An Explorer's Guide to Karl Barth - (Explorer's Guides) by David Guretzki (Paperback)

About the Book

David Guretzki has gathered numerous hints and notes throughout decades of study for how best to explore the writings of the Swiss theologian. This handy, accessible guide offers a brief snapshot of the key texts, terms, and ideas.

Book Synopsis

If ever a theologian required a guidebook, it would be Karl Barth. David Guretzki has gathered numerous hints and notes throughout decades of study for how best to explore the writings of the Swiss theologian. This handy, accessible guide offers a brief snapshot of the key texts, terms, and ideas that any new reader of Barth's work needs to know.

Review Quotes

"Barth's Church Dogmatics is galactic in scope and grandeur: too vast to take in merely with the naked eye. As with the night sky, it requires the use of a telescope, where vast vistas are brought close. For a second one catches a glimpse of the whole in the part, only to leave the telescope behind, gaze up at the night sky, and again be reminded of the depth and grandeur of the whole-all the while holding on to the partial yet real insights provided by the telescope. Barth's theology is a universe and Guretzki has given us a glimpse through the telescope of his book of key constellations within Barth's cosmos, helping us gain an apprehension and understanding of the whole. This is a brilliant little book that will prove to be a useful tool for all those wanting to study Barth and his theology, especially those who are gazing upon his work for the first time."

"Beginning readers of Karl Barth will not find a better, more reliable, more accessible introduction to his theology than David Guretzki's An Explorer's Guide to Karl Barth. Guretzki knows Barth's theology so well that he can explain it without using a lot of technical jargon. The idea of including a list of Barth-related FAQ is a stroke of genius. I will certainly assign this book to my own students."

"For the interested but uninitiated reader, accessing Barth's theology is no easy task. Standard introductions and surveys of his theology remain accessible only to those generally familiar with it. The need for a more easily accessible entry into reading Barth has been longstanding. Guretzki's book satisfies this need. Not only is it concise, well written, and very balanced, it also points readers in the right directions in terms of further primary and secondary sources. This book is well worth acquiring!"

"Guretzki achieves his goal of helping people develop an interest, read more Barth and ultimately, as was Barth's intent, to read the Bible more fully. A welcome and needed book."

"Guretzki's work offers a useful companion to an introduction to Karl Barth and his magnum opus."

"In this introductory guide to Karl Barth's life and thought, David Guretzki reliably acquaints readers in a welcoming fashion with many important themes in the theology of Karl Barth. Most notably, he helpfully points readers to Barth's own spiritually captivating analysis as one of the leading biblical and truly Christocentric theologians to appear since Augustine, Athanasius, or Thomas Aquinas. Anyone reading this book will see, with Guretzki, why so many serious Christian theologians today believe that 'one cannot claim to be engaged in the study of Christian theology without in some way engaging or becoming at least familiar with Karl Barth.'"

"One of the biggest challenges to studying the work of Karl Barth with genuine comprehension is simply getting started and moving in the right direction. In this volume, David Guretzki provides an ideal place for readers to begin, based on years of introducing his students to Barth's writings and theological ideas. A most welcome resource for those embarking on the journey of reading Barth as well as those seeking to teach them."

"The prospect of reading Karl Barth's theology can be intimidating for new and experienced theologians alike. The historical distance between Barth's time and our own, the complexity of his thought, the ongoing scholarly debates about his work, and the sheer number of pages Barth produced can make it difficult to know where and how to begin. That's where this book comes in. David Guretzki has spent years helping students explore Barth's theology, and he has distilled the wisdom he has gained during these years into these pages. The result is an accessible and generous guide to Barth's theology that reduces the intimidation factor, answers common questions, and makes the task of reading Barth fun. I recommend this book for professors, students, pastors, and anyone else interested in reading Barth."

"This is a concise, lighthearted, judicious, and well-written introduction to Karl Barth's life and thought. Guretzki is a winsome and reliable guide for new explorers of Barth's work."

About the Author

David Guretzki is professor of theology, church, and public life at Briercrest College and Seminary in Caronport, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is a coauthor of Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms.