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Document Details : Title: Barth's Doctrines of Sin and Humanity in Buddhist Perspective Author(s): PAN-CHIU, Lai Journal: Studies in Interreligious Dialogue Volume: 16 Issue: 1 Date: 2006 Pages: 41-58 DOI: 10.2143/SID.16.1.2013490 Abstract : This paper consists of a Buddhist interpretation of Karl Barth’s Christological doctrines of sin and humanity, aiming to explore the implications of Barth’s thought for Buddhist-Christian dialogue. It is suggested that, for Barth, authentic humanity was revealed and established in Jesus Christ, who also disclosed the nihilistic, contingent and parasitical nature of sin. Accordingly, authentic humanity excludes rather than includes sin. This view of humanity is analogous to Tathâgatagarbha thought articulated in the Discourse on the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, which affirms that humanity is essentially pure even though it is now in a fallen or polluted state. This pollution can thus be removed without affecting the pure human nature. The paper argues further that Barth’s Christology bears the characteristics of the perfect teaching advocated by Hua-yen (perfection means completion and being ultimate) and Tien-tai Buddhism (perfection means coherence and comprehensiveness). |
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