“As Barth”: Entry #11

The eleventh entry in the “As Barth” contest comes from Peter Kline, a fellow PTS student and scholar of Karl Barth.

Make of Me No Barthian
Make of me no Barthian,
God alone who gives a name;
Honor thy mother and father, yes,
But hate them all the same.

Make of me no Barthian,
God of nameless poor;
Lift my head out from his books
To see them at my door.

Make me, God, as Karl was,
Pleading for Thy truth—
Ever sure against the Führer,
Yet even still without a proof

Make my mind like Barth's dear God,
Joyous, free, eclectic,
But slave to Thee, O sovereign Christ,
Not to Karl's dialectic.

Make of me no Barthian,
God alone who gives a name.
Each will fall before Thy throne,
O Name above all names!


The contest will end on July 4, at which point we will have a poll to decide who is the winner. If you wish to enter the contest, email me here. See the original post for more information.