Karl Barth's Theology of Relations: Trinitarian, Christological, and Human: Towards an Ethic of the Family (Issues in Systematic Theology) - Hardcover
Synopsis
Barth's theology of relations (the analogia relationis) provides the key to the interconnection between Christian theology and ethics. This comprehensive study shows how Barth saw the nature of covenantal relationship revealed and actualized in Jesus Christ to be grounded in the trinitarian relations of Father, Son, and Spirit. The relational nature of humanity and of the command of God to humanity are, in turn, founded upon this christological and trinitarian basis. The charge that Barth's biblical and theological approach is ethically barren is refuted in two ways. First, Dr. Deddo shows how incisively Barth's trinitarian theology of relations informs his special ethics of the parent-child relationship. Then, the fruitfulness of Barth's approach for enriching and critiquing both Christian and nonreligious approaches to family relations is demonstrated by way of comparison with those formulated by Ray Anderson and Dennis Gurnsey, James Dobson, Salvador Minuchen, and Rudolph Dreikhurs. Finally, the value of Barth's theology of relations is shown through some preliminary investigations into nine issues facing the modern family such as procreation, adoption, and child-rearing.
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Review
«Gary Deddo has provided us with a meticulous analysis on Barth's theological understanding of human personhood. The ethical implications of this are clearly set forth with reference to the crucible of the family. His work deserves attention both for its valuable exposition of one of the lesser known aspects of Barth's work and for its positive contribution in developing a critical theology of the family.» (David A. S. Fergusson, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland)
«Gary Deddo succeeds in a marvelous way of demonstrating Karl Barth's relevance as a practical theologian. Those who are familiar with Barth's relational theological anthropology will be impressed with the way in which this book traces out the contours of the intra-divine character of personal being-in-relation as the objective grounds for human parent-child relations. No one who sets out to determine biblical and theological assumptions for the ethical concerns for quality of life for persons in families can afford to ignore this book.
Critical interaction with contemporary theological and psychosocial approaches to issues such as parenting, gender, child-rearing, childlessness, adoption, church and family, makes this a valuable theological resource for educators, counselors, and pastors. This book will be required reading for my own students in Theology of the Family classes. I wish that I could require it for all pastors and those who intend to do serious theological reflection on critical issues in family life ministry.» (Ray S. Anderson, Professor of Theology and Ministry, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California)
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