Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline

Prof's Opinion

Barth was instrumental in returning Jesus to his proper front-and-center place in Christian theology. His writing is technical, dense, and translated from German, so this is brief but tough reading. At first you'll probably need to read every sentence twice. If you're taking this course's "sport package" (in-course honors), it's required; if you're not, you should only choose it if you're really sure you're up to it. The effort is well worth the trouble, though, because he will help you "go through Atlanta" (you'll see what that means eventually) and focus on Jesus habitually in your theological thinking.

Student Reviews (basically unedited)

As someone who grew up reciting the Apostles’ Creed, I found Dogmatics in Outline fairly insightful. I would recommend the book for similar readers, especially people who have grown complacent in their faith and are probably very accustomed to the Christian tradition. Additionally, people who are new to the faith, but searching for a more complex, stimulating than usual introduction may find this book helpful. Barth's dissection and analysis of the Creed provides a deep and fresh understanding of the foundational concepts of the faith. You will probably, albeit in a scholarly manner, being guided back to what is important in confessing Christianity. Almost every sentence is loaded with rhetorical and theological meaning. I was impressed with Barth's ability to pull so much out of the phrase "suffered under Pontius Pilate," as I never truly understood why that was in the Creed. His explanation of the socio-political context that those four words provide, though, was incredibly informative and well thought-out. The material within his individual chapters could get a little repetitive, though. In all honesty, a lot of the book didn't feel immediate to me or concretely applicable in my everyday life. However, that's not necessarily negative; it still taught me a lot about God's character and will and the foundational ideas of my faith, and my faith is not just about what I find interesting or practical. Avoid this book if you are looking for a guide on how to live your everyday life, an easy before-bedtime read, or a gripping thriller.

In his short book, Barth gives a short but powerful unpacking of the core Christian beliefs presented in the Apostle’s Creed. Barth goes through the creed line by line and unpacks the theological significance of each statement and explains the core doctrines the church has held. A few personal highlights were his chapters on faith and his chapter on the historically grounded reality of Christ and the way he entered into our world to bring salvation. One central theme any reader will take away reading this book will be the centrality of Christ. Barth does a great job explaining who Christ is and how his ministry relates to that of the Father and Spirit. He also does a great job explaining the study of dogmatics and why it is important to be theologically invested. This book is a great read for readers really looking to go deeper in their knowledge of God and the Christian life. However, this is a very difficult book that although short, requires a lot of intentional though and effort. This will be a very challenging book for many readers but definitely worth the effort that is put in. For someone newer to their study of theology, this may not be the best start, but for those looking to take the next step, this would be a great read.

In his series of lectures, Barth tasks himself with uncovering truths within the Apostles’ Creed using dogmatics, “the science in which the Church, in accordance with the state of its knowledge at different times, takes account of the content of its proclamatIon critically… by the standard of the Holy Scripture”. Because dogmatics puts Church doctrine to the test thereby preventing doctrinal teachings going astray from orthodoxy, Barth believes that the application of dogmatics is essential for it is the proper proclamation of the Church. The book in its entirety (with the exception of chapters 1-3 on faith) is formatted around the Apostles Creed, each chapter or set of chapters addressing a portion of the creed. For example: Chapters 3-8 address “I believe in God”, Chapters 10-13 address “I believe in Jesus Christ”, Chapter 15 is titled “Suffered…, Chapter 16 is titled “Under Pontius Pilate”, etc. By using the Apostle’s Creed as his outline for his dogmatic commentary, Barth revealed a theological approach that is rooted in the orthodox, classical Church confession, yet relevant to a modern context (especially his, being in the midst World War 2 in Germany). In doing this, he argues for the necessity of classical Christian dogmatics relevancy in modern cultural, societal, and, most especially, church atmospheres. Speaking out against inward-focused Christianity by stressing that proper proclamation is the essence of the Church’s commission throughout, Barth shows how the modern Church ought to speak and spread the truths of God among the rest of society. Given this outline on proper confession, this book will do wonders for those individuals who are unsure of what they are indeed proclaiming when they proclaim their Christian faith. Barth meticulously but passionately runs through every belief that a Christian ought to, in good knowledge and faith, proclaim.

Karl Barth takes one of the core aspects of the Christian faith, the Apostles’ Creed, and analyzes every statement and word that it states. He does this through the use of different Christian doctrines and the implementation of these doctrines into our practice and confession. After reading this book, a reader will have a new understanding of how believers ought to view God, the Trinitarian relationship, and our relationship to this divine relationship. I would recommend reading this book towards the end of the course in order to gain a “recap” of the Doctrine course. There were many topics discussed in this book such as topics of the otherness of God, faith as an act of trust, the gift of election, creation, and more. From reading this book, the reader will gain a new confidence in their faith. A confidence that comes from the firm understanding in knowing what we believe and why we believe it. It is the perfect book for anyone who cares to uncover the specifics that the Apostle’s creed implies. He brings his readers back to the Christianity rooted in the Creed, and emphasizes the importance of bringing this back to our churches today. Barth does an excellent job of talking about how we ought to view the significance of our faith as well as we should view our faith as logical. This book is for a Christian who craves to better understand their trust in God and who craves to deepen this understanding. If someone is looking for a light and easy read, this is not the book for them. To fully understand the book, one must take the time to divulge in its depths and the riches that Barth reveals.  

The title “Dogmatics in Outline” may sound utterly intellectual and abstract, but the matters upon which Barth speaks are concrete. The book takes the structure of the Apostles’ Creed and explains each concept line by line, with one chapter (about six pages each) per phrase. “Dogmatics” is no walk in the park, but coupled with Intro to Christian Doctrine lectures and an attentive spirit, it is possible to comprehend.
Dogmatics may be difficult to grasp at times, but the framework Barth builds his explanation around, the Apostles’ Creed, is hopefully familiar to most Christians. For an unbeliever, this book might not be a prudent, convenient, or even helpful place to start. For someone who has grown up in the church and has ample background in Christian teaching, Dogmatics will deepen understanding and bring richness to one’s faith. Dogmatics works as an overview, a diving board from which to launch more focused study.