimately reveal contrasting commitments in the doctrine of God. For both, Jesus Christ is the light of God’s gracious revelation. However, the movement in apophatic theology is from the light of Christ to the mystery of divine darkness, while in Barth’s theology Jesus Christ is the luminous mystery of God that dispels the Deus absconditus. This article argues that idolatry is better counteracted by Barth’s positive concept that mystery is grace and filled with content in Jesus Christ. |
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| ISSN: | 1569-7312 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of reformed theology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15697312-bja10038 |