A reader of the blog just contacted me via email to inquire about what I would recommend as introductory reading on and from Barth. The following is the list I put down off the top.
1) Michael Allen’s: Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics: An Introduction and Reader
2) George Hunsinger: How to Read Karl Barth: The Shape of His Theology
3) The Cambridge Companion to Karl Barth
4) David Guretzki: An Explorer’s Guide to Karl Barth
5) Bruce McCormack: Orthodox and Modern: Studies in the Theology of Karl Barth
6) Christiane Tietz: Karl Barth: A Life of Conflict
7) Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline
8) Karl Barth, Evangelical Theology: An Introduction
9) Karl Barth, The Humanity of God
10) Karl Barth, The Theology of the Reformed Confessions
11) Karl Barth, The Göttingen Dogmatics
12) Karl Barth, The Epistle to the Ephesians
13) Karl Barth, The Epistle to the Romans
14) Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics
Etc.
There are clearly many other works that could be suggested, but I think the above represents a nice way into Barth by way of secondary literature, and primary. I indexed in such a way that they should be read in descending order. That said, I think #7 and #8 should possibly be read straightaway. When I first started reading Barth my first reading was a PhD dissertation on his theology of culture written by my then seminary prof, Dr. Paul Metzger. At that time, I also tried to read his Church Dogmatics, but because of study load and other restraints that wasn’t possible. Later, approx. 2005, I picked up The Cambridge Companion to Karl Barth, and that was my entrée to where I am now. I’ve read loads of literature on Barth (not listed above), and loads more of his primary work. But I think the above represents a good way in, and of course, a good way to finish (i.e., the CD). Anyway, I thought I might as well share for you all what I shared with my emailer and blog reader.