Interestingly, David Williamson and I have a few things in common. Both of us have a fondness for Karl Barth and Bob Dylan. Recently, with the imminent release of the first Bob Dylan album (Modern Times) in half a decade, Williamson posted a insightful and witty little chitchat on Bob Dylan’s music.
Additionally, artistically (not necessarily theologically) he has created a short film (5-minute) about Karl Barth and the women in his life. When you click, be patient; the file is 12MB, the short delay is worth the wait.
BTW: The tracklisting for 'Modern Times' is:
'Thunder On The Mountain'
'Spirit On The Water'
'Rollin' And Tumblin''
'When The Deal Goes Down"
'Someday Baby'
'Workingman's Blues #2'
'Beyond The Horizon'
'Nettie Moore'
'The Levee's Gonna Break'
'Ain't Talkin''
enjoy, ron
4 comments:
Ron,
I own most of Barth's books that have been translated into English. And, even after reading his best biographer, I'm still mroe than a little confused by his relationship with Lollo.
Amen on the Dylan release! No body does it better.
Dennis
“I'm still more than a little confused by his [Barth’s] relationship with Lollo.”
You are in good company Dennis, Barth himself admitted that the "Lollo relationship" (i.e. the relationship between Barth and his assistant Charlotte von Kirschbaum) was also a dark area of his own life. As you probably know, it caused much tension and unhappiness within his family.
I realize that Charlotte (aka Lollo)was his Gegenuber ("counterpart"). But Eberhard Busch's cryptic refference that Barth accepted "responsibility and blame" for the situation and that it brought about "a burden which caused them unspeakably deep suffering ... and shook them to the core" says both too much and too little at the same time.
Others have reported that Barth evidently considered divorce, faithful Nelly refused, and they soldiered on together. I find it amazing that Frau Barth continued to visit Lollo in the nursing home after Karl's death and that she permitted the three to be buried in the Basel cemetary together. (under one grave marker inscribed with all three names!).
Ron, when I was in Germany and Switzerland earlier this year, visiting my missionary daughter, it was one of my great treats to stand in front of Barth's house.
Thanks for the plug! Glad you liked the film. A major modern biography on Barth would be welcome, wouldn't it? For a theologian who was so committed to the church and the world, there is little in the way of popular writing about his life and ideas.
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