Emil Brunner: A Reappraisal

Cover......Page 1
Series page......Page 4
Title page......Page 5
Copyright page......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Preface......Page 11
A Note on Translations and Editions......Page 15
1: Emil Brunner: The Origins of a Theological Mind, 1914–1924......Page 17
Theological Studies at Zurich......Page 18
Pastoral Ministry and Contacts in England......Page 20
The Swiss Crisis of Identity, 1914–1919......Page 22
Brunner and Dialectical Theology: The Origins of an Ambivalent Relationship......Page 25
Brunner in America, 1919–1920......Page 28
Brunner, Barth, and Thurneysen: Continuing Debate......Page 29
The Quest for Recognition: Erlebnis, Erkenntnis und Glaube (1921–2)......Page 32
Brunner and American Psychology of Religion......Page 34
The Limits of Humanity: Reflections on Revelation and Reason (1922)......Page 38
The Critique of Schleiermacher: Die Mystik und  das Wort (1924)......Page 41
Part I: The Making of a Dialectical Theologian......Page 45
2: Brunner’s Theology of Crisis: Critique and Construction, 1924–1929......Page 47
The 1925 Inaugural Lecture at Zurich: Revelation and Theology......Page 48
Reason and Theology: An Ecclesial Engagement (1927)......Page 50
The Mediator: A Manifesto for Dialectical Theology (1927)......Page 55
The Trinity: Dogma, not Kerygma......Page 66
The American Reception of the “Theology of Crisis” (1928)......Page 70
3: Reflections on the Tasks of Theology, 1929–1933......Page 77
Crisis: The Rise of Ideology in Western Europe, 1920–1935......Page 78
Brunner’s Challenge to Ideology: The “Other Task of Theology” (1929)......Page 82
Presenting Dialectical Theology in Britain: The Word and the World (1931)......Page 90
A Theological Ethics: The Divine Imperative (1932)......Page 94
A Problematic Liaison: Brunner and the Oxford Group......Page 101
The Work of the Holy Spirit: The Copenhagen Lectures (1934)......Page 103
4: Natural Theology? The Barth–Brunner Debate of 1934......Page 106
Natural Theology: A Contested Notion......Page 110
Karl Barth’s Views on Natural Theology, 1918–1933......Page 117
A Game-Changer: The Nazi Power Grab of 1933......Page 121
Brunner’s Public Criticism of Barth: Nature and  Grace (1934)......Page 129
Brunner’s Later Views on Natural Theology: Revelation and Reason (1941)......Page 137
Barth’s Response: No! (1934)......Page 143
5: Brunner’s Theological Anthropology: Man in Revolt (1937)......Page 149
The Need for a Theological Anthropology......Page 150
The Impossibility of an “Objective” Anthropology......Page 152
The Dependence of Humanity on God......Page 156
The “Contradiction” within Humanity......Page 158
The Image of God and Human Identity......Page 161
Humanity and Evolution: The Limits of Darwinism......Page 164
6: Objectivity and Subjectivity in Theology: Truth as Encounter (1937)......Page 170
Object and Subject in Theology: The Context to Brunner’s Thought......Page 171
Objectivity and Subjectivity: Brunner’s Criticism of Existing Paradigms......Page 177
Overcoming the Object-Subject Impasse: Brunner’s Strategy......Page 182
The Implications of Brunner’s Notion of “Truth as Encounter”......Page 185
America: The Call to Princeton Theological Seminary, 1937–1939......Page 188
Part II: Consolidation: Brunner’s Vision for Post-War Theological Reconstruction......Page 195
7: Brunner’s Vision for the Christian Community: The Church, State, and Culture......Page 197
The Ideological Origins of Totalitarianism......Page 198
An Antidote to Totalitarianism: The Renewal of Natural Law......Page 201
The Need for Theological Reconstruction: Revelation and Reason (1941)......Page 206
The Christian State: A Modest Theological Proposal......Page 211
Rediscovering the Church as Community: Brunner’s Ecclesiology......Page 215
8: Teacher and Preacher: Brunner as a Public Intellectual......Page 221
Rector of the University of Zurich, 1942–1943......Page 222
The Catechist: Our Faith (1935)......Page 223
The Fraumünster Sermons: Brunner as Preacher......Page 226
The Public Lecturer: The Scandal of Christianity......Page 230
Theological Education: Brunner’s Dogmatics......Page 234
Tokyo: Brunner’s Engagement with Asia......Page 237
Final Illness and Death......Page 239
9: Legacy: The Contemporary Significance of Emil Brunner’s Theology......Page 241
The Reformed Tradition: A Richer Range of Possibilities......Page 244
A Theology of Nature: The Basis of Natural Law, Theology, and Science......Page 245
Cultural Engagement: The Theological Foundations of Apologetics......Page 247
Personalism: The Defence of Relational Identity......Page 248
The Trinity: A Plea for Theological Modesty......Page 250
Conclusion......Page 253
Works by Emil Brunner Cited in This Study......Page 255
Index......Page 258