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Karl Barth was a Swiss Protestant theologian, and is widely regarded as one of the most notable Christian thinkers of
the 20th century. The son of the Swiss Reformed minister and New Testament scholar Fritz Barth, Karl Barth was born in Basel, May 10, 1886, and was reared in Bern, where his father taught . From 1904 to 1909, he studied theology at the universities of Bern, Berlin, Tübingen, and Marburg. In 1913 he married Nelly Hoffman; they had five children. Barth held professorships successively at Göttingen and Münster universities from 1923 to 1930, when he was appointed professor of systematic theology at the University of Bonn. He opposed the Hitler regime in Germany and supported church-sponsored movements against National Socialism; he was the chief author of the Barmen Declaration, six articles that defined Christian opposition to National Socialist ideology and practice. In 1934 he was expelled from Bonn. Barth's further defiance led, the following year, to deportation to his native Switzerland, where he pursued his literary and teaching work at the University of Basel, enjoying a special extension beyond the usual retirement age of 70. He remained in Basel until his death, December 10, 1968. A reporter once asked this great theologian, Karl Barth: "Sir, you have written many huge volumes about God; how do you know it is all true?" The learned German scholar is said to have responded, "My mother told me." As a fellow Christian, I think I have an idea as to what he meant. From my birth up until the present, I was brought up in a religious home, having had "inherited" my faith in God about the time I was old enough to remember Jeff stealing Cheerios from me in my high chair. And looking back, it's fairly remarkable that the faith taught to me at such an early age is still with me to this day. Or is it (so remarkable)? As a child, I never weighed the evidence for accepting or rejecting religious beliefs; in fact, for a long time, I didn't even realize there were options. Growing up, belief in God was somewhat of a given; not something to be questioned. Yet as I entered the awkward age of middle adolescence, I had thousands of questions and doubts-both about myself and God-but my faith managed to stay strong. It survived numerous encounters with peer pressure, personal rebellion, and often utter confusion. Through high school, things began to take different shape as I began to ponder the deeper meanings of many of the things I had been taught, as well as the different daily rituals that had grown to seem so superficial-praying, going to church, reading Scripture, giving to the needy, Bible study groups, whatever. College has helped mold my skills in reasoning and questioning, and while I can't say that I have all the answers, I don't worry about it as much as I used to. There are a few reasons for this, but the one that sticks out has to do with the nature of my past questioning and doubting. I am not unique in that I have gone through doubt only to emerge stronger in the faith, but this has led me to question how others relate to God and seek Him out. Succeedingly, this has also led me to believe, through observation and studies of Scripture, that most people aren't just searching for explanations. In their search for God, they're also longing for a relationship. A question that often arises is, "What about those who don't seek God?" In response to a question like that, I can only refer to what we know of God's actions in the past. Rom 10:17-20 (NIV) 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." 19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, "I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding." 20 And Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me." So we know that God isn't just sitting around, waiting for mankind to seek Him out. In the past, He has revealed Himself to those who did not ask for Him. As further evidence of this concept, we read in: Acts 17:24-27 (NIV) 24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. These words should encourage us in our own ponderings. The Creation in and of itself helps to serve as a focus point in the search for God or in knowing His nature. God wants men to seek Him out and find Him; He isn't far from each one of us. No, He's closer than you think. And you must believe this, if you are to succeed in your search for a relationship. Because: Heb 11:6 (NIV) 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. It isn't, "God ... I'm not sure if you're out there or not, but if you are ..." No, it seems like it should be more like , "God ... I believe you're there, but there are a lot of things I'm not sure about. I'm still searching; can you help me find what I am looking for?" Faith is, conceptually, the action of your mind; being sure of what you hope for and certain of that which is unseen (Heb.11:1); this is why it is essential in your longing for a relationship with God. It is a two-way street. And don't believe that it requires a lifetime of experience and questioning on your part. You have heard about God, and that is enough to start building your faith upon. Because if you have the faith as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountains. Another problems lies in the distinction between doubting ourselves and doubting God; sometimes it's not a matter of your perception of God. It's moreover a question of your own motives and desires. Seeming that the distinction isn't always clear, consider how your own personality traits might be interfering with how you feel about God. In a contemporary parable, a group of scientists were commissioned to build a computer which could answer with scientific precision the question of God's existence. After completing the most intricate, sophisticated computer ever assembled, the scientists carefully fed the question into the machine: "Is there a God?" After several minutes of humming and whirring, the answer came out. It read, "There is now." Like these scientists, the God we know is often the God we create. Sigmund Freud, founder of modern psychology, proposed that God