Karl Barth's Theological Method

Gordon Haddon Clark

• Publisher: Paeroa House
• Year: 2026
• eBook ISBN:
  9781779795786
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

In the turbulent theological landscape of the 20th century, one name towers above all others in reshaping Christian thought: Karl Barth. But beneath the revolutionary fervor of his neo-orthodox movement lies a profound methodological crisis that threatens the very foundation of biblical faith. Gordon Haddon Clark, one of America's most incisive philosophical theologians, delivers a devastating critique that exposes the fatal flaws lurking within Barth's acclaimed theological system. This isn't merely an academic disagreement—it's an intellectual battle for the soul of Protestant Christianity, where every argument carries eternal consequences. Clark masterfully dissects Barth's dialectical method with surgical precision, revealing how the Swiss theologian's rejection of propositional revelation leads to an inescapable maze of contradictions and subjective mysticism. Through rigorous logical analysis, Clark demonstrates how Barth's emphasis on divine transcendence paradoxically destroys genuine knowledge of God, leaving believers adrift in a sea of theological uncertainty. The atmosphere crackles with intellectual tension as Clark systematically dismantles each pillar of Barthian methodology, from his treatment of Scripture to his understanding of divine revelation. This confrontation between two theological giants illuminates the deepest questions about how finite minds can truly know an infinite God, and whether Christianity can survive the assault of modern philosophical skepticism. For pastors, theologians, and serious students of Christian doctrine, this book provides indispensable tools for navigating contemporary theological debates. Clark's penetrating analysis offers readers the intellectual weapons needed to defend orthodox Christianity against sophisticated attacks on biblical authority and rational faith. More than a historical critique, this work equips believers to think clearly about the most fundamental questions of religious epistemology and theological method. Every page burns with urgency, as Clark demonstrates that the future of biblical Christianity depends on our ability to think precisely about divine revelation and human knowledge.

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• ABBREVIATIONS
• I—INTRODUCTION
• II—MODERNISM
• III—DOGMATIC METHOD
• IV—PROLEGOMENA AND APOLOGETICS
• V—LANGUAGE AND KNOWLEDGE
• VI—THE WORD OF GOD IN ITS THREEFOLD FORM
• VII—VERBAL REVELATION