Karl Barth was one of the most influential theologians of the 20th Century. As someone whose work and perspective remain formative for Christian leaders across theological traditions and denominations, he is a rare and important figure indeed.
Today, within the growing Post-Christendom landscape of North America, the Church is facing daunting theological and cultural challenges. In the midst of seeking to address those challenges (at least within the evangelical fold) many have been helped and thus gravitated toward the thought and practice of those who are often described as Neo-Reformed. At the same time, others have discovered profound resources for grappling with the challenges of our day in the thought and practice of those who identify with another group, the Anabaptists, or the Radical Reformers of the 16th Century. These groups are by no means the only traditions whose perspectives and histories benefit the larger North American Church, but they do represent two between which there seems to be something of a divide. See for example this post by Tim Keller, this one by David Fitch, or this very recent one by Zach Hoag.
Karl Barth never identified as an Anabaptist, but he doesn’t fit extremely neatly into the contemporary Neo-Reformed category either. In the workshop below, Scott Jones and Matthew Warren explore how Karl Barth might serve as a bridge between the supposed divide which exists between these “camps.” Have a listen and offer your thoughts.
Workshop Description:
Those who take our post-Christendom context seriously realize that ecclesiology needs to be taken more seriously than it has been in previous generations, maybe more serious than ever before. The most suggestive and innovative proposals have come from visionary missional pastors, many of them church planters, pioneers in the North American missional endeavor.
Yet there’s a tension at the heart of this conversation between the so-called Anabaptists and Neo-Reformed. Could Karl Barth turn an either/or into a both/and?
The audio download of this workshop is available HERE and is available for free all day today, 8/19/13 (discount automatically applied when you add the workshop to your cart).
If you find resources like this helpful, there are many more available here. You might even want to grab a bundle all at the same time.
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