The authorized biography of the most important Protestant theologian of the twentieth century.

Building on the work and legacy of Darrell L. Guder, Converting Witness: The Future of Christian Mission in the New Millennium constructively explores key questions and new possibilities in the field of missiology in light of the context of world Christianity. The conversation around missional theology and the missional church sought to address the gap between theology and mission and foster renewal within North American Christianity, but the growing consciousness around world Christianity has forced theologians and missiologists to give greater consideration to global cultural diversity. Many of the classic categories and methods-such as church planting, catholicity, and even the term "world Christianity" itself-are in need of fresh examination and thoughtful analysis. The contributors to this volume address a range of important missiological topics, including globalization, interfaith dialogue, integral mission, intercultural hermeneutics, and church practices.

In 1934, during the Nazi regime in Germany, members of the Confessing Church issued the Declaration of Barmen, which reaffirmed their primary loyalty to the word of God. With their action, they established a legacy for future generations to follow in similar situations.This volume examines the historical, political, and theological context of the creation of the Barmen Declaration, as it constituted an act of theological and political resistance against tyranny, terror, and fascism. The work of the Barmen Declaration demonstrated clearly and powerfully the "this-worldly" ethical and political salience of religion and theology to empower witness, resistance, and solidarity. Containing contributions from an inclusive array of renowned scholars, the volume unfolds the lasting legacy and continued relevance of Barmen.

Widely regarded as the twentieth century's greatest theologian, Karth Barth refocused the task of Christian theology and demonstrated its relevance to every domain of human life, from the spiritual to the social to the political. It is precisely the broad sweep of Barth's theology that makes a book like The Great Passion of such great value -- a succinct yet comprehensive introduction to Barth's entire theological program. Of the many people who write on the life and thought of Karl Barth, Eberhard Busch is uniquely placed. A world-renowned expert on Barth's theology, he also served as Barth's personal assistant from 1965 to 1968. As Busch explains, one cannot fully understand Barth the theologian apart from understanding Barth the man. In this book he weaves doctrine and biography into a superb presentation of Barth's complete work. Busch's purpose in this introduction is to guide readers through the main themes of the multivolume Church Dogmatics against the horizon of our own times and problems. In ten sections Busch clearly explains Barth's views on all of the major subject areas of systematic theology: the nature of revelation, Israel and Christology, the Trinity and the doctrine of predestination, the -problem- of religion, gospel and law, creation, salvation, the Holy Spirit, ecclesiology, and eschatology. A distinctive feature of the book is the way Busch lets Barth speak for himself, often through surprising quotations and paraphrases. Busch also shows how Barth's writing should be read as a dialogue, constantly and consciously engaging other voices past and present, both inside and outside the church. Most important, The Great Passion demonstrates that Barth's thought is still remarkably helpful today.

In 1934 Christian churches in Germany faced strong pressure to conform their belief and practice to the pillars of Nazi thinking respect for the authority of the Fhrer and fervent devotion to the history and culture of the German race. Defying this ideological agenda, leaders in the German Evangelical Church responded by adopting the Barmen Declaration. This bold statement of dissent, grounded in the authority of Scripture, has since become a powerful model for the contemporary confession of the Christian faith against modern forms of skepticism and unbelief. In The Barmen Theses Then and Now Eberhard Busch demonstrates to a new generation how that key German confession during a specific time of crisis can guide Christians everywhere today. He interprets each of the six theses in its original context Nazi Germany and then applies it to crucial cultural and political challenges facing Christianity in our time. Eberhard Busch makes an important contribution to our understanding of the events in Germany that led to the writing of the Barmen Declaration in 1934 the response of a small group of Protestants to the emergence of Hitler and the Nazi Party. Even more importantly, Busch demonstrates the relevance of Barmen for many issues confronting the church today such issues as the relation between Christians and Jews, the meaning of Christian freedom, the church and its mission, the role of the laity, and the task of the church in the political order. In Buschs able hands Barmen becomes a living voice that is no less important for the church today than it was for Christians in the 1930s. George Stroup Columbia Theological Seminary

According to Eberhard Busch, Karl Barth's theology is "characterized by being...in constant movement and transformation." And a Christian's path is marked by self-correction in order to learn how to live out the same thing again and again in a better and more appropriate way. Likewise the church, like her God, is always on the move.

