Barth on election and the Canons of Dort

Abstract

After the Second World War, a renewed interest in the doctrine of election became evident. Several influential and leading theologians published monographs on divine election. One reason for this was the publication of the second part of volume two of Karl Barth’s Kirchliche Dogmatik during 1942. Barth regarded the doctrine of election as the heart of the gospel. Fifty years after Barth’s death and in the year in which reformed churches all over the world commemorate the Synod of Dort (1618–1619), this contribution reflects on Barth’s revisionist understanding of election and his critique of the Canons of Dort.