- Also called:
- crisis theology or dialectical theology
- Key People:
- Karl Barth
- Reinhold Niebuhr
- Emil Brunner
- Related Topics:
- Protestantism
neoorthodoxy
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What is neoorthodoxy?
Neoorthodoxy was an influential 20th-century Protestant theological movement, also known as crisis theology or dialectical theology in Europe. It emerged as a reaction against the optimism of liberal Christianity, particularly after the devastation of World War I. Key figures like Karl Barth and Reinhold Niebuhr led this movement, reemphasizing traditional Reformation doctrines such as God's transcendence, human sinfulness, and the authority of the Bible, while rejecting biblical literalism. Neoorthodoxy stressed that God's Word, embodied in Jesus Christ, reveals divine love and forgiveness, leading to an awareness of human sin and a call to respond to God's claim. This theology also examined contemporary social issues from a Christian perspective.
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When and where did neoorthodoxy begin?
Neoorthodoxy, also known as crisis theology or dialectical theology, began in Europe and America in the 20th century. This theological movement emerged as a reaction against the perceived optimism of liberal Christianity, particularly after the devastation of World War I. Key figures like Karl Barth and Emil Brunner led this movement, which sought to re-emphasize traditional Protestant doctrines while engaging with modern critical thought. While the term "neoorthodoxy" was given to them by others, they embraced traditional Christian language to address contemporary social realities.
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Who were the main thinkers behind neoorthodoxy?
The main thinkers behind neoorthodoxy, a 20th-century Protestant theological movement, included Karl Barth, Emil Brunner, Nikolay Berdyayev, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Paul Tillich. This movement reacted against liberal theology, reemphasizing traditional Reformation doctrines such as God's transcendence and humanity's fallen state. While they used traditional Christian language, they rejected biblical literalism, accepting modern critical methods for studying the Bible. Their theology stressed God's Word as revealed in Jesus Christ, leading to an understanding of human sin and the need for divine grace. In North America, thinkers like Reinhold Niebuhr also applied neoorthodox principles to social and political issues.
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How does neoorthodoxy differ from previous Protestant beliefs?
Neoorthodoxy, a 20th-century Protestant theological movement, reacted against liberal theology by reemphasizing traditional Reformation doctrines. Unlike previous Protestant beliefs that often equated the Bible with literal truth, neoorthodoxy accepted modern critical methods for studying scripture, believing it contains non-literal elements. Key figures like Karl Barth and Reinhold Niebuhr focused on God's transcendence, humanity's fallen state, and the concept of sin, interpreting these through biblical language and symbolism rather than strict literalism. This approach aimed to address contemporary social realities with a renewed understanding of classic Protestant theology.
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What are the main ideas or beliefs of neoorthodoxy?
Neoorthodoxy, a 20th-century Protestant theological movement, emerged as a reaction against liberal Christianity, particularly after the devastation of World War I. Key figures like Karl Barth and Reinhold Niebuhr led this movement, which reemphasized traditional Reformation doctrines.
Main ideas include:
* God's Transcendence: Acknowledging God as the sovereign "Other" who places humans under responsibility.
* Human Sinfulness: Recognizing humanity's fallen state, the inevitability of sin, and personal responsibility for it.
* Biblical Language: Using traditional Christian language from the Bible and creeds, but rejecting biblical literalism in favor of modern critical study methods.
* Jesus Christ: Focusing on Jesus Christ as the Word of God, revealed in his freedom, love, and forgiveness, offering salvation.
* Social Engagement: Examining political and economic institutions from a Christian perspective, addressing contemporary issues like communism and race relations.3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did neoorthodoxy influence modern Christian thought?
Neoorthodoxy, a 20th-century Protestant theological movement, significantly influenced modern Christian thought by reacting against theological liberalism. Key figures like Karl Barth and Reinhold Niebuhr reemphasized traditional doctrines such as God's transcendence, humanity's fallen state, and the inevitability of sin. This movement, also known as crisis theology or dialectical theology, emerged in response to the disillusionment following World War I, finding the language of Reformation Protestantism more adequate for addressing contemporary social realities than liberal theology. Neoorthodoxy stressed God's Word and the salvation offered through Jesus Christ, while also examining political and economic institutions from a Christian perspective.
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neoorthodoxy, influential 20th-century Protestant theological movement in Europe and America, known in Europe as crisis theology and dialectical theology. The phrase crisis theology referred to the intellectual crisis of Christendom that occurred when the carnage of World War I belied the exuberant optimism of liberal Christianity. Dialectical theology referred to the apparently contradictory statements made in the interests of “truth” by theologians in order to point out both the majesty of human life and the limits of human thought. The influence of neoorthodoxy waned in the 1970s, when various liberation theologies became increasingly significant.
The movement was led by a number of influential theologians, including Karl Barth, Emil Brunner, Nikolay Berdyayev, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Paul Tillich. They and others who followed them were called neoorthodox because they spoke the traditional Christian language of the Bible, the creeds, and mainline orthodox Protestant theology. They wrote of the Trinity, the Creator, the Fall of humanity, original sin, Jesus Christ the Lord and Saviour, justification, reconciliation, and the kingdom of God. They were also concerned with contemporary social realities and found the language of Reformation Protestantism more adequate for addressing these concerns than the language of the theological liberalism in which they had been trained.
They disliked the term neoorthodoxy, however (it was given to them by others), because they repudiated the orthodox belief in biblical literalism. Instead, they accepted modern critical methods of studying the Bible and believed that it contains parts that are not literally true. For them, the miracle of the Christian faith was Jesus Christ and his gospel proclaimed in the church for the salvation of the world.
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According to neoorthodox theology, God as the sovereign Other places humans under an inviolable responsibility. God speaks his Word to humans and thereby lays his claim upon them and obligates them to respond to him and thus to exist as human beings. The Word is Jesus Christ become flesh for the salvation of humankind. God reveals himself in the freedom, love, and forgiveness of Jesus. Forgiveness, however, reveals human sin; therefore, humans know God and know themselves as sinners. The knowledge of sin leads to an acknowledgment of both human misery and grandeur and is the antidote to both despair and pride and to the degradation of human culture that follows these twin evils.
For neoorthodoxy, sin is the violation of persons as seen in contrast to God’s love in Jesus for sinners. It is rebellion against life and comes both before and after repudiation of responsibility, which in turn is the sign of death both for the individual and for the community. Sin causes dehumanization and the consequent evils of egotism, stupidity, and guilt, as well as the loneliness, meaninglessness, anxiety, enmity, and cruelty that plague human life. The neoorthodox argue that their view of sin is biblical but also compatible with a realistic understanding of the human condition.
In North America, somewhat in contrast to Europe, neoorthodox criticism of modern culture led to an examination of political and economic institutions and a new awareness of their significance for responsible human existence. North American neoorthodox theologians, particularly Reinhold Niebuhr, argued that religion, ethics, economics, and politics are parts of a larger whole that is the culture of a society and cannot be understood and dealt with separately. They concerned themselves with social institutions and problems and attempted to understand the controversial issues of the day—such as communism, race relations, and nuclear weapons—from a Christian viewpoint.