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CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
The thought of an almighty God revealing Himself to man is both inconceivable and
inescapable Revelation! God"s personal communicating of Himself to His creatures! #ho #ould
other#ise have no $no#ledge of His presence or plan! provides several seemingly confusing
concepts #hich challenge serious thought God is unseen physically! but He is present here and
beyond the realm of space and time %hile God"s capacity surpasses any limitation! His intimacy
and personal involvement can be traced to the inner most part of man He has revealed Himself
to man$ind in both general and specific #ays &till! a thorough e'planation of His personhood
#ould be ine'pressible to human thought %hile general revelation is e(ually important! this
research #ill be limited to God"s special revelation of Himself to man$ind The claim that special
revelation ma$es is that God has sho#n or made Himself $no#n )at specific times and to
specific peoples*+ God has specifically or particularly revealed Himself in many #ays
Ho#ever! for the purpose of this paper!
1 Thiessen, Henry. Lectures in Systematic Theology . Grand Rapids, Michigan:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 199, 1!.
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the follo#ing three means of revelation #ill be e'amined, the inspiration of &cripture! the
incarnation of Christ! and the personal e'perience of man
-oth .arl -arth and Rudolf -ultmann #ere very influential on modern theology
-ultmann has been called )the greatest Ne# Testament scholar of the t#entieth century* by
some! #hile -arth attempted to be a recogni/able alternative to the radical theology of -ultmann
-arth"s theology #as culminated in his greatest contribution! Church Dogmatics0 -arth #as
some#hat concerned because of the influential effect -ultmann"s theology seemed to carry and
the lasting results his theology #ould inevitably have on the church1
&ee$ing a greater understanding of the theological positions of -arth and -ultmann on
the sub2ect of God"s special revelation should prove to be insightful %hile an understanding of
the foundational precepts of these models is imperative! the researcher #ill also search the
frame#or$ and attempt to e'plore their vie#s on a broader scale! including their differences and
commonalities 3a2or influences on and effects of their vie#s on the #hole of the doctrine of
revelation in modern theology #ill also be e'plored
" Perrin, #$rman. The Promise of Bultmann. #e% &$r': (.B. )ippinc$** +$mpany,
199, 11.- Green, +li$rd. Karl Barth: Theologian of Freedom. Minneap$lis: /$r*ress
Press, 1991, "1.
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CHAPTER T%O
RE4E5AT6ON, THE 6N&P6RAT6ON O7 &CR6PT8RE
General
The #ritings of the Old and Ne# Testament #ere divinely revealed through the
inspiration of the Holy &pirit Paul! himself! claimed to have been given the gospel from God He
and the apostles #ere not teaching their o#n opinion 6nstead! they spo$e a message direct from
God9 This combination of inspiration and revelation is named )concursive* inspiration by
Eric$son! describing the merging of the t#o divine acts into one at the point of &cripture )As
authors of &cripture #rote! God placed #ithin their minds the thoughts he #ished
communicated*:
Rudolf Bultmann
Rudolf -ultmann"s vie# of the Ne# Testament #as that of an obsolete piece of irrational
literature! meaningless in a modern conte't of society He believed that in order to find a )$ernel
of eternal truth hidden #ithin the mythological hus$* of the Ne# Testament! the reader #as
forced to penetrate the #ritten %ord to find the contemporary revelation of God to man$ind;
7rom -ultmann"s theological standpoint there #as little hope for any direct revelation of God
from the -ible God"s #ord to man #as veiled or hidden from vie# or immediate reach
Therefore! God #as not revealed but concealed by human #ords and limited by the human
sphere in #hich it #as present -ultmann has asserted that statements made by men in the
Enns, Paul. The Moddy Handbook of Theology . +hicag$: M$$dy Press, 1909, 0-. Eric's$n, Millard (. Christian Theology . "nd ed. Grand Rapids: Ba'er B$$'s,
190-, "1-. Gren2, ). Miller and 3*anley. Contemorary Theologies. Minneap$lis: /$r*ress
Press, 1990, ".
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scriptural te'ts should not be considered as legitimate as the direct statements from Christ
Himself because these human statements #ould be clouded by a carnal opinion and personalityesus Christ %hile he did not hold to the complete inerrancy of &cripture! -arth
#as convinced that )the elimination of the human relativity of the -ible may lead to the
elimination of the very thing the -ible #as intended to bear #itness to, the revelation of God*?
