Systematic theology should only be formed by the building blocks of diligent Bible reading and interpretation.
Karl Barth: "Take now my last piece of advice: Exegesis, Exegesis, and once more, Exegesis!"
The context for the quote is in my dissertation.
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![Karl Barth, Das Evangelium in der Gegenwart, Theologische Existenz heute vol. 25 (München: C. Kaiser,
1935), 16-17. Busch translation: “The day before [10 February 1935], he had said his formal farewell to his
Bonn pupils at a Bible study group for students at Bad Godesberg. He gave an interpretation of Psalm
119.67 and James 4.6 and ended with the words: ‘We have been studying cheerfully and seriously. As far as
I was concerned it could have continued that way, and I had already resigned myself to having my grave
here by the Rhine! I had plans for the future with other colleagues who are either no longer here or have
been away for a long time--but there has been a frost on our spring night! And now the end has come. So
listen to my last piece of advice: exegesis, exegesis and yet more exegesis! Keep to the Word, to the scripture
that has been given us.’” Busch, Karl Barth: His Life From Letters and Autobiographical Texts, 259. Burnett
translation:
“Dear friends, who have listened to me, the main thing you have heard from me is dogmatics. Dogmatics is
a high and steep art. I do not want to deny that, humanly as well, I strive after it with a certain love and
desire. And I dare say that I have noticed that many of you have been excited about this subject matter as
well. If this now for the moment has come to an end, accept this as a signal for you to temporarily begin
anew your studies at a different place. Take now my last piece of advice: Exegesis, Exegesis, and once more,
Exegesis! If I have become a dogmatician, it is because I long before have endeavored to carry on exegesis.
Let the systematic art, which can also make one mad, rest a little and hold on to the Word, to the Scriptures,
which is given to us and become perhaps less systematic and more biblical theologians. For then the
systematic and dogmatic tasks will certainly be taken care of as well. That is what I wanted to say to you
and in this way I wish to bid you farewell.
I was glad to be among you. I e…](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:fwk6vev5lvfktaxyhvml2pry/bafkreiggwix6erif2jv3exercj36koyri5m3rel7xr7pjouoxctn7kpbjm)
