Karl Barth and the Pietists

Known for his acclaimed biography--Karl Barth: His Life from Letters and Autobiographical Texts--Eberhard Busch subsequently wrote Karl Barth und die Pietism, a book on Barth's relationship to Pietism. Now translated into English, this exchange illuminates and puts into perspective the development of themes found throughout Barth's theological works such as the nature of scriptural authority, hell and universalism, the relationship between believers and unbelievers, the place of our experience in salvation, the preaching of repentance, the nature of conversion, and the relationship between law and gospel. Both Barth's affinity to Pietism and his critique of the movement shed light on his interaction with the English-speaking evangelical world, whose theology was significantly shaped by the Pietist movement. This work will make a significant contribution to Barth scholarship and to the ongoing discussion of Barth's theology, especially among evangelicals and others who share in the Pietistic theological heritage.