God Here and Now

God Here and Now Plot Summary

Introduction

Karl Barth's theology stands as a powerful challenge to complacent religious thinking, offering a vigorous vision of God's sovereign presence in a world under threat. Throughout these collected essays and addresses, Barth consistently directs our attention to the concrete reality of God's activity in human history—not as an abstract philosophical concept, but as the living Word made flesh in Jesus Christ. His theological perspective is characterized by remarkable clarity and boldness, confronting both religious and secular worldviews with the radical claim that God's grace remains free, sovereign, and effective even amid human failure and worldly chaos. What makes these reflections particularly valuable is Barth's insistence that theological truth cannot be separated from human existence. By emphasizing the dynamic reality of God's presence, he dismantles artificial barriers between religious doctrine and everyday life. His approach demonstrates how rigorous theological thinking can illuminate contemporary challenges, whether personal or political. The careful reader will discover how Barth's method of theological analysis offers not just abstract propositions about divine reality, but a comprehensive framework for understanding human existence in relation to divine grace—a perspective that remains surprisingly relevant for navigating our own uncertain times.

Chapter 1: The Living Word: God's Sovereignty in Historical Reality

The sovereignty of God's Word must be understood primarily through its manifestation in Jesus Christ. Barth emphasizes that we cannot speak of God's sovereignty in abstraction, separated from His self-revelation in history. This constitutes a decisive break from older theological traditions that described God as "simple, absolute Being" clothed with various attributes of sovereignty. Such abstract conceptions ultimately failed to capture the living God revealed in Scripture, instead creating a hollow concept vulnerable to critique during the Enlightenment. God's Word is not merely a concept or principle but a concrete historical reality—Jesus Christ himself. The sovereignty of this Word lies in its omnipotence, not as raw power but as the omnipotence of love through which God has turned toward the world. This power stands qualitatively distinct from all other powers, whether good or evil. It is the creative power that establishes and preserves the Church, making the proclamation and sacraments living and effective. Through this power, the world itself becomes "a different world, a world inwardly overcome, a world already laid at God's feet." The sovereignty of God's Word is also characterized by its exclusiveness. There exists only one Mediator between God and humanity. The Word travels a solitary road among religions, worldviews, and ideologies. It cannot be placed alongside other words or heard inclusively—it must be heard exclusively or not at all. Other words can only be its echo or response. This exclusivity serves as a test: only in this exclusiveness is it truly the omnipotent Word that comforts and creates. Finally, God's Word is sovereign in its divine freedom. This is not the blind freedom of fate but the freedom of divine mercy and patience—a freedom that grants freedom to others. The Word remains true before we acknowledge it as true. Its choice rests upon us even when we misuse our freedom by choosing falsehood. Our choice has significance only as ascribed and assigned by God's merciful decision. Grace makes possible our recognition of truth and reception of grace. Human participation in this sovereignty occurs through faith—defined not as an intellectual assent but as a decisive orientation of one's entire existence. Faith means acknowledging that "with body and soul, both in living and dying, I am not my own but the possession of my faithful Savior Jesus Christ." It involves allowing oneself to be nourished, enlightened, and ruled by God's Word rather than asserting one's own autonomy. This decision of faith takes place in fear of divine judgment yet with assurance of forgiveness, combining self-criticism with confidence in God's mercy.

