The great twentieth-century Christian theologian, Karl Barth, once wrote memorably, in words like these: “when the angels of God play music before God, they play Bach; when they play music just for themselves, they play Mozart – and then God listens all the more.” Who could argue with that?
Dare I say this, then, just on my own? When the angels of God discuss Christian theology in the presence of God, they discuss Karl Barth. When they discuss Christian theology just among themselves, they discuss Paul Tillich – and then God listens all the more. But before I explore this wry-bread claim, I have some words about Barth and Tillich for non-specialists.
First, in Germany in the nineteen-thirties, both thinkers got into trouble with the Nazi’s. Both had to flee, Barth to his native Switzerland, Tillich to what for him was the strange new world of America (Amerika?). Second, as theologians, they differed radically. You can tell this from the titles of their major works. Barth wrote a more-than-ten-volumned (I lost count) exposition of classical Christian teachings, his Church Dogmatics. Tillich produced a much more concise three volume work, his Systematic Theology.
Third, never mind how many pages each thinker churned out, both were deeply informed by traditional and recent Christian theological discussions. They knew the history of Christian thought well and they engaged a range of theological contemporaries with depth and zest.
Fourth, they were, nevertheless, very different kinds of thinkers. To invoke a distinction proposed by Tillich himself: Barth was what Tillich called a “kerygmatic theologian” and Tillich was what he himself called an “apologetic theologian.” These constructs may sound obscure to some, but they have their own importance. “Kerygmatic” refers to someone who primarily interprets the Christian “message” (Greek = kerygma). “Apologetic” is used in a special way, not referring here to someone who’s “defensive,” but to someone who primarily tries to make sense of something so that others can then understand it on their own terms.
Fifth, although Barth and Tillich themselves never got along theologically, if I may put it this way: the kind of theology that each one pursued is of critical importance for the historic Christian faith today – as it always has been.
Sixth, a recommendation. I’m not sure that the angels of God prefer Mozart over Bach, as Karl Barth did. And I don’t think that any Christian today who wants to engage theology seriously should prefer Barth over Tillich or vice versa. But I do want to report that both Barth and Tillich deeply inspired my own theological life. I hope to tell this story about that twofold theological blessing in this public location, before too long, the Lord willing.
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