Karl Barth and Radical Politics Second Edition

Karl Barth was one of the most important Christian theologians of the twentieth century but his political views have often not been taken sufficiently into account. Beginning with a representative early essay by Karl Barth this volume proceeds with essays by Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt Helmut Gollwitzer Hermann Diem Dieter Schellong Joseph Bettis and George Hunsinger. These contributions engage both the relationship of Barths theology to his socialist politics as well as Marquardts analysis. This new edition expands upon the earlier one by adding three new essays by Hunsinger on Barths theology and its relevance for human rights liberation theology and the theories of Rene Girard on violence and scapegoating. Hunsinger has extended the discussion as well as deepened our insight into how theology can speak meaningfully about fundamental issues of human need. Hunsinger is without question one of the worlds leading authorities on Karl Barth and this book was also without doubt one of his most seminal contributions to Barth studies. Since its original publication Hunsingers Karl Barth and Radical Politics has guided generations of students in understanding Karl Barths theo-political vision. This new updated edition with additional essays by Hunsinger is an enormous gift to us. --Willie James Jennings Yale Divinity School This is a very welcome and timely second edition of Hunsingers classic collection of arguments in German and English-speaking countries over how engaging Barths theology requires engaging Barths radical politics--Hunsingers new preface and essays challenge progressives inside and outside the church to deal with the depredations of modern banks intelligence agencies armament industries and rapacious corporations. Caveat emptor. --James Buckley Professor at Loyola University Maryland George Hunsinger being one of the best Barth scholars makes a great and provocative contribution to clarifying F. W. Marquardts groundbreaking study of Barths theology for the relevance of the living God in Jesus Christ to social political issues especially economic democracy. Like Webers thesis on the Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism an affinity between Barth and democratic socialism that Hunsinger convincingly explores in regard to human rights liberation and race promises to serve as an acumen and red thread in further Barth research. This cannot be overlooked. --Paul S. Chung Author of Karl Barth: Gods Word in Action George Hunsinger is Hazel Thompson McCord Professor of Systematic Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. He was director of the seminarys Center for Karl Barth Studies 1997-2001. His books include How to Read Karl Barth (1991); Disruptive Grace: Studies in the Theology of Karl Barth (2001); For the Sake of the World: Karl Barth and the Future of Ecclesial Theology (2004); Evangelical Catholic and Reformed: Doctrinal Essays on Barth and Related Themes (2015); and Reading Barth with Charity: A Hermeneutical Proposal (2015). He is also editor of Thy Word Is Truth: Barth on Scripture (2012) as well as the forthcoming Blackwell Companion to Karl Barth (2 vols.).