The contextual 'cognitio dei' in the theologies of Karl Barth and Choan-Seng Song
Abstract
The major tasks of the present thesis are twofold: First, to show through a
historical and material reconsideration of Karl Barth’s doctrine of the knowledge
of God, the falsity of three prevalent misreadings of his work—that Barth denies
God’s capacity for making Himself known through nature, that he finally makes
a concession to natural theology, and that Barth’s theology as a whole is
acontextual and takes little account of earthly conditions. Second, to consider
the significance of Barth’s actual teaching for the Taiwanese context by hosting
a dialogue between his thought and the so-called ‘Asian theology’, with
particular emphasis on the theology of the Taiwanese theologian Choan-Seng
Song.
Firstly, the thesis argues that in regarding natural theology as a form of
pernicious teaching, which declares that human beings as such possess the
capacity and power to conceive God, the world and humanity, Barth wishes to
safeguard against Christ’s universal sovereignty in freedom being trivialised.
Secondly, it accentuates that Barth’s preference for revealed knowledge of God
is meant to disclose the universal love in and of Christ which renews corrupted
humanity in the act of reconciliation. While Barth has no doubt that this love
penetrates into human culture and nature, making use of them as media in
witness of God outside of the sphere of Christ and the Church, he never makes
any concession to natural theology at the expense of Christ, i.e., of Christian
faith. On balance, Barth’s doctrine of the knowledge of God is from beginning
to end Christocentric in view of highlighting Christ as the centre.
Through a historical reading of Barth the thesis in turn seeks to establish
a constructive dialogue between Barth and Song whose thought deeply
influences the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. It lays bare the hidden dangers
of Asian theology and Song’s anthropocentric knowledge in order to encourage
Taiwanese Presbyterians to continue to consider an alternative approach
(consonant with Barth’s) to maintaining their Christian identity in a culture that
is encompassed by a religiously pluralist atmosphere and a secular humanitarian
ethos.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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