Introduction: Barth as conversationalist

Abstract

There were two main reasons for conceiving this project. In the first place, the people felt that something more ought to be done to shake off the nagging suspicions, commonly voiced, that Barth does not make a good conversation partner. In the second place, they began this project not only because of our sense that this kind of suspicion depended upon an ill-judged account of what Barth was up to theologically, but for the far more positive reason that the people are convinced that, in practice, Barth still remains a fascinating and important figure for the doing of theology today. The recent increased rate of growth in secondary literature on Barth’s theology is itself an indication of the value of a comment. Barth’s response exposes the unshared presuppositions in Harnack’s own position.