The Karl Barth-Gesellschaft (Karl Barth Society) founded in April 1997 in Bünde, Germany, is serving the promotion of theological research and education in the spirit of Karl Barth’s thinking. It does so through regular events and activities such as annual Karl Barth conferences in Leuenberg, Switzerland and Driebergen, Netherlands . The society aims to contribute to the continuation of the Karl Barth Archive in Basel, Switzerland, which looks after Barth’s literary heritage and which is responsible for the publication of Barth’s Collected Edition.
Isenheim Altarpiece – The Crucifixion
The Karl Barth Society is promoting a theology that encourages the church to remain true to its mission of proclaiming Jesus Christ. It feels duty-bound to the perspective direction of this theology to the “matter” that, as Barth never got tired to emphasize, is concentrated in the person of Jesus Christ.
Barth himself liked to visualize the central, comprehensive task of theology with the “in-such-an-impossible-way pointing hand” of John the Baptist on the crucifixion painting of the Isenheim altar of Matthias Grünwald: Theology has no other task than looking at the finger of John with which he points toward Christ.
The Karl Barth Society invites the reflection of Barth’s body of thought and encourages everyone to take an own and fresh look at the texts of the bible. They provide us with a healthy break from our daily routine by pointing us to the one Jesus Christ who in crucifixion and resurrection came closer to us humans than we can ever be to ourselves.
Visit the website of the Karl Barth-Gesellschaft to learn more about its mission and activities. (in German)
Link: Series of publications of the Karl Barth Gesellschaft
