We have before us the fiendishness of business competition and the world war, passion and wrongdoing, antagonism between classes and moral depravity within them, economic tyranny above and the slave spirit below.
Karl BarthRead
The statement that 'God is dead' comes from Nietzsche and has recently been trumpeted abroad by some German and American theologians. But the good Lord has not died of this; He who dwells in the heaven laughs at them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Nietzsche's declaration of the death of God reflects a crisis in faith, while Barth suggests that God remains omnipotent and unaffected by human skepticism.
In this quote, Karl Barth references Friedrich Nietzsche's famous proclamation that 'God is dead,' which symbolizes a turning point in modern thought where traditional beliefs are questioned. However, Barth emphasizes that despite the assertions of theologians regarding the death of God, divine authority prevails, and God continues to exist beyond human comprehension and doubt, mocking those who underestimate His existence and significance.
Themes
GodNietzscheFaithPhilosophySkepticism
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about modern philosophy, one might quote Barth to emphasize the enduring nature of faith amidst doubt.
More from Karl Barth
All quotes →When we speak of our virtues we are competitors, when we confess our sins we become brothers.
Karl BarthRead
Conscience is the perfect interpreter of life.
Karl BarthRead
That the zeal for God's honor is also a dangerous passion, that the Christian must bring with him the courage to swim against the tide instead of with it... accept a good deal of loneliness, will perhaps be nowhere so clear and palpable as in the church, where he would so much like things to be different. Yet he cannot and he will not refuse to take this risk and pay this price... he belongs where the reformation of the church is underway or will again be underway.
Karl BarthRead
In the Church of Jesus Christ there can and should be no non-theologians.
Karl BarthRead
Christian worship is the most momentous, most urgent, most glorious action that can take place in human life.
Karl BarthRead
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