Chapter 2: The Church as Dynamic Reality of God's Presence

The Church exists as a dynamic reality rather than a static institution. Barth conceptualizes it as a living congregation of the living Lord Jesus Christ—a movement occurring between Christ's resurrection and his future self-revelation. This understanding disrupts conventional notions of the Church as merely an organization or social structure. The Church fundamentally exists by happening; it is an event in which people are placed together before the reality of reconciliation accomplished in Jesus Christ. The essence of the Church lies in the event where Jesus Christ gives himself to be known as Lord, awakening people to free obedience. This sovereignty does not subjugate believers but liberates them, creating a community that is free toward Christ and free in mutual relationships. The Church is distinguished from the world precisely because God's work reaches and awakens it both as divine Word and as human response. Where this event occurs, the Church truly exists; where it ceases, regardless of institutional continuity, the Church becomes merely an apparition. The Church's dynamic character means it exists under perpetual threat. From its human side, faith, knowledge, obedience, love and hope are never inalienable possessions. The possibility of unbelief, false belief, superstition, ignorance and indifference always remains close at hand. The threat becomes acute when Christians become "sleepy-eyed"—still acknowledging doctrines and creeds while missing their existential significance—or "squint-eyed," seeking to please both God and human customs or traditions, or worst of all, "blind," substituting religious self-satisfaction for genuine response to God's Word. The renewal of the Church depends entirely on its living Lord. A congregation threatened with spiritual death can be protected only by Christ himself. No human initiative, religious sincerity, or Christian ideals can generate renewal, since these themselves require transformation. The hope of the Church lies in Christ speaking his Word anew, making the exposition and application of Scripture powerful and contemporary, blessing what he has given. The polity of the Church must be structured to present minimal resistance to this renewal, expressing the conviction that Jesus Christ alone is its hope. This understanding of the Church leads Barth to challenge hierarchical governance models. True renewal begins when local congregations become real congregations—places where the Word of God is heard and obeyed. The organ for guiding multiple congregations should itself be a congregation established from members of individual congregations, not an authority standing over them. This synodal congregation would strengthen others by speaking as one congregation to others, guaranteeing their "catholic" or "ecumenical" character without infringing on their freedom in Christ.

Chapter 3: Biblical Authority as Foundation for Christian Life

The authority of Scripture cannot be established by rational arguments or historical proofs but must be understood as a self-attesting reality. Like a child who simply knows "this is my mother" without needing logical justification, the congregation recognizes Scripture's authority through an intrinsic, fundamental relationship that cannot be debated. This relationship exists as a purely given circumstance—any substantial proposition about biblical authority merely expresses this already-established relationship rather than creating it. Scripture functions as the visible form of Jesus Christ's otherwise hidden presence and lordship. The time between Christ's resurrection and return constitutes the era of the Church, and during this period, the biblical witness serves as the visible manifestation of Christ's continuing authority. The prophets and apostles bear witness to Jesus Christ, and through their testimony, Christ himself remains present and active. This testimony carries truth, power, and validity precisely because it points to Jesus Christ and thus to God's gracious work as "the beginning, middle, and end of all things." The biblical witness authenticates itself through its actual effect in summoning, comforting, and exhorting the Church. The old theology rightly called this "the witness of the Holy Spirit," though it erred in describing it as merely "interior." Scripture's self-attestation occurs when its proclamation in fact finds human hearing and produces obedient response—when men and women receive freedom to account for the truth revealed in Jesus Christ. This proof happens not through abstract reasoning but through concrete transformation—the Church exists in and through this event. Scripture expounds itself, yet it claims human exposition corresponding to its human character. While Scripture possesses clarity (perspicuitas) grounded in its authority, this clarity manifests as an event rather than an inherent property. The Bible draws interpreters into its service according to their capacities and "according to the measure of their faith." Sound exposition establishes and reflects upon Scripture's literary-historical form while being determined by thankful remembrance of God's Word already heard and joyful expectation of hearing it anew. The practical significance of biblical authority lies in the Church's willingness to ultimately account for its entire life—its order, services, confession, teaching, preaching, and political posture—before this witness. Scripture functions not as a "paper pope" imposing legal authority, but as spiritual authority directing the Church to set its life in service to this witness. The Church may have many legitimate reasons for its institutional forms and practices, but it must never seek protection from biblical questioning. Whether preserving tradition or embracing renewal, the decisive criterion remains Scripture's witness to Jesus Christ.

