Study Notes on The Good Creation and Its Basis and Preservation

The Good Creation - Its Basis and Preservation

The Peril of Thinking of the Creation as Godless

  • Kornelis Heiko Miskotte identifies the significance of Barth's doctrine of creation as recognizing creation as a work of God understood as an irrevocably good reality.

  • Barth insists:

    • "We are not free to think and speak in this matter otherwise or even uncertainly and equivocally… The Christian apprehension of creation… shows us God's good-pleasure as the root, the foundation and the end of divine creation… Creation, as it is known by the Christian, is benefit" (III/1 379 = 331-32).

  • This assertion precipitates questioning about Barth's relationship to natural theology, given his known opposition to it;

    • Critics have labeled Barth a new Marcion, implying a disconnect between the God of creation and the Redeemer.

  • Barth's perspective during the horrors of World War II prompts further reflection on the goodness of creation amidst devastation.

    • Barth's acknowledgment of suffering permeates his theology:

    • He compares the evil of war to the destruction witnessed by prophets in the ruins of Jerusalem.

    • "Its inhabitants are killed or deported… the temple of God lies in ruins…”

    • He articulates a modern connection, lamenting the "ruins" of Christianity and emphasizing the challenge of wrestling to find the true face of God, who is good amidst chaos.

  • Barth mourns the overwhelming destruction caused by human actions, attributing these outcomes to historical roots leading to contemporary existential distress.

    • He assigns blame to the corrupting tree of thoughts that diverged from grace and allowed reality to be viewed without God's involvement.

  • Barth critiques the modern conception of God detached from creation, emphasizing that a God devoid of relationship cannot yield meaningful engagement with either the world or humanity.

  • He points to the historical progression from a relational understanding of God to an abstract, worldless deity of modern thought, underscoring the detachment's dire consequences.

Insights — The Themes of His Theology

1. Modern Interpretation of God and Creation

  • Modern theology's shift towards viewing God as unrelated to creation attributes a sense of autonomy over nature, diminishing the significance of grace and relationship in the created order.

  • Barth argues this detachment has inadvertently led to perceptions of God as an abstract concept, an ever-distant judge, contrary to the relational God of the Christian narrative.

2. Historical Context and Theological Reflection

  • Barth's reflections during the war illustrate a theological context where the disconnect from the covenant results in catastrophic consequences for understanding creation and humanity.

  • His diagnosis prompts critique of historical theology for failing to address creation's inherent relational dynamics with God adequately.

  • The double bookkeeping of older Christian thoughts led to contradictory theologies that only partially engage God's covenant of grace while neglecting His ongoing relational presence.

3. Creation and Covenant Relationship

  • Barth asserts that understanding creation necessitates recognizing God's covenant relationship with humanity; they are intrinsically linked.

  • The Twofold Principle of Barth’s Doctrine of Creation:

    • Creation as the External Basis of the Covenant:

    • Creation serves as the physical manifestation of God's covenant with humanity.

    • It provides the context in which God interacts with humanity (III/1 107 = 97).

    • Covenant as the Internal Basis of Creation:

    • The essence of creation gains its meaning and purpose through the covenant established by God.

  • Barth emphasizes that separating these concepts results in a misunderstanding of both creation and covenant, where natural theology suggests a world without God.

4. Nature and the Human Encounter

  • The acknowledgment of nature in human encounter is crucial:

    • It establishes nature in reflection of the divine and foreclaims its relation to covenantal history.

  • Barth critiques a view of environment independent of divine purpose;

    • Only through God does created existence find its meaningful expression and relationship to both itself and to humanity.

5. Barth’s Anthropology

  • Barth’s anthropology asserts that humans exist as relational beings;

    • "Humanity belongs to the essence of being in relationship" which includes relations to God, others, self, and time.

  • He defines humanity not by individual attributes but by these interconnected relations.

  • This relational nature stresses the importance of co-humanity, emphasizing the essential connectedness of individuals as partners in creation and in God's covenant.

Ethical and Philosophical Implications

  • Barth's understanding has profound ethical implications, promoting respect for creation beyond human exploitation.

  • He acknowledges the complex dynamics that express co-humanity, advocating for a model of interdependence among all creatures, opposing anthropocentric views that prioritize human interest to the detriment of other forms of life.

Conclusion

  • The entirety of Barth's theological reflection leads to the assertion that true knowledge of God and creation is rooted in God’s gracious covenant, enabling a comprehensive understanding of existence that is both good and beneficial.

  • Hence, the exploration of creation shouldn’t lead to despair (roots of destruction and war) but a reaffirmation of God’s goodness and sovereignty despite earthly horrors and pain.