Dogmatics I.2 Section 15.2.I

This section is so rich, dense, and...well...long that it must be broken up into three parts, hence the subsection listings. The entire section of Chapter 15.2 is labeled "Very God and Very Man"
(note to readers, the first time I wrote this I typed "berry God" - woops. That might take theology down a whole separate, more fruity, more comical path)

This chapter is the answer to the question: Who is Jesus Christ. "Very God and Very Man." In a rich theological statement, Barth quips that "If we wish to state who Jesus Christ is, in every separate statement we must also state, or at least make clear - and inexorably so - that we are speaking of the Lord of heaven and earth....who enters into profoundest hiddenness in 'meekness of heart.'" (133) - awesome. Here Barth makes four key points: The first point to make is that the Word which is said to have come in flesh is the "eternal Word of the eternal Father." (134) The Word is the subject of the statement "The Word was made flesh" from John 1:14, meaning that nothing befalls him, and is not dependent upon any action by human history to be true.

(my own thought - ...what does this say about sin/providence?...)

Point number 2: The becoming of the Word took place in the divine freedom of the Word - it is not necessary that it be so - it is God's free will that made this happen. (makes me think about my gratefulness of God again) In a powerful theological statement, Barth states that along with this, "His Word will still be His Word apart from this becoming, just as Father, Son and Holy Spirit would be none the less eternal God, if no world had been created." (135) So when the Word became flesh, we are speaking of a miracle - a radical act of God's mercy. Point 3: Even after this "becoming" has taken place (eg Christ exists fully on earth) God's Word is still free and unrestrained. "The Word is what He is even before and apart from His being flesh." (136)

Four, that Mary as theotokos "God-bearer" should be reaffirmed. For commentary and extra research on this, one should refer to the Council of Ephesus. Anyway, for the next six pages or so, Barth goes off on a little journey regarding historical accounts and arguments from previous theologians about the theotokos controversy. He mentions the Mariology doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, discusses the councils a bit, and then ends with a suggestion that Protestant fear of Mariology has perhaps driven it so far away from all mystery that it becomes okay to dispense with the idea that Jesus was born to the virgin Mary at all.

Later we'll see about this argument.

Dogmatics I.2 Section 15.1

Sorry for the delay...as if anyone was waiting in anticipation for this next chapter to be summarized...the move back to Princeton has been my primary focus. The Barth journey continues!

This next section, labeled The Problem of Christology, begins with a succinct example of Barth's rich Christological emphasis that acts as the foundation to his theology. In the first paragraph he basically says that the Word of God (embodied in Jesus) focusing on the events surrounding Easter is that which the Scripture and the Church stands or falls. Later he states that statements about Christ must be the dominant theme of church dogmatics or it ceases to be so by definition. So he begins to dive into exactly what the particular mystery of the Word of God on earth is. It is here that the "mystery of revelation must be brought to its definite expression" in Jesus Christ. The crucial starting-point of Christ is the ultimate mystery of the expression of revelation by God. So how does this come about? The mystery is that God becomes human to redeem humanity through the virgin birth, which Barth argues is an important and necessary function of the story of Christ. The next few chapters deal with just this very thing. But before beginning that discussion....

Barth states first and foremost that "only one thing should be insisted upon here": that the assertion that "Jesus Christ is very God and very man" is actually an assumption necessary - that no proof will cause this to become true. It is a mystery - "Christology deals with the revelation of God as a mystery" (131), -- Key word there Mystery. The discussion on page 132 shouldn't be missed. Talk about faith - the discussion of Christ cannot be transmuted into something devoid of mystery...it is mystery at very essence. The discussion of Christ must be directed towards preserving its mystery.

(my comment) Makes you wonder if theological education tries to leave room for any mystery to take place. Are we explaining it away or building a foundation on a mystery we confess and have faith in? Faith seeking understanding....

With this foundation we venture on to the virgin birth.

Chris

This is just a shout-out to the Berardis who are currently looking at this blog. surprise!