Chapter 4: God's Free Grace: The Heart of Christian Proclamation

God's free grace constitutes the very essence of divine being rather than merely one divine attribute among others. The expression "free grace" points to God's fundamental nature—God Himself is free grace. This understanding transforms how we conceive the relationship between God and humanity. God's grace is not an occasional divine action but describes who God intrinsically is: the One who in Jesus Christ created heaven and earth, accepted fallen humanity, and whose ultimate purpose is to "bring together all things" at the last day. This grace manifests as free, electing love shown in God's sovereign choices throughout salvation history. God chose Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David not due to their merit but through unfathomable freedom and grace. God's loving is never a form of needing—He has aseity (self-existence) and is sufficient unto Himself. Yet He freely steps down from the unsearchable height of His divinity into the depths of human existence, making Himself one with humanity, becoming the effective Reconciler and mighty Savior against guilt and death. The proclamation of this free grace cannot begin with human need, concern, or problems, nor may it take direction from these. It must announce God's glory, justice, wisdom, and kingdom. Yet this is no proclamation of a divine egoist but of the "Father of mercies and God of all comfort" who has made human concerns His own. Similarly, this grace acknowledges no human prerequisites or merits. It addresses creatures to whom God owes nothing and sinners who deserve only divine anger. Grace comes as pure gift without presupposition, reservation, or condition. The freedom of grace places its throne exclusively in Jesus Christ. The Church's proclamation must therefore be Christ-centered, acknowledging Him as the prophet and word, priest and sacrifice, king and kingdom. Any attempt to supplement Christ's mediatorial role with human mediators or repeat His sacrifice constitutes "execrable idolatry." Yet while Jesus Christ stands as the sole source of grace, He does not remain alone. He calls apostles and prophets, establishes His community, institutes baptism and the Lord's Supper, and creates faith as participation in His anointing. God's free grace possesses power to overcome human sinfulness and accomplish its purpose despite human weakness. The final scope of grace remains God's prerogative—it would be presumptuous to either assert universal salvation or deny its possibility. Grace demands participation in its service, allowing "no idleness, no neutrality, no standing aside." Those who have experienced grace must honor and praise it by announcing to others that "they are God's just as surely as we may know that we are God's." The freedom of grace extends beyond present human and worldly limitations toward the mystery of future consummation. The Christian proclamation ultimately points toward "a new heaven and a new earth in which justice dwells." While God stands revealed, humanity's final state remains hidden. When the last covering is removed, unexpected revelations will transform how we view ourselves, others, and creation itself. Yet amid this mystery, one certainty remains: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His grace endures through time into eternity.

Chapter 5: Christian Ethics as Response to God's Grace

Christian ethics fundamentally differs from other ethical approaches in that it represents an answer to God's call rather than an autonomous human reflection. While all ethics attempt to address questions about the dignity, correctness, and excellence of human activity, Christian ethics uniquely begins with hearing rather than reflection. It seeks to repeat in human words what God has already commanded, requiring attentiveness to divine instruction rather than independent moral reasoning based on philosophy, worldview, or principle. The proper context for Christian ethics lies in the historical relationship between God and humanity. God acts in such a way that humans are called to respond appropriately—this call constitutes God's command. Christian ethics thus connects directly to the central Christian narrative: God became human in Jesus Christ, suffered death as a condemned criminal, and was raised from the dead, thereby exalting humanity to divine glory. This history of God's covenant and mercy calls forth corresponding human action. Good action in Christian understanding means conduct that corresponds to God's action in this history. Specifically, good is that conduct which acknowledges God's gracious humbling of Himself for human salvation and affirms this divine mercy. In simplest terms, good action means thankfulness for God's grace. Evil, conversely, involves conduct that contradicts or ignores God's historical action in Christ—behavior characterized by unthankfulness stemming from anxiety or pride. All human sin, from major historical atrocities to minor personal failings, springs from hatred of God's grace. Conscience in Christian ethics means knowing what God has done and consequently knowing ourselves as God knows us, then determining our actions accordingly. The Bible serves not as a legal codebook but as the indispensable document through which we remember God's covenant mercy and understand the life conditions created by divine grace. Christian ethics approaches human moral customs by testing everything and preserving only what best praises God's grace, which often means surprising conventional moral standards. The practical imperatives flowing from this understanding include: seeing and accepting every person as having legitimate dignity because God became human; practicing humility and forgiveness because salvation comes through grace alone; trusting others because God has arisen on their behalf; exercising personal responsibility because obedience occurs in solitude before God; building community because all share common need and help; serving others because God glorified Himself by becoming humanity's servant; and embracing wholeness because God's action is comprehensive and definitive. Christian ethics remains inseparable from Christian faith—works grow from faith as fruit from a tree. The ethical imperative flows naturally from the indicative of grace. As Paul writes to the Corinthians, "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself... Let yourselves be reconciled with God." This summarizes the entire enterprise of Christian ethics: human moral action as grateful response to the prior action of divine grace.

