--- title: "6 Theologian Quotes By Karl Barth" description: "6 Theologian quotes by Karl Barth. Plus more from Karl Barth and more Theologian sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/karl-barth-3434_admiration_humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admira_16176.jpg" --- > [Humor is the opposite of all self-admiration and self-praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admiration-and-self-praise/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/karl-barth-3434_admiration_humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admira_16176.jpg) > [Theology is not a private subject for theologians only. Nor is it a private subject for professors. Fortunately, there have always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/theology-is-not-a-private-subject-for-theologians-only-nor-is-it-a/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/karl-barth-3434_barbarians_theology-is-not-a-private-subject-for-th_365231.jpg) > [A free theologian works in communication with other theologians...He waits for them and asks them to wait for him. Our sadly lacking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/a-free-theologian-works-in-communication-with-other-theologians-he/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/karl-barth-3434_communication_a-free-theologian-works-in-communication_595401.jpg) > [The theologian who labors without joy is not a theologian at all. Sulky faces, morose thoughts and boring ways of speaking are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/the-theologian-who-labors-without-joy-is-not-a-theologian-at-all/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/karl-barth-3434_boring_the-theologian-who-labors-without-joy-is_940587.jpg) > [The theologian who labours without joy is not a theologian at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/the-theologian-who-labours-without-joy-is-not-a-theologian-at-all/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/karl-barth-3434_inspirational_the-theologian-who-labours-without-joy-i_1455270.jpg) > [The statement that 'God is dead' comes from Nietzsche and has recently been trumpeted abroad by some German and American theologians. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/the-statement-that-god-is-dead-comes-from-nietzsche-and-has-recently/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/karl-barth-3434_atheist_the-statement-that-god-is-dead-comes-fro_1517947.jpg) ## Other authors on Theologian - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b017/author-martin-luther-64750.jpg) Martin Luther 8 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theologian/martin-luther/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b020/author-richard-dawkins-78503.jpg) Richard Dawkins 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theologian/richard-dawkins/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b001/author-r-c-sproul-1006.jpg) R. C. Sproul 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theologian/r-c-sproul/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b014/author-karen-armstrong-55066.jpg) Karen Armstrong 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theologian/karen-armstrong/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b010/author-gilbert-k-chesterton-38545.jpg) Gilbert K. Chesterton 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theologian/gilbert-k-chesterton/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b010/author-friedrich-nietzsche-36363.jpg) Friedrich Nietzsche 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theologian/friedrich-nietzsche/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b005/author-bertrand-russell-17477.jpg) Bertrand Russell 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theologian/bertrand-russell/) ## More by Karl Barth > [If I have a system it is limited to a recognition of what Kierkegaard called 'the infinite qualitative distinction' between time and eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/if-i-have-a-system-it-is-limited-to-a-recognition-of-what-kierkegaard/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Humor is the opposite of all self-admiration and self-praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admiration-and-self-praise/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“Godlessness is not… a possibility, but an ontological impossibility for man. Man is not without, but with God. This is not to say, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/godlessness-is-not-a-possibility-but-an-ontological-impossibility-for/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [When we are at our wits' end for an answer, then the Holy Spirit can give us an answer. But how can He give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/when-we-are-at-our-wits-end-for-an-answer-then-the-holy-spirit-can/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Radically and basically, all sin is simply ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/radically-and-basically-all-sin-is-simply-ingratitude/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Dogmatics is the testing of Church doctrine and proclamation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/dogmatics-is-the-testing-of-church-doctrine-and-proclamation/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [God listens to Bach while the angels listen to Mozart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/god-listens-to-bach-while-the-angels-listen-to-mozart/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“Holy Communion is offered to all, as surely as the living Jesus Christ is for all, as surely as all of us are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/holy-communion-is-offered-to-all-as-surely-as-the-living-jesus-christ/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [I don’t believe in universalism, but I do believe in Jesus Christ, the reconciler of all](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/i-don-t-believe-in-universalism-but-i-do-believe-in-jesus-christ-the/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [In Jesus, God wills to be true God not only in the height but also in the depth - in the depth of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/in-jesus-god-wills-to-be-true-god-not-only-in-the-height-but-also-in/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [The term 'laity' is one of the worst in the vocabulary of religion and ought to be banished from the Christian conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/the-term-laity-is-one-of-the-worst-in-the-vocabulary-of-religion-and/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [No one can be saved - in virtue of what he can do. Everyone can be saved - in virtue of what God can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/no-one-can-be-saved-in-virtue-of-what-he-can-do-everyone-can-be-saved/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Society is now really ruled by its own logos; say rather by a whole pantheon of its own hypostases and powers... we are beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/society-is-now-really-ruled-by-its-own-logos-say-rather-by-a-whole/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [There will be no song on our lips if there be no anguish in our hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/there-will-be-no-song-on-our-lips-if-there-be-no-anguish-in-our-hearts/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [With an ear open to your musical dialectic, one can be young and become old, can work and rest, be content and sad: in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/with-an-ear-open-to-your-musical-dialectic-one-can-be-young-and/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theologian/karl-barth/#itemlist", "name": "6 Theologian Quotes By Karl Barth", "numberOfItems": 6, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Humor is the opposite of all self-admiration and self-praise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karl Barth" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admiration-and-self-praise/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/karl-barth-3434_admiration_humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admira_16176.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/karl-barth-3434_admiration_humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admira_16176.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54f/karl-barth-3434_admiration_humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admira_16176.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Humor is the opposite of all self-admiration and self-praise.” — Karl Barth", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Theology is not a private subject for theologians only. 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