Marginal Christianity

Six motifs identified by Barth scholar George Hunsinger for understanding the movement and dynamics of Barth’s theology (http://growrag.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/six-motifs-to-help-matthew-roses-barth-succeed-instead-of-fail/). “Actualism” is the motif which governs Barth’s complex conception of being and time. Being is always an event and often an act (always an act whenever an agent capable of decision is concerned). The relationship between divine being and human being is one of the most vexed topics in Barth interpretation, and one on which the essay at hand hopes to shed some light. For now let it simply be said, however cryptically, that the possibility for the human creature to act faithfully in relation to the divine creator is thought to rest entirely in the divine act, and therefore continually befalls the human creature as a miracle to be sought ever anew. “Particularism” is a motif which designates both a noetic procedure and an ontic state of affairs. The noetic proc...

The Puzzle of Salvation: Crystallizing the Difference Between Augustianian Salvation & Barthian [Evangelical Calvinist] Salvation by  Bobby Grow George Hunsinger, in his really superb book  How To Read Karl Barth: The Shape of His Theology,  sketches the difference between Augustinian (classical) salvation, and what Barth offers as a better (in my view)  alternative. In this sketch what emerges is very profound, and should help to crystallize further what Myk Habets and myself (and I have been frequently on my blog here over the years) have been trying to articulate in regard to what we have been calling a 'Christ-conditioned' or (pace Barth) 'Christ-concentrated' approach to a doctrine of God, and then subsequent things like in regard to salvation in particular. What emerges in this sketch — at the end of it — is the stumbling block point for so many of the people I have engaged with around this particular question over the years; and us...

http://www.mupwj.org/Hunsinger-Christian.pdf What is a Christian pacifist? A Christian pacifist is someone who believes that in all situations of human life Jesus expects nothing less from his disciples than love. This love is especially marked by a spirit of forgiveness. Against those who inflict injury it refuses to retaliate, but instead responds with benevolence. "Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who hurt you; pray for those who abuse you" (Luke 6:27-28). Do Christian pacifists believe that the love expected by Jesus commits them to nonviolence? Christian pacifists have never been able to understand how they could love their enemies by killing them. They believe that the love expected by Jesus involves more than just an inward attitude. It requires the corresponding action. Christian pacifists, therefore, believe they must be willing if necessary to lay down their own lives, but not to take the life of another. "No ...