Horizons of the Authenticity of Theological Thinking: The Case of Karl Barth

Abstract

For modern theology, it is of key importance to discover and "map" the boundaries of theological knowledge, those defining concepts that serve as the foundation of the theological vocation to explore the world. The epistemological specificity of modern theology is the definition of the contours of authentic and non-authentic theology, the parameters that make it possible to identify the effectiveness of the theological search. Though evident, the need for such definition has not led to extensive systematic research into this issue, and currently the field of questioning the authenticity of theology remains virtually unoccupied and unexplored. The purpose of this study is to identify the parameters of the authenticity of theological research using the example of the theological method and the theological system developed by the authoritative theologian Karl Barth. The methods of comparison, analysis, deduction, induction, and the axiomatic method are used as methodological tools in the article. The study revealed the following parameters of the distortion of the theological method: theological indecision, excessive reliance on the "human" conceptual apparatus, and excessive control of the theological search. The parameters of genuine theology include the assumption of a high degree of responsibility for the resulting theological result, the theologian's right to epistemological silence, the acceptance of a situation of "runaway" theology in which the theologian rejects radical fundamentalism, and the formation of a special cognitive theological space characterized by epistemological mobility and flexibility. The results obtained contribute to the development of a conceptual understanding of the theological method effectiveness and allow us to build prospects for training theologians with a view to achieving the most effective cognitive result.