Sermons, meditations, reflections and prayers based on the words of Karl Barth
It is alleged that following a lecture at the University of Chicago in 1962 Barth was asked to sum up his theology in a single sentence. His, I guess half joking, reply was to quote a children’s hymn; “Jesus loves me, this I know, because the Bible tells me so.” Whether the story is true …
based on Church Dogmatics IV.2 Praise be to you, O God. For in your Son you have become identical with Jesus of Nazareth. You have united human nature with his divine nature. You have humbled yourself to exalt us. This is your eternal will and decree. In this, as it takes place, you reconcile the …
based on Church Dogmatics IV.1 paragraph 52.2 We believe that we cannot reconcile ourselves with God. We can only contradict God. We cannot convert ourselves to God. We can only oppose God. We cannot make ourselves friends with God. We can only be out of harmony with God. We believe that in the suffering and …
A prayer based on Church Dogmatics IV.1 paragraph 59.2 Faithful God, you lack nothing. You have no need that your glory be revealed and confessed in the world and by us. You could be content with your own knowledge of yourself. You could be content with your own being as God in glory. You do …
A reflection based on Church Dogmatics III.1 To say, “We believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth” is an act of faith. It is knowledge which we cannot acquire for ourselves. The God who makes the world is not accessible to our observation or logical activity. The God we believe in …
The God who creates is the God who is the Father Read More »
based on Church Dogmatics II.2 “Even the enemies of God are the servants of God and the servants of His Grace” [1]C.D. II.2 p92 Loving God, you have many enemies. Many of those enemies hate us too. Time and again those enemies have tried to deny you and tried to destroy your people. Pharaoh was …
a reflection based on Church Dogmatics II.2 The existence of evil remains one of the most often stated objections to the existence of God, or at least the belief that there is a loving God. “How can there be a God if. . .” “How can you tell me God is loving when. . .” …
based on Church Dogmatics II.2 What is the Bible. It is testimony. The Bible bears witness to God. It tells us that God can be known. But before a word of the Bible was ever written its testimony to God rests on what God has first chosen to do. “God has determined Himself the Lord …
based on Church Dogmatics II.2 O God, you are the One in whom there is neither error nor mistake, neither weakness nor compromise. You are the one who in and through everything lets your own good-will be done. We must recognise that Christ’s reign is not a kingdom among other kingdoms. Rather it is the …
based on Church Dogmatics II.2 Sin is not a mishap. It is not an accident, nor does it transform God’s good creation into something that it is not, into something problematic. God is not halted or baffled by sin. Reconciliation by God, with God, is not the escape from a dilemma created by sin. From …