Quotes by Karl Barth

“Theology is not a private subject for theologians only. Nor is it a private subject for professors. Fortunately, there have always been pastors who have understood more about theology than most pro...”

“A quite specific astonishment stands at the beginning of every theological perception, inquiry, and thought.”

“The righteousness of God in His election means, then, that as a righteous Judge God perceives and estimates as such the lost cause of the creature, and that in spite of its opposition He gives sent...”

“heaven and earth, nature and man, comedy and tragedy, the Virgin Mary and the demons...Mozart simply contains and includes all this within his music in perfect harmony. This harmony is not a matte...”

“He has heard, and causes those with ears to hear, even today, what we shall not see until the end of time - the whole context of Providence. As though in the light of this end, he heard the harmony...”

“To wish to withstand the Holy Spirit would be the one unforgivable sin.”

“In the Church of Jesus Christ there can and should be no non-theologians.”

“This much is certain, that we have no theological right to set any sort of limits to the loving-kindness of God which has appeared in Jesus Christ. Our theological duty is to see and understand it ...”

“A free theologian works in communication with other theologians...He waits for them and asks them to wait for him. Our sadly lacking yet indispensable theological co-operation depends directly or i...”

“God transcends even the undertakings of evangelical theologians.”

“No one can become and remain a theologian unless he is compelled again and again to be astonished at himself.”

“Theology must have the character of a living procession.”

“On observing 1963 America for the first time, the author says that organization and standardization to a certain degree compete with divine providence.”

“Thou shalt make no image, no abstraction, including none of THE American, THE Swiss, THE German.”

“Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is himself the way.”

“Faith is never identical with piety.”

“It is always the case that when the Christian looks back, he is looking at the forgiveness of sins.”

“Man can certainly flee from God... but he cannot escape him. He can certainly hate God and be hateful to God, but he cannot change into its opposite the eternal love of God which triumphs even in h...”

“When theology recognizes one thing properly, it mis-recognizes something else all the more thoroughly.”

“Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God.”