8nli$e -ultmann! -arth felt that the human aspect of inspiration #as not only beneficial! but
perhaps imperative -arthian theology #ent through stages! including a turn during the Great
%ar #hich brought a greater focus on revelation -arth concluded that the #ritten %ord had only
4 ($hns$n, R$ger 5. !udolf Bultmann: "nterretating Faith for the Modern #ra.
Minneap$lis: /$r*ress Press, 1991, 1-.0 Pain*er, ($hn. The $rigins of %emythologi&ing . 5us*ralian Biblical Re6ie%,
Re6 --, 7c*$ber 190, p "81.9 Gren2, 1.
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one theological interest! and on this issue he offered no compromise The one interest of the
-ible is in God Himself+@
Ho#ever! part of this interest in the person of God is His desire to reveal Himself specifically to
man$ind )-arth appealed to the totali/ing sufficiency of God"s revelation in the %ord*++ He
found Himself in the center of a debate bet#een t#o opposing sides -arth"s doctrine of the
threefold %ord did not fully comply #ith either of the opposing opinions He claimed that
revelation! scripture! and preaching #ere all in one )the %ord* of God! )trinity in unity*+0 The
Protestant scholastics attempted to minimi/e the importance of God"s #ritten %ord by doubting
the validity of the humanity of the #ord! but -arth accused the orthodo' dogmatists of re2ecting
revelation itself by obscuring )the hiddenness of God"s revelation in scripture* He credited them
#ith creating a paper pope by reducing revelation to the #ords in scripture +1 %hile -arth! unli$e
-ultmann! held to the total inspiration of scripture! he did not feel the notion of an inerrant te't
#as necessary or #arranted for the purposes of divine revelation+9
1! $rrien, Gary. The Barthian !e'olt in Modern Theology . )$uis6ille, &:
Wes*mins*er ($hn n$; Press, "!!!, 4!841.11 $rrien, 44.1"
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CHAPTER THREE
RE4E5AT6ON, THE 6NCARNAT6ON O7 CHR6&T
General
The pinnacle of special revelation lies in the Godman! >esus the Christ! #ho offered man
a revelation of Almighty God"s e'istence! nature! and #ill >esus #as not only sent by God! he
#as God in flesh present #ith man He is the most verifiable proof for God"s e'istence in the
history of man! having lived a perfect life among men )The revelation of God in Christ is the
most profound fact in history and deserves the most careful consideration*+:
Rudolf Bultmann
-ultmann"s understanding of divine revelation in the person of >esus Christ #as
undoubtedly clouded by his e'clusively e'istential paradigm He sa# >esus as a verifiable
historical figure #ho #as truly crucified upon a Roman cross! but -ultmann could never accept
Him as the actual &on of God #ho came to pay our sin debt literally He #as convinced that the
greatest need #as not to believe the fact of the historical events of Christ
1 Thiessen, 181.
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Rather! the crucial matter of faith for -ultmann #as the e'perience of the message of the Christ
Needless to say! he also refuted the literal resurrection and ascension of >esus as #ell+; -ultmann
sa# the record of Christ"s life as a mi'ture of actual history and unrealistic myth Ho#ever! this
German theologian seems to be easy to misunderstand 7or e'ample! he considered Christ"s
death on the cross )the event in #hich God has chosen finally to reveal himself* +esus #as part of the revelation of God to man$ind! but the
e'tent of his conviction is undoubtedly confused He felt that )the idea of a pree'istent son of
God #ho enters the #orld to redeem humans is dra#n from Gnosticism*+= -ultmann #as not
concerned #ith the )historical >esus* that so many scholars #ere see$ing to discover He could
not trust historical record because it al#ays held potential for contamination by human sources+?
3uch of his reluctance #ith God"s revelation through the incarnation #as a direct result of his
vie# of scripture %ith a lo# standard of validity of the historicity of the gospel record!
