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Karl Barth

Citing Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics

I am figuring out a few things about citation usage while writing my dissertation including the correct title of Barth's major work and how to abbreviate it.  

First, the title of Karl Barth's four volume magnum opus is not The Church Dogmatics but rather Church Dogmatics.  The work can be referred to as "the Church Dogmatics."  

Second, the way to abbreviate the Church Dogmatics varies. 

Examples:  

  • Barth, Church Dogmatics, vol. IV, part 2, p. 676. (Eucharist and Ecumenism's style) 
  • CD IV/2, p. 676. (Johnson's and For the Sake of the World's style) 
  • CD IV/2, 676. (Flett's style and Critically Realistic Dialectical's style)
  • CD IV/2:676. (Orthodox and Modern's style)
  • CD IV/2 676. (Busch's style)
  • IV/2, 676. (How to Read Karl Barth's style)

References:

John Flett, Karl Barth's Critically Realistic Dialectical Theology by Bruce McCormack, How to Read Karl Barth by George Hunsinger, Eucharist and Ecumenism by George HunsingerKeith Johnson, For the Sake of the World edited by George Hunsinger, Eberhard Busch and Orthodox and Modern by Bruce McCormack,

Basic sequence: Church Dogmatics or abbreviated CD [italics or not], then the volume number, then the slash sign / and then the part volume number, and and then [comma or not] [p. or not] [colon or not] page number.

At this point, I think I will not be using any of the above but rather my own concoction for subsequent footnote references:

  • Barth, Church Dogmatics, IV/2, 676. (Turabian-inspired).

First footnote reference: (I think the following is sufficient–I'm still playing with EndNote and Turabian style to note translators, editors, etc.)

For the new "Study Edition":

Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, 4 vols. (New York: T&T Clark, 2009).

 

For the old version:

Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, 4 vols. (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1956-1975).

 

Bibliography:

For the new "Study Edition:"

Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatics. 4 vols. New York: T&T Clark, 2009.

 

For the old version:

Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatics. 4 vols. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1956-1975.

 

See more of my advice about reading Barth at my Karl Barth category–with some practical hints at Advice about exploring Karl Barth's ecclesiology in Church Dogmatics IV/2 67.4 "The Order of the Community”

5 replies on “Citing Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics”

A major work such as Church Dogmatics — a book — is properly italicized. Back when we set type, the written way to indicate italics was to underline what would be set in italics. So ~ dear theologian friends, rather than underline or not do anything, we most correctly italicize CD and other book titles. [This window is not allowing me to italicize.] Peace and clarity ~

In the book by G. McKenny. The analogy of grace, the footnotes look like this: CD II/2, 519/575. What do the numbers of two different pages separated by flash mean ?

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