The Church Dogmatics, Vol IV: Doctrine of Reconciliation

From 1952 until 1967, Karl Barth devoted his time at the University of Basel to writing the unfinished fourth and final volume of the Church Dogmatics: the "Doctrine of Reconciliation" (CD IV). I will summarize this time by summarizing each of the part-volumes published in this time period (CD IV/1-4).

CD IV is the longest volume in the Church Dogmatics and is a dogmatics within the dogmatics. The "Doctrine of Reconciliation" follows a similar structure as the previous volumes of the Church Dogmatics by beginning with a survey of the doctrine of reconciliation in the first part-volume (CD IV/1), and then it continues with two large part-volumes (CD IV/2 and CD IV/3) that addresses reconciliation in detail, and then it ends with an unfinished final part-volume on the ethics of reconciliation (CD IV/4 fragment on baptism). Additionally, Barth's lecture notes were published posthumously and provide an outline and some material that would have been used to complete the ethics of reconciliation in CD IV/4. CD IV is significantly different than CD III, and contains Barth's most mature statements and restatements of his earlier theology.

Church Dogmatics IV/1

In June 1953, Karl Barth reveals in the preface of CD IV/1, Karl Barth reveals that his "Doctrine of Reconciliation" has been a silent debate with Rudolf Bultmann. Although Barth rarely mentions Bultmann in CD IV/1, Barth's arguments are always conscious of Bultmann's counterarguments. Barth and Bultmann are not as different as many people have imagined. (For an excellent re-assessment of the differences between Barth and Bultmann, I recommend David Congdon's The Mission of Demythologizing.)

The present situation in theology and also the peculiar themes of this book mean that throughout I have found myself in an intensive, although for the most part quiet, debate with Rudolf Bultmann. His name is not mentioned often. But his subject is always present, even in those places where with his methods and results before me I have consciously ignored him. I respect the man, his mind and aim and achievements, and the zeal of his following. I only wish that I could do him greater justice. [1]

CD IV/1 is one of my favorite volumes in the entire Church Dogmatics, and I often recommend it as an alternate starting point. (I read all four volumes in parallel, rather than in serial). CD IV/1 is divided into two chapters, beginning with the survey in "The Subject-Matter and Problems of the Doctrine of Reconciliation" §57-58 and then the first dogmatic section "Jesus Christ, The Lord as Servant" §59-69. CD IV/1 has many notable loci such as Barth's doctrine of justification, his affirmation of the virgin birth, and his doctrine of sin, and a long discussion on the historical Adam. 

Church Dogmatics IV/2

In August 1955, Karl Barth published CD IV/2. The preface reveals that he had too quickly dismissed all the reformed theologians of his time in the preface of CD III/4, and praises G. C. Berkouwer for his book The Triumph of Grace in the Theology of Karl Barth (which I also recommend). Barth also confesses more admiration for Ruldolf Bultmann program for demythologizing and said "I can only indicate that here, if anywhere, I have learned to regard a cautious and respectful “demythologising” as expedient and practicable.’" [2]. The volume is a continuation and further statement on similar loci as CD IV/1. On helpful example is Barth's use of Saga to interpret the twelve spies of Canaan).

Church Dogmatics IV/3: (IV/3.1 and IV/3.2)

In 1959, Karl Barth published CD IV/3, which is the longest part-volume in the entire Church Dogmatics and the final completed part-volume too. Due to its great length, it has been published as a two-book set known as CD IV/3.1 and CD IV/3.2 respectively. Barth said that readers complained at the length of CD I/2, and so the division of CD IV/3 was a printer's necessity. Sadly, english translations have divided CD IV/3.1 and CD IV/3.2 in different ways than the original edition (Die Kirchliche Dogmatik IV: Die Lehre von der Versöhnung 3), which has lead to some confusion. (Additionally the study edition divides it into three small volumes and didn't include the prefaces too). Similar to Berkouwer and Bultmann in CD IV/2, Karl Barth praises the catholic scholar Hans Küng's Justification: The Doctrine of Karl Barth and a Catholic Reflection in CD IV/3.

