A Shorter Commentary On Romans By Karl Barth: Christian Theology

First published in 1959, Karl Barth's A Shorter Commentary on Romans originated as the manuscript for a course of extra-mural lectures held in Basle during the winter of 1940-41. During this time, Barth continued to resist the Nazi regime and its influence on the Reformed Church as he did when he was in Bonn. This reissue of Barth's A Shorter Commentary on Romans links to the renewed interest today in a 'theological' interpretation of Scripture. In response to the modern preoccupation with what lies behind the text (the author's context), and to a postmodern preoccupation with what lies in front of the text (the reader's context), both theologians and biblical scholars are asking the following questions: 'What is the relationship between the biblical text, interpreter and God?' 'Can the Bible be read both as an historical document and as a text that speaks to us today, and if so, how can it do so?' Barth's commentarial practice as exemplified in A Shorter Commentary on Romans answers these questions. This book is presented in two parts: first, an introduction by Maico Michielin helping readers understand Barth's theological exegetical approach to interpreting Scripture and showing readers how to let Scripture address theological and ethical concerns for today; the main body of the book then follows - the republication of the original English translation by D.H. van Daalen of Barth's A Shorter Commentary on Romans.

Maico M. Michielin is a recent graduate of Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, Canada (M.Div., Th.D., 2004). His dissertation addressed Karl Barth's exegetical practice in Epistle to the Philippians and A Shorter Commentary on Romans. He has been an Anglican priest in the Anglican Church of Canada for nine years and is presently the Rector of The Anglican Parish of Christ Church, Gananoque and Adjunct Professor of Theology at Trinity College, University of Toronto.