Chapter 6: Humanism and Theology: Critical Distinctions and Connections

The international conference on humanism held in Geneva revealed profound conceptual confusion underlying discussions of humanism. Despite ten days of deliberation among European intellectuals from various disciplines, participants could not reach consensus about what constitutes humanism or whether a "new humanism" was merely desirable or actually emerging. The concept itself proved deeply ambiguous—some viewed it as a historical inheritance from classical Greek and Roman literature, others as an anthropological doctrine, still others as openness to multiple cultural perspectives, while some simply equated it with freedom or human life itself. Various definitions emerged throughout the conference. One perspective presented humanism as faith in human value, combining Greek, Roman, Jewish and Christian attitudes into a common heritage that needed only to integrate modern science and become more globally inclusive. Another view emphasized the tension between conscience and reason in Western civilization, lamenting their separation and suggesting Eastern traditions better maintained their unity. A Marxist perspective identified private ownership of production means as the fundamental obstacle to authentic humanism, proposing communism as humanity's return to itself. Others offered biological interpretations or existentialist approaches focused on human freedom and transcendence. From a theological standpoint, both Catholic and Protestant representatives notably refrained from proposing a competing "Christian humanism." The awkwardness of using "-isms" in theological language stems from their tendency to represent principles, systems, or viewpoints, whereas the gospel presents "spirit and life, a good message of God's presence and work in Jesus Christ." While the question of humanity remains central to Christian theology, its approach begins where humanist programs end—it can understand and partially affirm various humanisms while ultimately transcending their conceptual frameworks. The theological perspective demonstrated remarkable unity amid the contradictions of competing humanist definitions. Despite confessional differences, Christian representatives agreed that "the problem of so-called 'humanism' has been fundamentally answered in Jesus Christ and that all 'new humanism' can only consist in man's again recognizing in the mirror of this one person simultaneously the face of the one true God, and the face of the one true man." This unity contrasted sharply with the ambivalence characterizing other humanist positions, which oscillated between tired optimism and elegant but unserious pessimism. A crucial theological critique noted the absence of two fundamental realities from the humanist discussions: guilt and death. The conference largely avoided these topics, yet without addressing them, authentic understanding of humanity remains impossible. As one Marxist participant surprisingly admitted after hearing theological presentations, he felt "a sort of religious tremor, the feeling of sin... that mixture of terror and hope which has been, for some ten centuries, the basis of religious emotion." The fundamental problem with abstract humanism lies in its reluctance to confront humanity as simultaneously lost and saved. The perceived "exclusiveness" of theological claims troubled many conference participants, who viewed Christian proclamation with anxiety reminiscent of earlier theological fear before Enlightenment critique. Yet this exclusivity merely consists in summoning people to decision and responsibility—"to a freedom which is the highest and truest freedom, since it is that of the free man who knows himself in all serenity to be a man who is called, ordered, and obligated." The Christian confession ultimately points to the incarnation as the light that illuminates true humanity: Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sanctu ex Maria virgine et homo factus est.

