Karl Barth

This short text discloses Karl Barth’s idea on confession and prayer as it is presented in his Church Dogmatics III/4. Confession of faith and prayer are central to Christian thought, but most often they appear in theological literature only as a topic of Christian confessional piety. This short paper seeks to answer the question of whether prayer and confession of faith carry both an outward and an inward ethical charge in Christian thought.

This sermon of the famous professor, based on the text of John 14:1, is hardly familiar for readers of Hungarian theological literature. However, it is known that a Hungarian summary was made at the time the sermon was held, and once published, an exact translation of the German text was made. Our aim is to review Barth’s visit to Oradea (Nagyvárad) on 7–8 October 1936, to revisit the above mentioned sermon, as well as the short interview with Barth that was published in one of the local newspapers at that time.

In this study I intend to describe and introduce critically three basis approaches of Christianity, exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism to other world religions and at the same time throw light on issues of interreligious dialogue and the problem of comparative theology. Having completed this task the paper deals with the novelty and fresh approach introduced by George Lindbeck a post liberal theologian and his approach will also be critically evaluated.