Tuesday, February 28, 2006

A few recentish monographs on Barth

Just picked up a couple of interesting looking Barth related books at the library yesterday:
  1. Disruptive Grace, by George Hunsinger (2000)
  2. Reading Karl Barth, by K. A. Richardson (2004)
  3. And, Karl Barth on the Christian Life: The Practical Knowledge of God, by Joseph L. Mangina (2001). From the blurb on the back cover, the book ‘examines a little-known facet of Karl Barth’s theology: his account of the practical or self-involving character of faith. Joseph L. Mangina helps to dispel the myth of Barth as an enemy of the human subject ...’
I already have a nice reading list to work through (as kindly suggested by Ben Myers via e-mail correspondence), but I’ll dip into these too now and then. Has anyone read any of the above and have any opinions?

I’m still waiting to tell all the whole story concerning the outcome of my Church Dogmatics lust, but I’ll hold my tongue. For now.

4 comments:

Jim said...

Waiting is a royal pain. I am the world's least patient person- so I commiserate with your wait.

Ben Myers said...

Hunsinger's Disruptive Grace isn't actually a monograph -- it's just an assorted collection of essays relating to Barth. Some of the essays are pretty good, but none of them compare to Hunsinger's earlier book, so powerful and so penetrating: How to Read Karl Barth. Even though the newer book has a better title, the earlier one is the one to read!

Ben Myers said...

Oh and by the way: the real exercise of patience will come when you do get the CD -- since then you'll have to sit down and read it! This will take even longer than the international postal service.... ;-)

Chris Tilling said...

OK, thanks Ben. I did have a cheap second hand copy of Hunsinger's earlier book in my Amazon shopping basket, but someone went and purchased it before I managed to wrestled the wallet from Anja. But like you said, if it is more complicated then I can wait.

I did find a copy of Webster's little book on Barth (Outstanding Christian Thinkers S.) for just a few pounds. It should arrive in about a week.

I'm not ashamed to say that I'm praying everyday that the certain package I'm waiting for will actually arrive, and not get lost somewhere half way ...