Fides Quaerens Intellectum

Reading again CD I/1 I have been thinking again about the way in which the Word of God functions. Barth outlines a structure by which the Word of God proclaimed can be understood. The outer circle is the way in which the “Word of God is the commission on whose givenness proclaimation must rest if it is to be real proclaimation.” (CD I/1, 89). That is, we are sent by God’s Word to proclaim Gods Word. Secondly, “The Word of God is that which must be given to proclaimation as such if it is to be real proclaimation.” (CD I/1, 91). That is, it must become the object of human perception to be capable of being proclaimed. But to the extent that it is really proclaimed it is not the object of human perception. Thirdly, “The Word of God is the judgement in virtue of which alone proclaimation can be real proclaimation.” (CD I/1, 92). We therefore judge all proclaimation by the Word of God. Proclaimation is not itself the Word of God but becomes the Word of God. Finally following this, “The Word of God is the event itself in which proclaimation becomes real proclaimation.” (CD I/1, 93). This is the idea that I have elaborated on before. That the Word of God proclaimed only becomes the Word of God by virtue of the Holy Spirit taking a hold of our language and making it the Word of God.