Karl Barth on Revelation

Theological Approach
- Revelation is possible because where there is actuality there is possibility
- The sole basis and intention of theology must be God's sovereignty and freedom in his grace and revelation, including his freedom over faith, the recipient mode of revelation
- Barth refuses to take concept of revelation from philosophy, the universal history of religion, or any general idea of revelation
- Barth's concept of Christian revelation assumes the Word of God is the source, basis and criterion for theology; Christian revelation is a unique revelation that cannot be compared with any other kind of revelation.

Christian Revelation
1) "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us"
2) The Word of God addressed to humanity through particular, concrete and rational event of Jesus' incarnation, life, teaching, passion, death and resurrection
3) The coming of Godself to Humanity
4) A divine action initiated, execute and consummated by the sovereign and free grace of God

Triune Revelation
1) Revealer: God the Father decides in His eternity before the creation of the world to reveal Himself to man in His Son Jesus Christ
2) Revelation: God the Son, in obedience to this eternal decree of His Father, objectifies this revelation in His own person and work in that He assumed human nature in the man Jesus of Nazareth , living and dying as a man among His fellow men and for their salvation to accomplish the work of reconciliation.
3) Revealdness: God the Holy Spirit consummates this revelation by making man open and ready for it so that man is capable of receiving it and actually receives it.

Revelation: Reality and Reception
- Barth does not dispute that God does reveal Himself in nature and in history but contends that this objective revelation does not and cannot get through to fallen man and is therefore not revelation
- Revelation is only revelation if it is recognized, acknowledge and accepted by man
- Objective aspect: Jesus Christ in the unity of His person and work
- Subjective aspect: Holy spirit enabling man to receive this revelation
- Hence Barth's concentration on Jesus Christ as one and only revelation of basic importance for theology
- Hence Barth's rejection of a general revelation in nature or in history as other sources of revelation

Rejection of General or Natural Revelation
- Barth argues against general revelation in creation because:
1. It is not supported in the Bible
2. Creation does not and cannot reveal anything (God, world, man) as it really is because it needs the knowledge of God's reconciliation in Jesus Christ and knowledge of Jesus Christ himself
3. We only truly know who God is, how man is, and what world is for through Jesus Christ and his work of reconciliation
4. So true knowledge (of God, world, man) is not possible about from knowledge of God's work of reconciliation in Jesus Christ
5. Anything apart from the truth only revealed in the persona nd work of Jesus Christ can therefore only lead to knowledge of idols
- And thus Barth's theology leaves no room for revelation(s) prior to that one which has taken place in Jesus Christ
- For Barth, Christ is THE revelation (to which the Bible and proclamation of the Church bear witness but do not themselves constitute)

Revelation is Not:
- doctrinal, since the propositions of the Church communicate ideas rather than Godself
- tradition, since the Church is under the authority of Scripture
- abstraction, since revelation is content is Christ
- surprise, since God in Godself is God as self-shown in Jesus Christ

Conditions of Revelation:
- Humans can only partly know God
- Man's finite man and sinfulness prevent humanity from knowing God fully
- Primary objectivity of God: God as He is in Himself
- Secondary objectivity of God: God as known by man
- But what we can and do know is in faith and thus by the grace of God

(Hartwell, Herbert. The Theology of Karl Barth. London: Gerald Duckworth and Co. Ltd., 1964, 67-73)