This thesis contributes to the recent scholarly re-evaluation of Karl Barth’s moral theology through an examination of the theme of human responsibility in his thought. The language of responsibility recurs throughout Barth’s ethical writings, and its frequency and strategic significance in his articulation of the nature of the active human agent in Christian ethics means it is worthy of scholarly consideration. To date, no extended study of this topic in Barth’s thought exists, and, apart from critical summaries of his use of responsibility language in select parts of the Church Dogmatics in corners of the secondary literature, responsibility-ethicists have tended to ignore Barth’s work on this topic. My intention, through exegetical reading of several key texts, is to provide explication, clarification, and analysis of his understanding of human responsibility. On the basis of this exegetical work I shall argue that the idea of responsibility is in fact a key component of Barth’s theological ethics and significantly informs his presentation of human agency. Following the introductory chapter, the central chapters of the thesis are exegetical readings of human responsibility in three major texts from the Barth corpus: the Ethics lectures; the ethics of CD II/2; and the special ethics of CD III/4. The fifth and final chapter is a synopsis of the development of Barth’s understanding and his articulation of human responsibility across these texts. My constructive proposal as to how we may understand Barth’s overall account is based on the preceding exegetical work. I argue that the ethics of the Church Dogmatics ought to be read together, and that in doing so we see that the mature Barth offers: 1) a theological description of human responsibility, which I argue is a kind of moral ontology in which the human agent is called to inhabit a particular space in relation to God; and 2) concrete indications of the kind of responsible actions that represent and enable the embedding of that description in human life. He develops what I term “indicative practices” which give shape to human lives, enabling human agents to navigate the moral space into which they have been placed. These two elements taken together are, I suggest, the sum of Barth’s account of human responsibility.

The diploma thesis deals with the selected works of Karl Barth towards the development of modern German literature. Barth's theology as a dissenting voice with the then predominant phenomenon of Kulturprotestantism established a clear difference between divine revelation and its historic manifestations (religion, church organization). God is contradiction to all human ideas of Himself. This basic knowledge is suggested in his two major works: Letter to the Romans and the Church Dogmatics. In both there are visible similarities with expressionism, although Barth himself prefers to use literature of the 19th century for his argumentation. Barth wasn't famous for reception of modern literature. However, Barth's work became inspiration for Swiss countryman, writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Towards the end of his life, Barth launched a friendly correspondence with Carl Zuckmayer. That was during the time, where Barth was searching in so called human theology for a new explanation of God-Man relation, this time with respect to the Man.

Thesis advisor: Lisa S. Cahill / This subject of this dissertation is moral formation, that is, the process by which people become more just in their interactions with others. Moral growth, then, refers to how the moral capacities of individuals are developed to facilitate right decisions and good actions. Additionally, moral formation here refers to the shaping of society in ways that bring about more just social arrangements. A key claim is that emotion is vital for both the moral shaping of individuals and society. Emotions fitting to the struggle for justice are developed through relationships and participation in communities of growth.This project is undertaken in dialogue with Karl Barth. I begin in chapter 1 by considering Barth’s theological anthropology grounded in God’s self-disclosure in Jesus Christ which contends that true humanity consists in living in covenant partnership with God and solidarity with fellow humanity. To more closely correspond to this determination is the goal of moral formation. Building on his relational conception of the self, I argue that Barth provides an account of moral formation in his treatment of the growth of the community. Moral progress is rooted in participation in the body of Christ that is growing as a hearing community and increasing in the practice of holy things such as worship and service. Chapter 2 and 3 argue that moral growth does not occur through rational capacities alone, but depends on the development of emotions. These interdisciplinary chapters turn to recent studies of emotions in the natural and social sciences and philosophy. After a survey of various debates, I argue for a relational and cognitive conception of emotions and highlight their critical role in regulating group and social relations. Emotions are fundamental to interpersonal interactions, to group relations, and for the reinforcement and disruption of social structures. While these disciplines provide insight into the nature and development of emotions, I return in chapter 4 to Barth for the project of constructing a normative account. While we must not attempt to supplant the command of God which decides the good, I contend that we ought to evaluate emotions by whether they engender communion with God, solidarity with fellow humans, and care for creation. This account of emotion is further developed in chapter 5 by turning to Barth’s apocalyptic account of the kingdom of God and the lordless powers. While we wait on God to bring about the consummation of the kingdom, Christians are yet to actively struggle for justice in anticipation of that day. This entails unmasking and resisting the powers. Barth’s account of unmasking the lordless powers draws attention to the ways they shape human emotions. He also underscores the importance of emotions, such as hope, in the human struggle for justice. Drawing on Barth’s earlier account of growth, I highlight the role of the church in forming these emotions. This account of moral formation and emotion is illustrated through the example of climate change. A community shaped by love for God, solidarity with other creatures, and a concern for all of creation leads to an awareness of hegemonic forces and fosters emotions shaped by the kingdom that enables the struggle for climate justice. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

Zugl.: Aarhus, Univ., Diss., 2007.