Chapter 7: The Challenge of Authentic Decision in Modern Life

The modern world presents itself as a battlefield where divergent ideologies, philosophies, and theological perspectives vie for dominance. In this context, the sovereignty of God's Word confronts us with the necessity of authentic decision—not merely intellectual assent but existential commitment that shapes every dimension of human existence. The sovereignty of this Word cannot be properly understood outside its concrete manifestation in Jesus Christ, who transforms abstract theological concepts into living historical reality. Decision in faith cannot remain confined to private reflection or ecclesiastical boundaries. Its scope extends to every aspect of human life, including political responsibility. When faith becomes merely an internal conviction without external manifestation, it ceases to be genuine faith. Authentic decision inevitably leads to visible action and public witness. Those who believe "will not run away" from the challenges of concrete engagement with worldly realities. They will not be "afraid that their decision might become visible" or seek alibis to avoid confronting powers that contradict God's Word. The threat of avoiding decision manifests in multiple forms across modern life. In the Church, it appears as ritualistic adherence to tradition without living faith, as compromise between divine and human standards, or as religious self-absorption that substitutes human dreams for divine revelation. These deformations threaten the Church's very existence as the living body of Christ. In society more broadly, indecision manifests as moral relativism, political passivity, or pursuit of technical efficiency without ethical foundation—approaches that ultimately sacrifice authentic humanity. The human response to God's Word must embody both humility and boldness. Decision occurs "in fear of the divine judgment and in need of forgiveness for past and future sins," yet must proceed with assurance despite inevitable human fallibility. Christians undertake responsibility for specific expositions and applications of divine commands while acknowledging that such applications "far surpass our insights and strength." This paradoxical combination of humility and confidence reflects the nature of faith itself as simultaneously human action and divine gift. Europe's threatened humanity stems not primarily from external forces but from internal indecision—"Europe itself has chosen not to decide, that it does not dare to choose and thereby has chosen evil, which means it has chosen inhumanity." Authentic humanity exists only in decision, and genuine decision exists only as response to God's Word. The recovery of humanity requires renewed attention to the sovereignty of this Word and corresponding human decision in faith. Without this foundation, Europe—and human civilization more broadly—risks continuing descent into various forms of inhumanity. The modern crisis ultimately demands spiritual renewal rather than merely political or social reform. True decision emerges from divine initiative rather than human capacity. "The hope and the only hope of the Church is that He so speak His Word that the corresponding answer is found among Christians." Similarly, the hope of humanity lies in rediscovering what it means to be human through the mirror of Jesus Christ. Authentic decision therefore depends on grace that precedes and enables human response—a grace that remains sovereign, free, and effective even amid human confusion and failure.

Summary

The fundamental insight emerging from these theological reflections is that God's gracious presence in Jesus Christ establishes a definitive claim upon human existence that demands concrete response rather than mere intellectual assent. This divine presence manifests not as abstract principle but as living, historical reality—a sovereign Word that confronts humanity with the necessity of decision in every dimension of life. What distinguishes this theological perspective is its insistence that authentic humanity emerges only through relationship with the God who has freely chosen to become human, taking creation's suffering and guilt upon himself while offering grace that remains sovereign, free, and effective even in a threatened world. The profound challenge presented to contemporary thought lies in the recovery of decision as the essential character of human existence. Modern civilization frequently seeks refuge in various forms of neutrality, abstraction, or spiritual compromise that ultimately sacrifice genuine humanity on the altar of false security. Against these tendencies, this theological vision summons us toward concrete response to divine grace—a response that embraces both humility regarding human limitation and confidence in divine mercy. Those seeking to navigate the complexities of modern existence with intellectual integrity and spiritual depth will find in this approach not simplistic answers but a comprehensive framework for understanding the human condition in relation to transcendent reality.

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Karl Barth

Protestant theologian Karl Barth, a Swiss, advocated a return to the principles of the Reformation and the teachings of the Bible; his published works include Church Dogmatics from 1932. Critics hold Karl Barth among the most important Christian thinkers of the 20th century; Pope Pius XII described him as the most important since Saint Thomas Aquinas. Beginning with his experience as a pastor, he rejected his typical predominant liberal, especially German training of 19th century. Instead, he embarked on a new path, initially called dialectical, due to its stress on the paradoxical nature of divine truth—for instance, God is both grace and judgment), but more accurately called a of the Word. Critics referred to this father of new orthodoxy, a pejorative term that he emphatically rejected. His thought emphasized the sovereignty of God, particularly through his innovative doctrine of election. His enormously influenced throughout Europe and America.

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