-ultmann had little foundation on #hich to stand #hen referring to Christ His theology is
ama/ing due to its lac$ of divinity and biblical confirmation
Karl Barth
According to -arthian theology! )the hidden God is apprehended indirectly in Christ*
Ho#ever! no continual relationship or communication bet#een God and man e'ists He sa#
>esus as the divinely positioned crossroads of $no#n time and un$no#n eternity! #here
humanity met deity temporarily0@ This meeting bet#een God and man #as dependent entirely on
the &on of God 3an could not reach nor learn anything about God personally #ithout His act of
1 Gren2, .14 Perrin, 9.10 Gren2, 1.19 ($hns$n, 9894."! Gren2, 1.
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revelation God #as selfrevealed in the person of >esus! the %ord Through the %ord! the
un$no#able God entered the #orld in a $no#able! conceivable form0+
At its inception! -arthian theology #as closely paralleled by -ultmann on the issue of the
Easter event 8nli$e -ultmann! -arth did affirm the resurrection as a real ob2ective event in his
latter years According to -arth! the incarnation of Christ alone is the path to true $no#ledge of
God00 6f the hidden God has not revealed himself in Christ! then the #orld has not been
reconciled to God This human being! $no#n a >esus of Na/areth! #as not only the &on of God!
but he #as )the eternal %ord of God!* God in flesh -arth #as #illing to credit full deity to the
physical man >esus! refusing to consider the e'clusively e'istential option of -ultmann"s
theology01 -arth summed up his stand (uite simply by stating that! )BThe Christ is the revelation
of God" And here 6 confess that 6 simply do not understand him*09
"1 Har*, 1-."" >ia$eng, )iu. +hinese The$l$gical Re6ie%.)od is )od: "n Memory of Karl
Barth, 1909, 4."- Green, "!18"!"." ($hns$n, !.
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CHAPTER 7O8R
RE4E5AT6ON, THE PER&ONA5 EPER6ENCE O7 3AN
General
Personal e'perience can be ignored or abused #hen spea$ing of special revelation &ome
go to an e'treme vie# of total e'periential revelation! #hile others say e'perience means very
little Ho#ever! personal e'perience is undeniably the most essential aspect of the inspiration of
scripture0: 3iracles! personal relationship! and spiritual gro#th are all aspects of this channel of
communication from God to man God can and #ants to be sought after! not in symbolism but
e'perience )6saiah ::,;++Dsays to see$ God B#hile He may be found" because it is one of
God"s #ays to ma$e Himself available*0;
Rudolf Bultmann
The special revelation of the hidden God is not )$no#able* by man! being grasped in
limited #ords or propositions 6nstead! -ultmann said it is continually opened up to ne# heights
and depths! enlightening man0
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-arthian theological concept of a one time revelation )&carcely is he $no#n than he again
disappears and #e once more stand in the presence of the un$no#n God! #ith #hom #e must
#restle ane# till he gives himself to be $no#n and spea$s his name*0= %hile -ultmann #ent too
far #ith the e'istentialistic vie#! there is much validity to the e'perience of God revealed to man
An affirmation of faith to many! e'perience is common on some level to all #ho believe in God
Every child of God has e'perienced God in some respect )God is $no#n to faith as one #ho is
encountered* %hile one"s e'perience cannot be denied! it also lac$s proof for affirmative
conclusion0? -ultmann"s theology has influenced even the most conservative of denominations
in recent years The )criterion controversy* among the &outhern -aptists is one such e'ample At
the root of this issue #as the conflict bet#een the actual #ords of scripture and the past
e'perience of the reader of scripture One"s understanding of #ho >esus is based on their
e'perience #as placed in contrast to the biblical standard Those #ho hold to -ultmann"s vie# of
the inspiration of scripture! #ould claim that e'periential understanding of >esus holds more
validity than the biblical te'ts They #ould absolutely re2ect the scriptures absolute authority and
the totality of divine inspiration %hile this issue seems rather ne# to some! its root can be
follo#ed bac$ for many years1@
Karl Barth
-arth #as not #illing to #al$ far do#n the road of e'periential revelation He did see
>esus and history as being ob2ective to one"s e'perience to a degree! but he sa# no possible
compatibility bet#een the reality of 2ustification in Christ and location in human e'perience The
2ustification event #as an uncontrollable election made concrete in God"s revelation through
"0 ($hns$n, 9."9 3*agg, /ran'. Polarities of Human #+istence in Biblical Persecti'e. 3mi*h
and Hel%ys Publishing, Mac$n, G5, 199, 9--! The Batist Faith and Message, "!!!.
