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Rating: 
Summary: Towards a Theology of Culture
Review: Amazing! This book shows how Orthodox Christology can provide a framework for engagement of the sacred and secular spheres which is both constructive and critical. Metzger shows how Barth's understanding of the relation of Christ's divine and human natures establishes the basis for a theology of culture. Barth's paradigm, it is argued, provides a framework in which culture is allowed to truly be itself as secular, in distinct though inseparable relation to Christ. In Barth's day, his paradigm spoke against both the divinization of culture witnessed in Nazi Germany, and the secularization of culture in Soviet socialism, yet remained constructive calling for the humanization of culture to be truly secular in its proper sphere. Barth's appreciation of Mozart is shown not to be an anomaly in his theology as a whole, but rather the product of his Christological paradigm. Today, the implications of this paradigm loom large for what Gunton refers to in the foreword as the often "distorted religious culture" of America and the West attempting to come to terms with Islam and the global world. I myself have often wrestled with the schizophrenic waffling between divinization and secularization of culture so evident here in America. This book has helped me set a framework in which Christology speaks both critically and constructively to both church and culture. Metzger shows how Barth's paradigm establishes the framework for a theology of culture crucially relevant to our modern day, in which Christology calls culture to truly be itself. I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to see Christology taken 'off the shelf' and into the world-at-large.
Rating:
Summary: Towards a Theology of Culture
Review: Amazing! This book shows how Orthodox Christology can provide a framework for engagement of the sacred and secular spheres which is both constructive and critical. Metzger shows how Barth's understanding of the relation of Christ's divine and human natures establishes the basis for a theology of culture. Barth's paradigm, it is argued, provides a framework in which culture is allowed to truly be itself as secular, in distinct though inseparable relation to Christ. In Barth's day, his paradigm spoke against both the divinization of culture witnessed in Nazi Germany, and the secularization of culture in Soviet socialism, yet remained constructive calling for the humanization of culture to be truly secular in its proper sphere. Barth's appreciation of Mozart is shown not to be an anomaly in his theology as a whole, but rather the product of his Christological paradigm. Today, the implications of this paradigm loom large for what Gunton refers to in the foreword as the often "distorted religious culture" of America and the West attempting to come to terms with Islam and the global world. I myself have often wrestled with the schizophrenic waffling between divinization and secularization of culture so evident here in America. This book has helped me set a framework in which Christology speaks both critically and constructively to both church and culture. Metzger shows how Barth's paradigm establishes the framework for a theology of culture crucially relevant to our modern day, in which Christology calls culture to truly be itself. I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to see Christology taken 'off the shelf' and into the world-at-large.
Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating Exploration of Barth's Theology of Culture
Review: One cannot read this book, by Paul Metzger without coming away challenged, engaged and energized by his erudite discussion of the relation between Christ and Culture as exemplified by Karl Barth. Engaging culture through Barth's Christological model of the Word, Metzger has established an intriguing paradigm for engaging culture that is indeed distinct from those offered by the politics of liberalism (as exemplified by Reinhold Neibhur), nuanced versions of Christendom (as exemplified by Oliver O'Donovan) and radical ecclesial politics (as exemplified by John Howard Yoder and Stanley Hauerwas). Metzger frames his work in three sections and six chapters, detailing 1) Karl Barth's own cultural context and how that shaped his theology of culture, 2) the Christological foundations for a theology of culture as explored through the inner-relations of the divine and human natures of Christ, 3) the importance of Karl Barth's doctrine of election and the word for understanding the relation of the sacred and secular, 4) Barth's theology of revelation as it impacts God's ability to "commandeer" the domain of the secular as a witness to him, 5) Karl Barth's doctrine of the relation of the church to the secular state, and 6) the relation between the word of God and creaturely activity as explored through Barth's fascination with Mozart's music. All throughout Metzger writes with superb clarity and distinguished theological acumen. This is a work with which few will agree completely, but which no Christian who aspired to be doing God's work in the church and the world can afford to ignore.
Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating Exploration of Barth's Theology of Culture
Review: One cannot read this book, by Paul Metzger without coming away challenged, engaged and energized by his erudite discussion of the relation between Christ and Culture as exemplified by Karl Barth. Engaging culture through Barth's Christological model of the Word, Metzger has established an intriguing paradigm for engaging culture that is indeed distinct from those offered by the politics of liberalism (as exemplified by Reinhold Neibhur), nuanced versions of Christendom (as exemplified by Oliver O'Donovan) and radical ecclesial politics (as exemplified by John Howard Yoder and Stanley Hauerwas). Metzger frames his work in three sections and six chapters, detailing 1) Karl Barth's own cultural context and how that shaped his theology of culture, 2) the Christological foundations for a theology of culture as explored through the inner-relations of the divine and human natures of Christ, 3) the importance of Karl Barth's doctrine of election and the word for understanding the relation of the sacred and secular, 4) Barth's theology of revelation as it impacts God's ability to "commandeer" the domain of the secular as a witness to him, 5) Karl Barth's doctrine of the relation of the church to the secular state, and 6) the relation between the word of God and creaturely activity as explored through Barth's fascination with Mozart's music. All throughout Metzger writes with superb clarity and distinguished theological acumen. This is a work with which few will agree completely, but which no Christian who aspired to be doing God's work in the church and the world can afford to ignore.
Rating:
Summary: Balances centuries of tradition and faith with modern change
Review: The World Of Christ And the World Of Culture: Sacred And Secular Through The Theology Of Karl Barth by Paul Louis Metzger (Assistant Professor of Christian Theology and Theology of Culture, Multnomah Biblical Seminary, Portland, Oregon) is a close and illuminating study of Karl Barth's revolutionary theological ideals. From exploring the sacred in the creative word to "theological politics" to the demise of corpus christianum, The World of Christ and the World of Culture balances centuries of tradition and faith with modern changes in human way of life looking for a road that unifies faith in God with adaptations to the onward march of Time. The World Of Christ And The World Of Culture is a most welcome addition to Christian Theological Studies reading lists and library collections.
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