Karl Barth’s Theology of Humility: The Humility of God and the Humility Appropriate to the Christian Life.

Abstract

In this thesis I develop a theology of humility, within the framework of Karl Barth's theology, that accounts for both divine humility and the humility that is appropriate to the Christian life. This thesis is organised into three parts, which are concerned with three questions: how we are to define humility; how we can appropriately speak of divine humility; and what constitutes Christian humility. I take the accounts of humility that Barth proffers in his commentary on the epistle to the Philippians, his Ethics, and CD IV/1, and show how these accounts of humility relate to other aspects of Barth's theology, such as the account of divine perfections, the account of the Christian life, and hamartiology. In Part I, I ask what is meant by the term humility, which is often poorly defined. Chapter two examines historical definitions of humility, by surveying and critiquing understandings of humility found in Ancient Greece, the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament, Augustine, Aquinas, and Luther. The third chapter continues this examination of what constitutes Christian humility, by turning to Barth's commentary on Philippians. The basis for Christian humility is seen to be the Christian's participation in Christ Jesus. In Part II, I ask how we can appropriately speak of divine humility. Chapter four examines the humility of the logos incarnandus, the Lord who comes as servant. In chapter five, I show that it is apposite to speak of divine humility when speaking of God's gracious self-giving in the divine works of election, creation, forming a covenant, and being faithful to an unfaithful people. The divine humility made manifest in the incarnation is in continuity with the humility of God who dwells with the lowly; this divine humility continues to be evident in the role that God gives human agency in proclamation and in petitionary prayer. In chapter six, I argue that divine humility can be properly understood as a perfection of the divine loving. In Part III, I describe the humility appropriate to the Christian life, examining the basis, content, and antitheses of Christian humility. In chapter seven, I posit a dual basis for the humility appropriate to the Christian life: that the Christian can only stand before God as a sinner in need of grace, and that humility is an aspect of Christian love. In chapter eight, I establish that humility is integral to Christian faith, obedience, and prayer. In chapter nine, I reason that not only pride, but also sloth and falsehood are antithetical to the humility that is appropriate to the Christian life. In chapter ten, I ask to what extent the theology of humility that is developed here is susceptible to feminist critiques. This thesis demonstrates that the humility of Jesus Christ, which Barth presents as divine humility, is properly seen as a perfection of the divine loving; the humility of the Christian is an aspect of Christian love that is based in, responds to, and corresponds to this divine humility.