Marc Cortez is my advisor in the Th.M. program at Western Seminary. He has been influenced by Karl Barth so he urged me to at least read his Epistle to the Romans (trans. Edwyn C. Hoskyns) while doing my thesis research on said epistle. So while I have tried to avoid reading Barth out of fear of being another trendy Barthian, it is only fair that if I am going to say anything about Barth that I read something to inform my opinion. So I am reading the aforementioned book.
Barth does have some great insights which is why people like him! Thus far my favorite paragraph is this one (from p. 40):
“In the Gospel is revealed the great, universal secret of the righteousness of God which presses upon every man of every rank. In Christ the consistency of God with Himself—so grievously questioned throughout the whole world, among both Jews and Greeks—is brought to light and honoured. What men on this side resurrection name ‘God’ is most characteristically not God. Their ‘God’ does not redeem his creation, but allows free course to the unrighteousness of men; does not declare himself to be God, but is the complete affirmation of the course of the world and of men as it is. This is intolerable, for, in spite of the highest honours we offer him for his adornment, he is, in fact, ‘No-God’. The cry of revolt against such a god is nearer the truth than is the sophistry with which men attempt to justify him. Only because they have nothing better, only because they lack the courage of despair, do the generality of men on this side resurrection avoid falling into blatant atheism. But in Christ God speaks as He is, and punishes the ‘No-God’ of all these falsegoods. He affirms Himself by denying us as we are and the world as it is. In Christ God offers Himself to be known as God beyond our trespass, beyong time and things and men; to be known as the Redeemer of the prisoners, and consequently, as meaning of all that is–in fact, as the Creator. He acknowledges Himself to be our God by creating and maintaining the distance by which we are separated from Him; He displays His mercy by inaugurating His KRISIS and bringing us under judgement. He guarantees our salvation by willing to be God and to be known as God—in Christ; He justifies us by justifying Himself.” (italics mine)
Excellent. Our gods (some of them under the name of ‘Christianity’) are No-God. Our gods do not exists when compared to the God who reveals himself to us. We know “god” outside of revelation, but not God.
Yet God does not let us stay that way. God has already judged us for our idols by revealing Himself in Christ. God refuses to let His Creation be abducted by the gods.
the archives near Emmaus 
Nice quote Brian! Barth is one of our modern (so-called) “Fathers”. Note btw, the Orthodox balance of both a cataphatic theology with apoplatic theology. Barth’s doctrine of God would be caught in here somewhere I believe.
@Fr. Robert: It would seem that being somewhere in the middle would be the best place to be!
Brian: Indeed that “middle” gets to be a rare place at times, for often we must go right or left also. My “middle” changes from time to time! 🙂
@Fr. Robert: This is true.
And, what did we learn from this little exercise?
Always listen to your advisor.
@Marc: Always? That may be pushing it. But now I will give you the benefit of the doubt. 😉
Years ago I should have listened to my Th.D. advisor, and I would have gotten it right on Roman’s seven! lol Though that chapter still hits all of the theolog’s and exegete’s right between the right and left brain! lol
@Fr. Robert: What is your take on Rom. 7?
Wow Brian, that is a tough question. I am just not sure now? Of course Augustine held both his early and then later position, yet almost all the other Fathers don’t see Augustine’s later view. But I am inclined right now toward a position that sees Rom. 7:13-25.. as Man under Law, but surely delivered from “the law of sin and death”.. ‘In Christ’ – Rom. 8:2-3. And there are at least six ways the Law is used in Romans. But, the Christian man regenerate is much more than ‘two natures’, but he still has a “body” not fully redeemed in this life. But he is also not a “slave” to sin any longer, and cannot be sinful by nature any longer. Note, 2 Cor. 5:17! I am still working on all of this! And still lots of questions! 🙂
PS..There are many things theological that we will never “solve” in this life, but our relationship to Christ, is “sure & certain”..but by “faith, hope and love”. And no matter how long we live either, we must walk by faith! 🙂
@ Fr. Robert: I have no qualms with that statement. I have found Rom. 7 difficult to understand at the micro-level, but at a macro-level it is obvious that in Christ we overcome the death brought about by being Adamic humans. This leads right into Rom. 8 where it is the Spirit in us that will raise us like he raised Christ from the dead. Whether or not Rom. 7 is before Christ or simply before the resurrection will always be debated though.