CD IV/3 contains eschatological sections on "The Subject of Hope and Hope" (CD IV/3.2) and "The Promise of the Spirit" (CD IV/3.1), and Barth's explicit rejection of Universalism, and the threefold coming of Jesus, and Barth's doctrine of participation (which is related to his rejection of afterlife at the end of CD III/2). It also includes Barth's modified natural theology in a section called "secular parables of the kingdom" and another section on the doctrine of election.

Church Dogmatics IV/4: Fragment on Baptism & Lectures on the Christian Life

After Charlotte Von Kirschbaum became ill, Karl Barth was unable to continue the Church Dogmatics without her. So he made the decision to publish a fragment of CD IV/4 on Baptism that he had finish and abandon the Church Dogmatics without finishing the rest of this final ethical part-volume of CD IV. Barth had planned his ethical discourse to be based on the sermon on the mount, and embrace a non-sacramental view of baptism and the eucharist, and on prayer. Barth's shocking rejecting of infant baptism is in this fragment (read W. Travis McMaken's Sign of the Gospel: A Post-Barthian Doctrine of Infant Baptism for a complete assessment of Barth's rejection of paedobaptism). Karl Barth's lecture notes for CD IV/4 have been published posthumously as The Christian Life: Lecture Fragments that contains some of Barth's lectures on prayer and other loci such as his criticism of the church in excess and defect.

The Conclusion of the Church Dogmatics

From 1932 to 1967, the Church Dogmatics spanned to 13 volumes. Many have called the Church Dogmatics the "white whale" because this 13 volume set was printed with a white hard cover binding. The Church Dogmatics is unfinished (like Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica yet it is three times longer). Karl Barth planned for the Church Dogmatics (CD) to have five volumes: "The Doctrine of the Word of God" (CD I), "The Doctrine of God" (CD II), "The Doctrine of Creation" (CD III), "The Doctrine of Reconciliation" (CD IV), and "The Doctrine of Redemption" (CD V). Sadly, Karl Barth never started the final volume with the planned titled of "The Doctrine of Redemption" (CD V), and it is a mystery what it would have contained. Basically it was to be a final volume on eschatology and pneumatology, and has been a subject of vast speculation. The Church Dogmatics represent Barth's most important and mature work, in which all his other writings (which in equally as long when summed together) must be crosschecked against. 

It's also an important fact that the Church Dogmatics was not available in english translation until the late 1950's (with the exception of CD I/1 translated in 1936). So it wasn't until the last complete part-volume of the Church Dogmatics was published, before the Church Dogmatics translation process began, and english translations of the part-volumes were made available to the english speaking world. (The graphic of the Church Dogmatics above lists the english translation dates underneath the original publication dates.) As I mentioned in Part 5, World War II also restricted the availability of Barth's theological works, and this allowed his American critics to demonize and defame him. After retiring from the Church Dogmatics and academic work at the University of Basel, Barth traveled to America where he was reintroduced to the english speaking work, and I will discuss this 1962 trip in Part 8.

To be continued...

The Life of Karl Barth series:

1. The Life of Karl Barth: Early Life from Basel to Geneva 1886-1913 (Part 1)
2. The Life of Karl Barth: The Red Pastor of Safenwil 1909-1921 (Part 2)
3. The Life of Karl Barth: The Romans road to the Church Dogmatics 1921-1930 (Part 3)
4. The Life of Karl Barth: Protesting in Nazi Germany 1930-1935 (Part 4)
5. The Life of Karl Barth: Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Basel during World War II 1935-1946 (Part 5)
6. The Life of Karl Barth: Church Dogmatics Vol III: The Doctrine of Creation 1945-1951 (Part 6)
7. The Life of Karl Barth: Church Dogmatics Vol IV: The Doctrine of Reconciliation 1953-1967 (Part 7)
8. The Life of Karl Barth: Trip to America in 1962 (Part 8)
9. Coming soon . . .

Sources:

1. Barth, K., Bromiley, G. W., & Torrance, T. F. (2004). Church dogmatics: The doctrine of God, Part 1 (Vol. 4, p. ix). London; New York: T&T Clark.

2. [Barth, K., Bromiley, G. W., & Torrance, T. F. (2004). Church dogmatics: The doctrine of reconciliation, Part 2 (Vol. 4, p. xi). London; New York: T&T Clark.]