Karl Barth’s theology of nature: Safeguard against the natural theologies of both fundamentalism and secularism

Abstract

This article is an attempt to understand Karl Barth’s theology of nature as a safeguard against the natural theologies of both religious fundamentalism and atheistic secularism. It will be shown that Barth’s theology of the Word of God, incarnated in Jesus Christ, at the same time rejects the divinisation of humanity and the secularisation of humanity. With growing intolerance in the world due to religious fundamentalism, and with atheistic, “tolerant” secularism also threatening, Barth has shown the church how to steer between these two extremes by giving witness to the Creator’s reconciliation and redemption of all creatures through Jesus Christ. Not by glorifying the faith of the creature, but by having faith in the Creator, we gain the freedom to affirm all of creation for what it is, neither divine nor completely secular and cut off from its Creator, but God’s creation, of which God says: “It is good.”