As many of you are undoubtedly aware, Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics is about to be released in a very accessible edition, to the tune of about $100.00 for the entire set.
I have pre-ordered mine. And here’s the deal. Starting in January, I am going to make it a goal to blog through one book of the 
Dogmatics every 6 months. By one book, I mean, for example 1.1 for Jan-June of 2011, 1.2 for July-December, etc. On that slow pace, we should get through the whole thing in 7 years or so.
What about you? Will you read along with me?
Here’s my challenge: jimmy rig a set for yourself for Christmas, and let’s get through this thing together. Even better, if you have a blog, blog through it in tandem with me. If you don’t, read along and ask questions or guest post if you get excited or jump in to comment. It would be fantastic if we got some good, robust conversation going on around this seminal theological work.
I know that many of you are in traditions that are nervous about Barth. This is a great opportunity to pick up Barth for yourself, and not have to figure him out alone. The books are relatively cheap and we’ll be able to figure out if he’s really guilty of all those horrors of which you’ve heard and we’ll be able to wrestle together through the difficult issues.
You in?
I’m torn between getting this set and the 31 vol set. The $100 price point is a definite pro for going with this set. I’m sure I can squeeze the money out of my expense account. I might be in for reading it with you.
I’m interested. I preordered the set last winter quarter when I thought I found a price type-o in CBD’s website. It would have been more fun to be scamming Christian publishing, but it’s still a good deal.
One concern, what if the rapture comes before we get to Barth’s eschatology?
Hey Dr. Kirk,
My buddy and I are about to start Volume II: The Doctrine of God in October. We went through Vol. I at 5 pages a day this year and would love to have you join us in Vol. II.
I am sure it would make more sense to start at the beginning but we would love to have join us if it works at all.
Here is our blog:
http://kirchlicheblogmatik.wordpress.com/
My wife pre-ordered this for my Christmas present. (So, now I have an incomplete set to sell or give away.) I read large sections during my Ph.D. in David Mueller’s Barth seminar, but I’ve never read it all the way through. I was already drawing up a reading schedule for 2011 and this will help keep me on track.
Robby–Barth never got to eschatology. He died with the CD unfinished.
Yeah, yeah, but I couldn’t think of a witty line about 14 volumes of Christology.
Nice. I read a little bit for my Barth doctoral seminar, so I hereby defer to and count on you to make all things plain to the rest of us!
I post thoughts on my blog but I’ll have to read yours because I don’t think I can afford that whole set.
I read CD IV a couple years ago on a buy (at SBL discount) as you read (5 pp/day) plan. I was going to circle around and start with CD I, when the publisher quit selling the paperbacks at SBL (since they were coming out with a new edition). I was delighted to be able to get in on this CBD deal a few months ago and have been planning to start up the reading plan again in 2011. So I guess that makes me “in.”
Between the comments here and on Facebook & Twitter there seems to be a lot of enthusiasm for this. Excellent! I can’t wait to get started.
I am in.
In.
Not sure that I can commit to buying (even $100 is pretty steep for me. Not that it’s not worth it. Just that I don’t have it) or blogging through, but I would certainly welcome reading your thoughts on it. (And, if I can thereby be encouraged to bite the bullet and join in at a later time, all the better, right?)
I will do my best to join in the conversation. I have always been interested in reading more Barth and a little accountability is a good thing.
Going to shoot for acquiring this by Christmas too! Thank you for the wonderful inspiration—I’m in!
This is great! I am glad that this new edition of Barth’s CD is coming out with affordable prices because it is certainly generating a bit more interest in Barth. I pre-ordered mine months ago.
This may sound odd, but depending on the pace this blog travels, I may read the CD forwards and backwards at the same time. I really want to get into Barth’s doctrine of Reconciliation and election. Plus, I’ve heard several comment (including the great Lesslie Newbigin) that it is easier to read them through backwards rather than forwards.
I purchased the paperback set in 2005, but only started it this year. Got a bargain from my local Xtn bookshop when i sold a lot of stuff, and T&T Clark were doing a deal, so the set only cost £125. Sadly, the postage to the UK on the Hendrickson set is almost as much as the books themselves, so i won’t be able to go for it. Anyone got a spare study edition?
I have just started 2.2, but i’ll be reading here with interest.
Daniel, you are a godsend! I asked this question on my blog this morning and someone directed me here! I’d be keen. I need to look at how much reading is involved (I was going to start at 4.1) but I think one volume every six months is achievable.
I have an original English set and the updated version in Logos. I’d be keen to blog it also.
Thanks!
I’m in! I just asked a buddy about this yesterday and then I googled and your blog popped up! I’m a presbyterian pastor and-as you may know-Barth makes most presbyterians swoon. How many pages a day/week are you planning? Thanks again.
We’re going to try to do one printed volume every 6 months, so it shouldn’t be too onerous. I haven’t received mine yet, so I’m not sure what sort of page count we’re talking just yet.
Glad you’re in!
This sounds wonderful. Count me in! Dr.Hunsinger led a Barth reading group at Princeton Theological Seminary, which I was never able to attend… but I heard many favorable comments of reading Barth in a group like this. I’m looking forward to it… Thanks, Daniel!
since I’ve spent the money, twould be foolish to not join in
am i in? yes, absolutely. i just got my $99 14-volume set in the mail two days ago. can’t wait!
I am in. Looking forward to the discussion.