The public dimension of Karl Barth's theology: reflections from his pastoral, social and political work

The present article aims to showcase that Karl Barth's theology has an eminently public aspect, since he understands theology as a role of the church and practiced by herself, acting as a safeguarding factor for the Christian faith against some possible deviations concerning doctrine and dogmatic issues. Towards that end, it assumes a forefront role, since it is placed as a watchman. To Barth, there are no non-theologians in the church. To a greater or lesser extent, everyone has the responsibility of maintaining a healthy Christian teaching. In social issues, Barth seeks dialogue with different lines of thought of his time, especially since 1914, when he was disappointed with the attitude of several of his former teachers, deciding, in the following year, to take part in social movements, keeping contact with important figures of western socialism. In politics, his decisive stance against national socialism, which swept across Germany since the 1930s, is notorious. He had an active role in the foundation of the Confessing Church, after the 1934 Barmen Declaration of Faith. Later, Barth was expelled of Nazi Germany, but continued to make his voice heard in Germany through radio waves, encouraging resistance against that evil regime. Barth left us an example of struggle for and commitment to the message of Jesus Christ, the only Lord of the Church.