Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Engaging With Barth: Contemporary Evangelical Critiques

Now available in North America: Engaging with Barth: Contemporary Evangelical Critiques, edited by David Gibson and Daniel Strange.

Contributors:
  • Henri Blocher
  • Oliver D. Crisp
  • David Gibson
  • Ryan Glomsrud
  • Paul Helm
  • Michael S. Horton
  • A. T. B. McGowan
  • Donald Macleod
  • Michael J. Ovey
  • Sebastian Rehnman
  • Daniel Strange
  • Mark D. Thompson
  • Garry J. Williams
Here are some of the endorsements for this important work:

Karl Barth was the most dominant theologian of the twentieth century, at once brilliant and baffling, majestic and frustrating. His influence, though, has scarcely waned. That is why this book is important. What we have here are some of the best essays I have read on Barth. They combine sure-footed knowledge of his ideas with critical insight into what those ideas mean. They are appreciative but also tough-minded and this combination is rare today. I commend this book highly.
- David F. Wells, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

The house that karl Barth built continues to loom large in the neighborhood of Evangelical theology. The authors of Engaging With Barth are not content to admire it from the outside but survey it from within, carefully moving from room to room, noting both positive and negative features. They do a particularly good job examining the structural integrity (read "orthodoxy") of Barth's house, detecting here and there both worrying cracks and uneven surfaces. At the end of the day, they neither raze nor condemn the dwelling, but offer a fair and sober assessment that is invaluable for potential buyers - even for those thinking of staying only overnight.
- Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Evangelical reception of Barth's theology takes a step forward in this well-informed collection. These are articulate, confident appraisals which take Barth seriously enough to press him hard on what the authors consider his divergences from the classical reformed tradition. Whether correct in their judgments or not, these essays warrant careful thought from those concerned for theology's orientation to the Gospel.
- John Webster, University of Aberdeen

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