Karl Barth’s positive reception of Friedrich Schleiermacher’s social ethics

This paper considers an underexamined aspect of Karl Barth's interpretation of Friedrich Schleiermacher: Barth's positive reception of his social ethics. In his 1923/24 lectures, Barth goes so far as to suggest that Schleiermacher surpassed the social ethics of early socialist figures such as St. Simon and Charles Fourier. In particular, Barth highlights Schleiermacher’s critique of economic inequality and his call to reduce the workday. He argues emphatically that this social aspect of Schleiermacher’s thought “should never be forgotten” (Barth 1982, 39). These remarks challenge what Gary Dorrien has called the "founding narrative" of modern theology. From this, a potential point of convergence between Barth and Schleiermacher emerges around their respective politics, one that might open doors for a reassessment of their legacies.