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How Does God Talk to Us?

The Concept of the “Word of God” in Augustine, Martin Luther, and Karl Barth

  • Theology
  • Publisher: Pickwick Publications (Wipf and Stock)
  • Published: 2021

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Publisher's Description

How does God talk to us? The image of the speaking God offers a profound insight into the nature of communication. The idea of the God's Word runs like a red thread through the entire Bible. Few theologians, however, have interpreted the concept "Word of God" as a linguistic phenomenon, but Augustine, Luther, and Barth are among those who have. What sets this study apart from others is its emphasis on the aspects of semiotics (Augustine), semantics (Luther), and pragmatics (Barth). Hofmann then places these three theologians in the context of the linguistic analytical philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein, Ian Ramsey, and John L. Austin. This work carries forward the dialogue between theology and modern philosophy of language, while at the same time opening up the Word of God for human reality. It also touches on the fields of the doctrine of God and Christology, attempting nothing less than a comprehensive language theory of the Word of God.


Endorsements (2)

“Glenn R. Sandberg’s translation of Wie Redet Gott mit Uns? by Frank Hofmann is careful and nuanced. It makes this comparative study of the word of God in Augustine, Luther, and Barth accessible to an English-speaking audience. How Does God Talk to Us? merits close readership.”

E. Elizabeth Johnson

“With decades of work in the German language plus decades as a member and officer in his congregation, Glenn Sandberg is well suited to translate Frank Hofmann’s How Does God Talk to Us? from German to English. Hofmann’s book features reflections from Augustine, Luther, and Barth. Through Sandberg’s translation, this scholarship is now available in English.”

Richard K. Smith

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