Quote

A being is free only when it can determine and limit its activity.

Karl Barth

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Karl Barth
Age: 82 †
Born: 1886
Born: May 10
Died: 1968
Died: December 10
Pastor
Theologian
University Teacher
Basle
Limit
Determine
Limits
Activity
Free

More quotes by Karl Barth

Image
Mozart creates music from a mysterious center, and so knows the limits to the right and the left, above and below. He maintains moderation.
Karl Barth
Image
'joy' in Phillippians is a defiant 'Nevertheless!' that Paul sets like a full stop against the Philippians' anxiety.
Karl Barth
Image
Sin is not confined to the evil things we do. It is the evil within us, the evil which we are.
Karl Barth
Image
To be a Christian and to pray are one and the same thing it is a matter that cannot be left to our caprice. It is a need, a kind of breathing necessary to life.
Karl Barth
Image
Grace creates liberated laughter. The grace of God...is beautiful, and it radiates joy and awakens humor.
Karl Barth
Image
When the frontier between God and man, the last inexorable barrier and obstacle, is not closed, the barrier between what is normal and what is perverse is opened.
Karl Barth
Image
Jesus Christ, as he is attested to us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God whom we have to hear, and whom we have to trust and obey in life and in death.
Karl Barth
Image
Dogmatics is the testing of Church doctrine and proclamation.
Karl Barth
Image
A free theologian works in communication with other theologians...He waits for them and asks them to wait for him. Our sadly lacking yet indispensable theological co-operation depends directly or indirectly on whether or not we are wiling to wait for one another, perhaps lamenting, yet smiling with tears in our eyes.
Karl Barth
Image
Faith in God's revelation has nothing to do with an ideology which glorifies the status quo.
Karl Barth
Image
God listens to Bach while the angels listen to Mozart.
Karl Barth
Image
There will be no song on our lips if there be no anguish in our hearts.
Karl Barth
Image
I take the Bible far too seriously to take it literally.
Karl Barth
Image
If I have a system it is limited to a recognition of what Kierkegaard called 'the infinite qualitative distinction' between time and eternity
Karl Barth
Image
Mozart's music always sounds unburdened, effortless, and light. This is why it unburdens, releases, and liberates us.
Karl Barth
Image
Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is himself the way.
Karl Barth
Image
The Spirit bears witness. Ecstasy and enlightenment, inspiration and intuition are not necessary. Happy is the man who is worthy of these but woe unto us if we wait for such experiences woe unto us if we do not perceive that these things are of secondary importance.
Karl Barth
Image
I have read many books, but the Bible reads me.
Karl Barth
Image
As ministers we ought to speak of God. We are human, however, and so cannot speak of God. We ought therefore to recognize both our obligation and our inability and by that very recognition give glory to God
Karl Barth
Image
True theology is an actual determination and claiming of man by the acting God.
Karl Barth