A THEOLOGY OF SPATIALITY: THE DIVINE PERFECTION OF OMNIPRESENCE IN THE THEOLOGY OF KARL BARTH The Reverend Elizabeth Jarrell Callender A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. 1 July 2011 Abstract Throughout its history, the Christian Church has commonly assumed that God’s own being or nature is the opposite of ours. Human existence is conditioned by the spatial and temporal order of creation, so God is thought to be a-spatial and eternal. Yet this does not account adequately for the biblical witness concerning God. Karl Barth radically claims that God is not merely spatial but that God has His own space and even is His own space. Barth bases this assertion upon an actualistic epistemology instead of the metaphysical framework grounding much of the Christian Church’s conceptualizations of God. Barth defines spatiality as a characteristic way of lovingly and freely being personally present with another distinct being in a rightly ordered relation. Beyond the discussion on the perfection of omnipresence, Barth does not directly develop this perfection further. However, his theology of spatiality underlies much of his theology, evident in his use of spatial language. Additionally, apparently lacking in Barth studies or elsewhere is a comprehensive theology of space or spatiality that begins by concretely considering God’s own space and His perfection of spatiality. This thesis aims to develop an actualistic theology of spatiality through an expositional exploration of the spatiality of the triune God in the theology of Karl Barth, primarily from his Church Dogmatics. Secondarily, this study addresses the issue of the spatiality of human beings that is encompassed by the divine spatiality. Considering the questions how is God present to Himself and also to us, in proper relation and distinction, further indicates how we are present to God and to each other both in appropriate and inappropriate relation and distinction. The thesis begins with Barth’s epistemology and doctrine of God. Barth’s doctrines of the Trinity and omnipresence are revisited after engagement with his doctrine of election in the light of Bruce McCormack’s critical reading of Church Dogmatics. After focusing on the spatiality of the triune God in His unity, through Barth’s doctrines of God and election, the spatiality particular to each mode of God’s being in His work is explored. First, the creative spatiality of God the Father as Creator and Lord of the covenant is investigated through a consideration of Barth’s doctrines of creation and providence in addition to the spatiality of His human creature and covenant partner. Second, the reconciling spatiality of God the Son is explored through Barth’s doctrines of the incarnation, justification and sanctification, along with the spatiality of human beings who are sinners and unfaithful covenant partners. Third, the redeeming spatiality of God the Holy Spirit is explored through Barth’s pneumatology, ecclesiology and eschatology, which also illuminate the spatiality of God’s reconciled covenant people in the community and in the consummation, completing this study. ii Acknowledgments For Daniel and Katharine who help me to know the astounding presence of the Triune God of grace …who is spatial iii In Deepest Gratitude To THE UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO, Dunedin, New Zealand Faculty and Staff, The Reverend Professor Murray A. Rae EDUCATION NEW ZEALAND New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, Princeton, New Jersey Faculty and Staff, Professor Bruce L. McCormack, The Reverend Professor C. Clifton Black Librarians and Staff of the Library and The Karl Barth Collection, The Reverend Dr. Stephen D. Crocco Donors of The Graduate Study Fellowship for the Parish Pulpit Ministry UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS, St. Andrews, Scotland Faculty and Staff of St. Mary’s College, Professor Alan J. Torrance BENTWOOD TRAIL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Dallas, Texas and The Pastor Nominating Committee: Jennifer Blann, Bonnie Ewing, Steve Jebbia, Tom Scruggs, Dwight Strouse, Dexter Turner, Linda Wren SAINT MARK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Rockville, Maryland The Reverend Dr. Roy W. Howard, The Reverend S. LeAnn Hodges ARLINGTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Arlington, Virginia The Reverend Sharon S. Core, Mary Helen Harris Dr. Elizabeth Sharman The Reverend Elisa J. Owen iv CONTENTS Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. iii INTRODUCTION: Is God A-Spatial? ...................................................................................... 1 PART ONE: THE SELF-DETERMINED SPATIALITY OF THE TRIUNE GOD ...... 10 CHAPTER ONE: KARL BARTH’S EPISTEMOLOGY ....................................................... 10 1. Theological Epistemology .............................................................................................. 12 2. Doctrine of the Word of God .......................................................................................... 17 3. Doctrine of Revelation .................................................................................................... 17 4. Concept of Analogy Regarding Human Language ......................................................... 18 5. Doctrine of the Trinity .................................................................................................... 20 6. Dialectic of Veiling and Unveiling in Revelation .......................................................... 22 7. Christology ...................................................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER TWO: KARL BARTH’S DOCTRINE OF GOD ................................................. 28 1. Doctrine of God .............................................................................................................. 29 2. Doctrine of the Divine Perfections ................................................................................. 33 3. The Doctrine of the Divine Perfection of Omnipresence ............................................... 37 3.1. God’s Presence Ad Intra and Ad Extra ................................................................... 41 CHAPTER THREE: KARL BARTH’S DOCTRINE OF ELECTION .................................. 47 1. Election as God’s Self-Determination ............................................................................ 50 2. The Subject and Object of Election ................................................................................ 57 3. God’s Will in Election .................................................................................................... 61 4. Doctrine of the Trinity Revisited .................................................................................... 63 5. The Doctrine of the Divine Perfection of Omnipresence Revisited ............................... 69 PART TWO: THE SPATIALITY OF GOD THE FATHER AND GOD THE SON AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT ................................................................................................... 75 CHAPTER FOUR: THE CREATIVE SPATIALITY OF GOD THE FATHER AS CREATOR .............................................................................................................................. 78 v 1. The Spatiality of God the Father as Lord of Creation and the Covenant ....................... 79 1.1. Creation: Space for the Covenant ........................................................................... 79 1.2. Covenant: Determines the Space of Creation ......................................................... 98 2. The Created Spatiality of the Human Creature ............................................................. 110 3. The Providential Spatiality of God the Father as Sustainer of Creation ....................... 119 CHAPTER FIVE: THE RECONCILING SPATIALITY OF GOD THE SON ................... 130 1. God With Us ................................................................................................................. 131 2. God’s Place in Our Creaturely, Unjustified and New Place ......................................... 134 2.1. God Takes Our Creaturely Place .......................................................................... 135 2.2. God Judges Our Unjustified Place ........................................................................ 142 2.2.1. God “Abandons” Our Unjustified Place ....................................................... 148 2.3. God Creates Our New Justified Place ................................................................... 160 3. Our Participation In God’s Place .................................................................................. 168 3.1. God, as One of Us, Returns to His Own Place ..................................................... 169 CHAPTER SIX: THE REDEEMING SPATIALITY OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT ......... 184 1. God’s Place Between the Places ................................................................................... 185 2. God’s Special Space in His Community ....................................................................... 204 2.1. The Holy Spirit Creates His Special Place ............................................................ 205 2.2. The Holy Spirit Builds Up His Special Space ...................................................... 213 2.3. The Holy