The Freedom of God For Us: Karl Barth's Doctrine of Divine Aseity

Description

This volume provides an analysis of divine aseity in Karl Barth’s thought and appreciates the vital role that this doctrine can play in contemporary theology. Brian D. Asbill begins by setting the general theological context, first through a broad sketch of the development of Barth’s understanding of the relationship between the life of God pro nobis (pronobeity) anda se (aseity), and secondly through the examination of the basic theological convictions that guide his approach to the divine being in Church Dogmatics II/1. The second section, ‘The Love and Freedom of God’, turns to the dialectical pairings which guide Barth’s accounts of the divine reality in his earliest dogmatic cycle (The Göttingen Dogmatics §§16–7) as well as in his most mature treatment (Church Dogmatics §§28–31). Particular attention is given to how these themes arise from revelation and relate to one another. In the final section, ‘The Aseity of God’, Asbill identifies this doctrine’s basic features and primary functions. Divine aseity is characterized as the self-demonstration and self-movement of God’s life, a trinitarian and entirely unique reality, a primarily positive and dynamic concept, and the manner and readiness of God’s love for creatures. Divine aseity is said to indicate God’s lordship in the act of self-binding, God’s uniqueness in the act of self-revelation, and God’s sufficiency in the act of self-giving. Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Abbreviations Abstract 1. Introduction God’s aseity in the Christian tradition A historical sketch Theological functions and contexts God’s aseity in Barth studies Divine freedom and pronobeity Divine autonomy and the modern subject Divine objectivity and human subjectivity Divine triunity and election God’s aseity in Barth’s theology The central task Life, love and freedom Part 1: The Reality of God 2. Pronobeity-in-Aseity God is Barth’s early and later doctrines of aseity A retraction? A genuine revision From aseity to pronobeity in aseity God as God and wholly other Personality and aseity Freedom and love Conclusion 3. Being-in-Action Humanity speaking of God The demand for Christian witness The basis of Christian witness The nature of Christian witness God speaking Godself God’s being is revealed in God’s action ad extra God’s being is in action ad intra God’s being-in-action ad extra and ad intra correspond Part 2: The Love and Freedom of God 4. The Teleology of God From revelation to the reality of God Divine revelation Divine reality The teleological ordering of revelation Dialectics Development 5. Personality and Aseity The distinct elements in paradoxical unity The relation between the elements The meaning of the elements The breaking of concepts and the unity of God The collision and correction in speaking of God The God above creaturely collision 6. Love in Freedom The unified elements in concordant distinction The relation between the elements The meaning of the elements The clarification of concepts and the unity of God The incapacity and expansion in speaking of God The God above creaturely incapacity Part 3: The Aseity of God 7. An Anatomy The reality of divine revelation The self-demonstration of God’s life The self-movement of God’s life The particularity of the Christian God A trinitarian reality A unique reality The incapacity of human witness A dynamic concept A primarily positive concept The election of the one who loves The manner of God’s pronobeity The readiness of God’s pronobeity 8. A Paraphrase God’s lordship in the act of self-binding Aseity as lordship Pronobeity-in-lordship God’s uniqueness in the act of self-revealing Aseity as uniqueness Pronobeity-in-uniqueness God’s sufficiency in the act of self-giving Aseity as sufficiency Pronobeity-in-sufficiency 9. Conclusion Divine freedom and pronobeity Divine autonomy and the modern subject Divine objectivity and human subjectivity Divine triunity and election Bibliography Author Index Subject Index