Wonder is Essential to Christianity
Some of my thoughts on Karl Barth and the Language of Wonder
We live in an era where the church’s pews are emptying,1 becoming increasingly irrelevant, and for some: boring.2 For many in our present age: Church is in stark discontinuity with the vibrancy, excitement, and wonder as described in the Biblical testimony of the Apostles. Jesus and His people in the New Testament suffered from no sense of irrelevancy. Upon seeing Jesus heal a paralyzed man the crowds responded with amazement. The scripture says, “amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”3 When Thomas stuck His hand in Jesus’ side, He was filled with awe and wonder. Jesus was indeed resurrected! In that moment Thomas made the connection, that yes, Jesus was indeed God! After seeing the risen Lord, “doubting” Thomas indeed became a believer, exclaiming, “my Lord and my God!”4
The english definition of wonder can be defined as the feeling of astonishment and something that evokes questions.5 Thus the phrase, “I wonder why…” In the world of New Testament Greek, téras (τέρας) or the word for wonder is defined as: something that is above the human experience (transcendent), endowed with exceptional qualities (prodigy), a sign, a prophetic significance, or a wonder.6 When you dive into the most ancient of Greek Literature, that of Homer, this word wonder or téras is always in association with divine origin.7 In the Septuagint (the Old Testament translated into Greek, the commonly used text of Jesus’ day) this word téras was related to something that falls outside of the realm of ordinary experience, something that demanded attention and consideration.8 This world points towards God’s world breaking into ours. We’re dealing with revelation. God showing Himself to humanity.9
Wonder is sometimes defined as a fascination, an admiration, or even a sensibility.10 Indeed, these words may even apply or be correlated at times to wonder. Although I wish to redirect away from these other descriptions of wonder might mean in the context of the Christian God, perhaps they would do in an another context. Some might define wonder as a fascination, an idea that correlates directly to interest. One can be interested in something without much astonishment. For some, they might define wonder as an admiration, regarding it as something esteemed. I wish to redirect against that definition of wonder, as we can esteem all sorts of different things without the newness of encounter as per what I perceive the Biblical Narratives point towards. For some wonder might point towards a sensibility of what we consider good or valuable. I wish to redirect against that feeling, as this approach seems to be tied with values and personal preferences. In essence, we can have a fascination, an admiration, and a nobel sensibility without God.
Jesus is indeed wholly relevant to our lives and indeed wondrous. One worthy of worship and time. This worthiness and relevancy is based upon the person of Christ, not upon personal efforts or intellectual achievements. Individuals encountered the very person of God: God, Himself revealed Himself to them; God’s very presence was with them. Mouths dropped. Eyes watered. The mysterious God, the unknown God was revealed, and now something of God was made known to these.
Surprisingly, wonder is even at the core of good theology. Theology is the study of God. Without wonder perhaps the study of God at its roots is corrupted. Every inch, every nook, every cranny of an accurate study of God is filled with the glory of God which causes men’s heart’s to drop in adoration and wonder. If a theologian’s mouth does not drop as he studies God, one must wonder if the theologian is studying God at all. If the theologian is not in wonder, perhaps he is studying human beings's thoughts about God, but certainly not God. This wonder can never be domesticated or lorded over by humanity: as God is not subject to us. But we are subject to Him.11 Karl Barth says of this,
“A quite specific astonishment stands at the beginning of every theological perception, inquiry, and thought, in fact at the root of every theological word. This astonishment is indispensable if theology is to exist and be perpetually renewed as a modest, free, critical, and happy science. If such astonishment is lacking, the whole enterprise of even the best theologian would canker at the roots. On the other hand, as long as even a poor theologian is capable of astonishment, he is not lost to the fulfillment of his task. He remains serviceable as long as the possibility is left open that astonishment may seize him like an armed man.”12
There is one particular famous meeting at Bethel Church in Redding, CA where a miracle had happened during worship. Pastor Bill Johnson tried to give words and direction to the people in regards to this miracle. I found these words helpful:
“He is wonder-full. He is full of wonder. He is restoring the wonder. Those of you that are a part of Bethel know that I hardly ever try to give a meaning to something that’s happening. I just rather we enjoy it. And I try not to get all complicated.”13
With God there is a “wow factor,” an awe, beyond the human realm factor. And when we experience this beauty, at times it’s better to just enjoy it, rather than to explain it away. Although God is certainly not what is natural, we can look to some natural examples as analogies. Sometimes it is better to just look and enjoy the Grand Canyon, Yosemiti, or the Great Barrier Reef than to explain it away.
At other times wonder can grip a person, pulling them into wanting to explain this new thing. We see something incredible, new, and we wish to share it or explain it to others. Perhaps this is evangelism in its essence: a place where our words intersect with mystery, expressing this wonder via the Holy Spirit. In those places, one enters into the logic or the Logos of wonders.14 We enter into a place where faith seeks understanding. At other times, we have been given the task to explain this truth that is in Christ Jesus, perhaps in defense of the faith. Peter says of this, “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”15
Lk. 5:26, ESV
Jn. 20:28, ESV
“someth. astounds because of transcendent association, prodigy, portent, omen, wonder.” William, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich. 2000. In A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., 999. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Rengstorf, Karl Heinrich. 1964–. “Τέρας.” In Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, edited by Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, electronic ed., 8:114–15. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Ibid., 8:117–18.
Ibid., 8:119
Karl Barth, Evangelical Theology: An Introduction, (Erdmans: Grand Rapids, Michigan; 1968), 64-65.
“If a man could domesticate this wonder, he would not yet have taken the step into theology, or he would already have stepped out of it again. Man is never dismissed from the wonder that forms the sound root of theology.” Karl Barth, Evangelical Theology: An Introduction, (Erdmans: Grand Rapids, Michigan; 1968), 65.
Karl Barth, Evangelical Theology: An Introduction, (Erdmans: Grand Rapids, Michigan; 1968), 64.
“Whoever begins to concern himself with theology also begins to concern himself from first to last with wonders. Wonders are the occurrence, presence, and activity of what is basically and definitively incompatible and unassimilable to the norm of common experience. Theology is necessarily the logic of wonders, but it is not only the logic of wonders.” Karl Barth, Evangelical Theology: An Introduction, (Erdmans: Grand Rapids, Michigan; 1968), 55.
1Pet. 3:15, ESV
Rock on, bro. Great musing!