Barth on Theological Solitude

I've been working through a book by the renowned theologian Karl Barth for a course I’m taking this fall and as I've been slowly moving through it (you cannot rush through Barth) I've been gleaning little gems along the way that I've been throwing up on my Facebook timeline. Today however I came across a section that speaks so loudly to what I've been experiencing over the last year of my own personal study that it bore a more carefully crafted and permanent feature than Facebook would afford.

The following excerpt is from the chapter on the solitude of the theologian and the theological process and it speaks to a reality that I've been experiencing as the work of theology challenges strongly entrenched positions of both culture and Church, there can be a despair that comes upon the theologian; a loneliness that comes from choosing God’s revelation over encultured practice, whether secular or sacred. Barth here has given words to my experience and I have found it tremendously helpful to hear them. Here is what he says:

"Finally, however, theology is not simply exegesis, Church history, and dogmatics. It is ethics as well. Ethics is the scrutiny of a definite conception of the divine command which is implied in and with the divine promise. Ethics seeks to form a clear conception of those actions to be performed in Church and world which are essential and typical of the obedience of faith. Ethics seems to formulate the practical task assigned to man by the gift of freedom. But an immediate conformity is not to be expected between this conception and the wishes, attitudes, and efforts that are current and dominant at any one time, both in the world and in the Church. What is, as a rule, much more to be expected in this area is a more or less definite opposition between theology with is questions and answers and the opinions and principles of Mr. and Mrs. “Everyman,” be these major or minor characters, un-Christian or even Christian. Although theology is no enemy to mankind, at its core it is a critical, in fact a revolutionary affair, because, as long as it has not been shackled, its theme is the new man in the new cosmos. Whoever takes up this theme must be prepared, precisely because of what he thinks and says in the practical sphere, to displease the masses. Any environment that measures itself by its own yardstick will find the minority view of theology and the theologian seriously suspect.”
Evangelical Theology. Pg 118-119

All of this sounds pretty depressing and hopeless – after all, if this is the destiny of the theologian who would want to be one? And what kind of person would this pursuit produce? It is all too easy to become exasperated with a world (and often a Church) that does not wish to deal with the hard and often demanding words of Scripture and commands of Christ. When this despair sets in though It is helpful to remember the next thing that Barth says as he immediately turns from explanation and commiseration with the theologian to exhortation with his next sentences:

“In such a situation a person may easily become desperate, bitter, skeptical, perhaps even bellicose and mean; he may become inclined, as an accuser, to turn permanently against his fellow men on account of their lifelong folly and wickedness. Precisely this, of course, may not be permitted to happen.”
Evangelical Theology. Pg 119

I’m still wrestling with the outworking of that exhortation but I think that it’s one of those things that I’m not supposed to be able to do in my own strength. May God grant this theologian his power to overcome the despair of theological solitude when it strikes.

Just my rambling thoughts for today.