Question 1

S&#248;ren Kierkegaard's existentialist philosophy emphasized what?&#10;A) The individual and the role of the will&#10;B) Abstract philosophical speculation&#10;C) Collective body of the church&#10;D) Predestination

Accepted Answer

Søren Kierkegaard's existentialist philosophy emphasizes the individual and the importance of the will in making choices and taking responsibility for one's own life. He believed that individuals must create their own values and goals, and that they must confront the anxiety and uncertainty that comes with making choices in a world that lacks inherent meaning or purpose.

Question 2

Kierkegaard's understanding of Christianity was developed as a response to whom?&#10;A) Jonathan Edwards&#10;B) Karl Barth&#10;C) G.W.F. Hegel&#10;D) Immanuel Kant

Accepted Answer

Kierkegaard's understanding of Christianity was developed largely as a response to Hegel's philosophical system, which he believed reduced faith to a mere philosophical concept and failed to engage with the personal and existential aspects of Christian belief. While Kierkegaard engaged with the work of other philosophers, such as Kant, Barth, and Edwards, it was Hegel who was the primary target of his critique and the figure who most influenced Kierkegaard's understanding of faith.

Question 3

The following was not one of Kierkegaard's prominent works:&#10;A) Either-Or&#10;B) Concluding Unscientific Postscript&#10;C) The Christian Faith&#10;D) Fear and Trembling

Accepted Answer

While Kierkegaard wrote extensively on Christianity, "The Christian Faith" is not a prominent or well-known work of his. His more well-known works include "Either-Or," "Concluding Unscientific Postscript," and "Fear and Trembling."

Question 4

What was Karl Barth's magnum opus?&#10;A) Fear and Trembling&#10;B) Church Dogmatics&#10;C) Christianity and History&#10;D) Commentary on Romans

Accepted Answer

Karl Barth's magnum opus is considered to be the Church Dogmatics, which is a 14-volume series of theological works that comprises his entire systematic theology.

Question 5

Barth was which of the following?&#10;A) Parish pastor&#10;B) Professor of theology&#10;C) Neo-orthodox theologian&#10;D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Karl Barth was all of the above, serving as a parish pastor, professor of theology, and a leading figure in the neo-orthodox movement.

Question 6

Which of the following is not a major theme of Neo-orthodoxy?&#10;A) Rejection of liberalism&#10;B) Transcendence of God&#10;C) Important of divine self-disclosure&#10;D) Affirmation of biblical inerrancy

Accepted Answer

Affirmation of biblical inerrancy is not a major theme of Neo-orthodoxy. Instead, Neo-orthodoxy emphasizes the transcendent nature of God, the importance of divine self-disclosure, and a rejection of the liberal focus on human reason and progress.

Question 7

Barth was opposed to:&#10;A) divine election&#10;B) the entire project of natural theology&#10;C) the absolute transcendence of God&#10;D) the notion of sin

Accepted Answer

Barth was known for his rejection of natural theology, which is the idea that humans can come to knowledge about God through reason and observation of the natural world. He believed that true knowledge about God could only come through divine revelation. He also believed in the absolute transcendence of God and the reality of sin. While his views on divine election were complex, he did not reject the concept entirely.

Question 8

How did Barth understand divine election?&#10;A) A hidden decree of who is saved and who is damned&#10;B) Election is conditioned by the church's recognition of believers&#10;C) God's election is an election of Christ&#10;D) There is no divine election

Accepted Answer

Barth understood divine election as an election of Christ, meaning that God elects all humanity in and through Christ. This view emphasizes God's grace and the centrality of Christ in salvation, rather than a hidden decree or reliance on the church's recognition of believers. Barth's view of election has been influential in contemporary theology.

Question 9

What was Barth's approach to Christology?&#10;A) Religious pluralism&#10;B) Christology from above&#10;C) Christology from below&#10;D) Historically conditioned supernaturalism

Accepted Answer

Barth's approach to Christology was Christology from above, which emphasizes that God reveals himself in Jesus Christ through his divinity, rather than through human nature or experience. This approach is based on the belief that humans cannot reach up to God through their own efforts, but that God has to come down to them through his grace, which is what he did through the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Question 10

Which of the following theologians were significantly influenced by Barth?&#10;A) Hans Urs von Balthasar&#10;B) Emil Brunner&#10;C) Reinhold Niebuhr&#10;D) All the above

Accepted Answer

All three theologians were significant figures in 20th century theology and were heavily influenced by Karl Barth's theology. Hans Urs von Balthasar and Emil Brunner were both part of the "Barthian" school of theology, while Reinhold Niebuhr was strongly influenced by Barth's emphasis on the transcendence and sovereignty of God.

Deck 26: Neo-Orthodoxy: Karl Barth and Others