"For the Sake of the World" gathers the presentations from one of the most successful Barth conferences ever held in the United States. Here thirteen of Karl Barthbs most astute interpreters explore in fresh ways a variety of themes from Barthbs life and work, showing how Barth still has much to offer the contemporary world.

Organized as a dialogue between the contributors, this volume features cutting-edge studies followed by substantial critical responses. The subjects discussed in detail include the Barth-Brunner correspondence, Barthbs position on the Jews during the Hitler era, Barth and politics, Barthbs doctrine of providence, Barthbs thought on Christian love and ethics, and Barthbs conception of time and eternity. The volume ends with a winsome memoir of Barth as a teacher.

Contributors: Eberhard Busch
John D. Godsey
Clifford Green
John W. Hart
David Hollenbach, S.J.
George Hunsinger
Brian Leftow
Daniel L. Migliore
Caroline Schroder
Caroline J. Simon
Katherine Sonderegger
John Webster
Randall C. Zachman

In den uber 170 Karten und Briefen, die Karl Barth und Emil Brunner zwischen 1916 und 1966 wechselten, spiegeln sich 50 Jahre Theologiegeschichte - und in den Jahren des deutschen Kirchenkampfes und der Selbstbehauptung der Schweiz im Zweiten Weltkrieg auch ein aufregendes Stuck europaischer Geschichte. Zugleich zeigt uns der Briefwechsel als Dokument einer zeitweise von heftigen Gegensatzen bewegten Freundschaft zwei eindrucksvolle Charakterkopfe. Immer neu geht die Auseinandersetzung um die Grundfragen: Was ist die Sache der Theologie - im Gegenuber zu Philosophie, Kultur und Gesellschaft? Wie findet die Kirche zu ihrer Sache? Und wie findet sie zu ihrer lebendigen Gestalt? Was ist ihre Verantwortung gegenuber dem Staat? Und wie bewahrt sie sich in den gesellschaftlichen und politischen Auseinandersetzungen? Der Briefwechsel fuhrt so mitten hinein in die Weggemeinschaft und das Spannungsfeld der Dialektischen Theologie. Die theologischen Themen der Zeit werden hier in lebhafter Unmittelbarkeit diskutiert: der Religiose Sozialismus, die Kritik am Neuprotestantismus, das Problem von Schrift und Offenbarung, spater die Frage der naturlichen Theologie, die Barmer Theologische Erklarung und die Oxford-Gruppenbewegung, die Stellung zum Hitlerstaat und zum Kalten Krieg. In geradezu dramatischer Weise reden und ringen die Freunde miteinander, sie reiben sich hart aneinander und lassen sich doch nicht los. Der bewegende Schlusspunkt der Beziehung ist der Zuspruch des barmherzigen Ja-Worts Gottes an den sterbenden Brunner. So wirft der Briefband nicht nur neues Licht auf die Dialektische Theologie, die ein bestimmender Faktor der Theologiegeschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts war. Er fuhrt zugleich an Brennpunkte theologischen Fragens auch in der Gegenwart. Eberhard Busch, Jahrgang 1937, studierte Theologie und war von 1965 bis 1968 als Assistent von Karl Barth tatig. Spater arbeitete er als Pfarrer in Uerkheim, Aargau, und als Professor fur Reformierte Theologie in Gottingen. Karl Barth (1886-1968) studierte Theologie in Bern, Berlin, Tubingen, Marburg und war von 1909 bis 1921 Pfarrer in Genf und Safenwil. Mit seiner Auslegung des Romerbriefes (1919, 1922) begann eine neue Epoche der evangelischen Theologie. Dieses radikale Buch trug ihm einen Ruf als Honorarprofessor nach Gottingen ein, spater wurde er Ordinarius in Munster und Bonn. Er war Mitherausgeber von Zwischen den Zeiten (1923-1933), der Zeitschrift der Dialektischen Theologie. Karl Barth war der Autor der Barmer Theologischen Erklarung und Kopf des Widerstands gegen die Gleichschaltung der Kirchen durch den Nationalsozialismus. 1935 wurde Barth von der Bonner Universitat wegen Verweigerung des bedingungslosen Fuhrereids entlassen. Er bekam sofort eine Professur in Basel, blieb aber mit der Bekennenden Kirche in enger Verbindung. Sein Hauptwerk, Die Kirchliche Dogmatik, ist die bedeutendste systematisch-theologische Leistung des 20. Jahrhunderts.