Thesis advisor: Lisa S. Cahill / Informed by Gaudium et Spes and Ron Thiemann's "public theology," this dissertation examines the role of the church in responding to the contemporary ethical challenge of providing long-term care for the elderly in a manner that respects and promotes their human dignity. Biblical sources and the theological concepts of discipleship and friendship found in Karl Barth and Paul Wadell insist on the agency of older people as called by God and as participating members of the community. This vision complements and connects with secular visions of justice such as Martha Nussbaum's "capabilities approach" and the concept of justice as participation found in United Nations' documents. Two concrete examples--the Community of Sant'Egidio and the Green House project--provide important models of long-term care that foster the agency of older people and their ongoing participation in human community and fellowship. An ethical vision based upon the elderly themselves as subjects with ongoing agency and purpose demands the church's engagement with the wider society to reform the United States' current long-term care system so that care is provided at a level and in a manner that overcomes marginalization of the frail elderly. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1995. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-147).

Thesis (doctoral)--Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität zu Bonn. / Bibliography: p. 8-17.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Jena, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [303]-326).

The dissertation offers a new reading of Karl Barth’s hermeneutics in relation to the task of the church in reading the Bible as Scripture. The study argues that the distinctiveness of Barth’s hermeneutics lies in its complex coordination of several doctrinal loci in construing biblical hermeneutics. In this reading, the church’s interpretation of the Bible is theologically located in the reality defined by the Trinitarian decision to be God in Jesus Christ. The relationship between the Word of God and the word of man is decided by God’s election of God’s being in Jesus Christ. As a contribution to Barth studies, the work offers a corrective reading of Barth’s earlier account of biblical hermeneutics in the doctrine of revelation by drawing the insights of Barth’s later theological ontology in the doctrines of election and Christology. The church’s reading of scripture is reformulated in the ontology of being in becoming in which the freedom of God in revelation is coordinated with the history of God in Jesus Christ. As such, it maintains the continuity and the discontinuity between the biblical natural history and the divine address to the church. The practical implication of this approach is not a method of interpretation but an ethics of biblical interpretation as a human response to God’s communicative presence. As an activity of listening to the Word of God, the church’s reading of the Bible is marked by moral freedom in obedience and responsibility to the Word of God. But the divine presence is not only communicative but also commanding, and it remains “a disruptive presence” that challenges the church to be faithful to her calling as a creature of the Word of God.

[pt] A presente dissertação se propõe a fazer uma síntese teológica da teologia da graça em Santo Agostinho e da teologia dialética de Karl Barth. E mostrar que, embora os dois tenham usado de base a carta de Paulo aos Romanos para fundamentarem suas respectivas teologias, usaram epistemologias completamente diferentes. Nossa pesquisa tencionar mostrar que, enquanto Santo Agostinho fazia todas as coisas dependerem da Graça Divina, creditando a Cristo o mérito de tudo, Karl Barth ontologizou demais o tema do pecado. Nossa pesquisa objetiva mostrar que, embora os dois trabalharam demais as palavras pecado e redenção, palavras essas que gravitam em toda história da salvação, o escopo da teologia de Santo Agostinho está na graça. Enquanto que, Karl Barth deu mais ênfase a questão do pecado e seu efeito catastrófico, que estabeleceu uma crise entre Deus e o homem. Daí a teologia da crise. Mas também a teologia dialética, que acontece através de uma autodoação e uma autocomunicação entre Deus e a humanidade, pois o Não-Deus foi superado a partir do sim pronunciado através da obra de Cristo. / [en] The present research proposes to make a theological synthesis of the theology of grace in Saint Augustine and the dialectical theology of Karl Barth. And to show that, although the two used Paul s letter to the Romans as a basis to support their respective theologies, they used completely different epistemologies. Our research is intented to show that while St. Augustine made all things depend on Divine Grace, crediting Christ with the merit of everything, Karl Barth over- ontologized the theme of sin. Our research aims to show that, although the two worked too hard on the words sin and redemption, words that gravitate throughout salvation history, the scope of St. Augustine s theology is in grace. Meanwhile, Karl Barth placed more emphasis on the issue of sin and its catastrophic effect, which established a crisis between God and man. Hence the theology of crisis. But also dialectical theology, which takes place through self-giving and self-communication between God and humanity, since the Not-God was overcome from the yes pronounced through the works of Christ.