1!
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Christ Placing the emphasis on human e'perience rather than divine intervention offers undue
credit to man1+ 3an"s e'istence! through e'perience is moving for#ard through e'istential
choices! to#ard a final! culminant essence! of Christli$eness10 &o concrete revelation for -arth
cannot be found in a personal e'perience #ith God! a mythological sphere! or a $no#ledge of
God"s future intent Rather! the verifiable historical record of >esus is -arth"s source of choice11
-arth seemed to vie# man"s limited e'perience #ith God as a result of revelation more than a
means by #hich revelation is received
-1 Har*, !81.-" 3*agg, 9.-- Har*, 0.
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CONC58&6ON
Revelation! the ans#er to man"s problem of ignorance about God! is much more detailed
and diverse than some might thin$ 6n Rudolph -ultmann and .arl -arth the researcher finds
t#o distinct theologies #hen considering the doctrine of special revelation The conclusion has
been made that #hile -arth #as committed to the &cripture to some degree! -ultmann"s
commitment #as tied more to the e'perience of man -arth #as convinced that the biblical
record #as a reliable source for history and verifiable evidence for the Christian e'perience
-ultmann began #ith personal e'perience that he believed #ould help lead the reader to a
greater understanding of the revelation hidden #ithin the &cripture
-oth -arth and -ultmann had some since of >esus being the %ord
&E5ECTEF -6-56OGRAPH
Books
-lac$aby! Henry T The %ays of God, Ho# God Reveals Himself -efore a %atching %orld Nashville, -roadman and Holman Publishers! 0@@@
1"
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-runner! Emil The Christian Doctrine of God: Dogmatics! 4ol + Philadelphia, The%estminster Press! +?9?
Coppedge! Allan Portraits of God: A Biblical Theology of Holiness Fo#ners Grove! 6llinois,
6nter4arsity Press! 0@@+
Forrien! Gary The Barthian Reolt in !odern Theology 5ouisville! .entuc$y, %estminster
>ohn .no' Press! 0@@@
Enns! Paul The !oody Handbook of Theology Chicago, 3oody Press! +?=?
Eric$son! 3illard > Christian Theology! 0d ed Grand Rapids! 3ichigan, -a$er -oo$s!+?=1
Eric$son! 3illard > Introducing Christian Doctrine Grand Rapids! 3ichigan, -a$er -oo$s!+??0
7arley! Gary The Doctrine of God Nashville, Convention Press! +?
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3iller! Ed 5 and &tanley > Gren/ Contem$orary Theologians 3inneapolis, 7ortress Press!+??=
3cConnell! 7rancis The Diiner Immanence Ne# or$, The 3ethodist -oo$ Concern!
+?@;
Perrin! Norman The *romise of Bultmann Ne# or$, >- 5ippincott Company! +?;?
&tagg! 7ran$ *olarities of Human %+istence in Biblical *ers$ectie Revised ed 3acon!
Georgia, &myth and Hel#ys Publishing! +??9
&te#art! 3elville *hiloso$hy of Religion: An Anthology of Contem$orary ,ie"s&udbury! 3assachusetts, >ones and -artlett Publishers! +??;
-ournal Articles
Painter! >ohn The Origins of Femythologi/ing Australian -iblical Revie#! Rev 11! October
+?=:! p 0+9
&tinson! Charles .n the Time/%ternity 0'ink1: 2ome As$ects of Recent Christian
%schatology Religious &tudies! +1! +?%ells! Harold G Karl Barth1s Doctrine of Aalogy Canadian >ournal of Theology! +: >6O!
+?;?! p 0@10+1
iaofeng! 5iu God is God: In memory of Karl Barth Chinese Theological Revie#! +?=?! p
;;
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CONTENT&
CO3PARAT64E EA36NAT6ON O7 GOF"& &PEC6A5 RE4E5AT6ON,
-ARTH ANF -85T3ANN
CHAPTER ONE 6ntroduction
CHAPTER T%O The 6nspiration of &cripture
CHAPTER THREE The 6ncarnation of Christ
CHAPTER 7O8R The Personal E'perience of 3an
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