The natural-revealed theology debate: The Fall

• Has the Fall blocked humans' ability to recognise the point of contact between God and humans? - Barth

  • God is so 'radically other' that we cannot use reason to know God, like pouring Niagara Falls into a milk jug (God is too great for us, Niagara falls is to great to fit into a milk jug)
  • human language is not suitable to describe God, we can never fully describe God or the human relationship to him
  • human reason cannot be fully trusted, we cannot put reason above God
  • the Fall corrupted human nature so only through revelation can God interact with humanity
• Has the Fall blocked humans' ability to recognise the point of contact between God and humans? - Brunner

  • it is possible for us to know God through natural theology, the conscience and the sensus divinitas
  • humans recognise their sin through contact with God
  • natural theology cannot save people but can direct us towards the discussion of God's existence
  • natural theology can help us to recognise a God, but there is a limit to what we can know
  • the Fall damaged humanity but cannot affect us spiritually, thus we can still connect to God in some way