is nothing more than the imaginary projection of the father figure. In other words, we use our imagination to create a god that makes sense to us. As children, we look to our fathers to supply our needs, to protect us, and to answer our questions. When we reach adulthood, we still long for the comfort and security of a father figure who will be whatever we need. This perpetuation of a father figure, according to Freud, is the basis for all religion and summarily explains away the existence of God. Emile Durkheim, one of the founders of modern sociology, viewed God as nothing more than a symbolic representation of the collective values of society. In other words, our image of God is characterized by traits people around us value the most. Whatever we may be or value, God often takes on the set of traits that are closely aligned with our group. So religion, according to Durkheim, is nothing more than a process whereby a group ends up worshiping itself. While on the surface good arguments, if you take these ideas a bit further, you will discover that both of them actually underscore the biblical admonitions against making graven images of God. Freud, after all, does not explain away God's existence. His theory of projection simply explains how we conceptualize God. Likewise, Durkheim does not disprove the existence of God; he explains how God is too often created in the image of society. What do you think? Rather than viewing these theories as negating the possibility of reasonably believing in a transcendent, eternal God, do they not simply explain the origin of false deities against which we must struggle? Consider the following distorted concepts of God and ask yourself: how do I see God, or rather, how do I relate to Him? To you, is He a "Referee God", a God who tallies points for good performance on some huge scoreboard in the sky? Are you consumed by religious rules and fear that with one step out of line you will suffer a penalty? Motivated by guilt, are you obsessed with avoiding God's wrath? Does your "Referee" show no mercy, as you do what you can to rack up points before the whistle blows? To you, is He a "Grandfather God", a God who allows you to avoid responsibility? By viewing this God as a warm, grandfatherly figure, do you remain a child in your thinking, thinking that you are relieved of responsibility, as the Grandfather God conveniently lets you off the hook? To you, is He a "Scientist God", a God who is a distant and withdrawn thinker, too busy running galaxies to get involved in our petty problems? Is God sitting in His laboratory, conducting experiments with his door closed and a "Do not Disturb" sign hanging on it? Are we some kind of cosmic experiment meant to entertain our Creator? To you, is He a "Bodyguard God", as you expect to be able to live life without giving much conscious attention to God but expect Him to be there when you need Him? Do you feel that because you are living a good life-keep in mind, that's "good" in your own terms-God should protect you from pain and suffering? When He doesn't help, do you blame Him? A list of distorted images of God could go on and on. God is not a form of Santa Claus, nor a state trooper, nor a sentimental pushover. God is not even a loving parent. No. He's so much more. No human analogy can fully encompass and accurately convey who God is. That's why Freud and Durkheim's theories are unintentionally helpful to anyone wanting an honest-to-goodness relationship with God. Whereas the Bible teaches that human beings are created in the image of God, these social scientists suggest that God is created in our image. And in a certain sense, they would be right. That is why, if we are going to relate to God without feeling fake or phony, we must first and foremost have an accurate understanding-free from personal distortion-of who God is. Countless volumes over the centuries have been written by philosophers and theologians on the attributes of God. I won't be as naïve to think that I can sum up His character within this lesson, but I'll briefly list a few of His attributes that we learn from the Scriptures: God is omnipresent (present everywhere at once). (Psalm 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:23-24) God is omniscient (possesses infinite knowledge). (Psalms 139:1-4; 147:4-5; Hebrews 4:13; 1 John 3:20) God is omnipotent (all-powerful). (Psalm 139:13-18; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 19:26) God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man (human), that he should change his mind. (Num 23:19) God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. (Deut. 4:24) God is a merciful and forgiving God. (Deut. 4:31, Daniel 9:9) God is faithful in keeping His promises/covenants to those who love Him and keep His commands. (Deut. 7:9) God is mighty and awesome, and does not show favoritism or accept bribes. (Deut. 10:17) God is eternal. (Deut. 33:27) God is greater than all other "gods". (2 Chron. 2:5) God is gracious and compassionate. (2 Chron. 30:9, Psalm 116:5) God is a righteous judge. (Psalm 7:11) God is an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1) God is holy. (Psalm 99:9) God is one, and there is no other but Him. (Deut. 6:4, Mark 12:32, Gal. 3:20) God is a spirit. (John 4:24) God is not a God of disorder, but peace. (1 Cor. 14:33) God is light, and in Him is no darkness. (1 John 1:5) God does not live in houses made by men. (Acts 7:48) God saves us from death. (Psalm 68:20) God speaks flawlessly. (Proverbs 30:5) These don't seem like characteristics that a man would make a God from. Last but not least is God's cardinal trait, the one quality that describes who God is more than any other: God is love. (1 John 4:8, 16) Ps 42:1-11 (NIV) 1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. 5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and 6 my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-- from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. 8 By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me-- a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" 10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. |