Karl Barth's Revelation: Uncovering Worldviews

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Revelation Essay Grand Canyon University: HTH -359 May 31, 2015 Humankind has throughout history asked the same questions including: Who am I? For What purpose am I here? How did I get here? Is there more to the universe than what I can see and experience? Differing worldviews will ask and answer variations of these questions. As Christians we take the questions further and seek to know and understand the God that created us and how He reveals Himself to us as well as what He has revealed about Himself. Revelation is the Christian notion that “God chooses to be known” (McGrath, 2011, p. 152), it is the “unveiling or uncovering of who God is, who we are as human beings, and how God interacts with and in our world” (Lecture 2, GCU). This…show more content…
Exclusivism also described as particularism adopts the position that there is no knowledge of God without Christ. Karl Barth agrees with this viewpoint that salvation is only possible through Christ and includes the concept of “ultimate eschatological victory of grace over unbelief” (McGrath, 2011, p. 436). The exclusivist viewpoint aligns well with the uniqueness of the Christian faith and therefor the necessary missionary response that is part of its reality. The opposing viewpoint is that of the inclusivist approach that allows space for other religions seeing the as milestones along the way towards a faith in Christ (McGrath, 2011). According to McGrath the inclusivist viewpoint became popular in the 1890’s centered on words from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount that He came to fulfill not to destroy. Inclusivist thought could be summarized as “all that there is of truth and inspiration in other religions must find its fulfillment in Jesus Christ” (McGrath, 2011,…show more content…
Special Revelation allows us to see Christ and thus a relationship with God that is more than the knowledge of his existence. Scripture, especially New Testament Scripture confirms that God wants to reveal more of Himself than what is revealed through General Revelation. Paul wrote to the Romans that confirming Jesus as Lord brings us into right relationship with God and the salvation that is promised throughout scripture (Romans 10:9). References Braaten, C. E. (2004). The Christian Faith in an Inter-Faith Context. Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 43(3), 233-237. Doi:10.111/j.0012-2033.2004.00213.x. Lecture 2. (2011). HTH - 359: Systematic Theology. Phoenix, AZ: Grand Canyon University. Luna, M. (2008). Modeling a Life of Faith: Unanswered Questions Between Faith and Reason. Journal of Asia Adventist Seminary, 11(1), 57-72. McGrath, A. E. (2011). Christian Theology. London, England: King’s College. Retrieved May 17, 2015 from http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/wiley/2010/christian-theology_-an- introduction_ebook_5e.php. Quinn, F. (2012). Toward ‘Generous Love’: Recent Anglican Approaches to World Religions. Journal of Anglican Studies, 10(2), 161-182.

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