There’s every chance in the world that this won’t work out. This is one of those grand types of resolutions that are made to be forgotten about in a matter of days or weeks. Nevertheless I’m going to give it a shot. I mean, seriously, if I’m going to pay for the entire new set of Barth’s Church Dogmatics, it’s only fitting that I actually commit to read the thing. So that’s the plan. I plan to read the whole, entire, complete thing. But don’t worry, I’m not crazy. I will probably skim many of the in-text footnotes. I’m not gonna lie.
The new edition is split into 31 volumes, including the index (which, of course won’t be included in my final count). So that leaves me 30 volumes ranging between 150ish-400ish pages in length. My goal is to shoot for one of these volumes per week. This, of course is ridiculous.
But look, I’m 27 and single. Why would I not do this? Most of you get to have wives and children and mortgages. I get to read Karl Barth. It’s simple physics.
There are two reasons why this plan will almost certainly fail. Probably more, but two that are relevant to me. First, even the most elementary theomathematician among us can see that pulling this plan off would entail reading the same series of books (all of them on dogmatics, no less) for 30 straight weeks. My attention doesn’t usually remain transfixed for that long, even on a set this awesome. So there’s that. Second, as I’ve already lamented, I watch way to effing much in the way of shows than is conducive to large amounts of reading. This also has retroactive impact on reason #1. The more time I spend watching Deadwood, the less time I have to read a variety of things when I get bored.
So, my steps shall be as follows. Beginning today the goal is one of the (new) Barth volumes per week. Usually this is going to average out to 40 or more (occasionally about twice as much, but not often) pages per day. I think I can pull this off. If and only if I can mitigate the danger posed by visual media burgling my time away. To that end, the laptop is (generally) going to be staying at work during the week from now on. If I can pull that off, I think I have a shot at this.
And lets face it, from a theologically geeking out perspective, there’s not much that’s more awesome than this.
So yeah. There’s every reason why I should fail at this undertaking. But I bought the set, so I’m taking the shot. If all goes according to plan, by December 7th, I should have read the Dogmatics. And watched no Deadwood.
Keep your fingers crossed.
This would be quite the feat should you pull it off, but blogging about each part-volume would be even more impressive…
;-)
I am going to blog as I go, but my categories will follow the standard 14-volume notation, just for clarity since that’s still the standard. So everything I write on CD I/1 for example will be categorized under that volume.
You can do it, Halden! It took me 18 months with a wife, a child and a mortgage. Although, come to think of it, Deadwood wasn’t around in those days either… (And since you’re trying to avoid TV, I won’t even mention how freaking awesome Mad Men is.)
But don’t skim over those small-print sections — they’re the best bits!
Fuck! I just started downloading Mad Men, too. But I’ve taken the plunge and entrusted my laptop to a buddy of mine during the week, so its out of my hands.
Amen, sir. These kinds of attempts are the best. All of the CD in seven months? You’ll be thinking his thoughts for him by the end. Kudos to you, and good luck!
So, if you put up a reading plan for that, Halden, I bet you could either (1) get some folks to join you or (2) even worse, have some accountability…
On a somewhat related note, I myself sat down this afternoon to begin my own assault on the newest edition CD, choosing to take very detailed notes in the process, so that the reading can bare some more significant fruit down the line, especially in preaching.
I’m excited to see how engaging Barth over the next year will impact my thinking. So far it has been very rewarding, especially since I believe more people should make an attempt to read Barth, instead of just agreeing with him.
Mike says: “more people should make an attempt to read Barth, instead of just agreeing with him” — that’s an exceptionally good turn of phrase. Wonderful!
(It reminds me of a reported conversation between Barth and Brunner: Barth remarked that he was the most talked-about theologian in America; and Brunner replied, “Yes, but I am the most read.”)
This is not an “experiment” (Halden) or an “assault” (Mike) – sheer euphemisms – this is theological pigging-out. So to symbolise what you are doing, Halden, as there are approximately 75 flavours of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream (of which some are international), I recommend accompanying your reading by scoffing two pints per volume – each in one go of course. And then to conclude the entire orgy with a confession to massive gluttony. For what it’s worth, I grant you a proleptic absolution!
Just call me the Swiss Dionysus.
There are exactly 75 “paragraphs” in the Church Dogmatics. So perhaps you could eat one flavor per paragraph!
“But look, I’m 27 and single. Why would I not do this? Most of you get to have wives and children and mortgages. I get to read Karl Barth. It’s simple physics.”
This was so well put! Thanks.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), though 26, I do have a wife, mortgage, and kid on the way! Otherwise, maybe I too would get to read Karl Barth. As it is, I’ll have to stick to my Yoder. (He writes short tracts instead of 30 volume tomes.)
You will still do well with Yoder. There’s never anything lost when reading Yoder.
I recommended capitalizing on this endeavor by planning your own memoir-devotional book now: “30 Weeks of Dogmatics” (or more likely, “My Year with the Dogmatics”). I think there’s a market out there for that kind of thing. Especially if you can make it really inspirational. Think about it.
But it needs a better, more inviting title. Like My Year with Karl. That’ll sell.
Bingo.
Shit, I’m reading “The Great Passion” right now (a 300-page “new swimmers” introduction to Barth that summarizes the main themes of C.D.), and despite trying to read a chapter a day it’s more like a couple paragraphs an hour. Best of luck, mate. I have I/1 through II/2 on my shelf; I’ll probably have them read around the time I have my first grandkid.
I am 49. The US Census Bureau says that I have approximately 31 years left. Coincidence? I don’t think so. With five kids, two cats, one dog, one wife, one mortgage, and a job, I will shoot for completing one volume per year so as to be ready just in time for the “big conversation.” And I will add a prayer for all those of us reading Church Dogmatics to my daily devotional. :-)
It’s hard to say bad things about Deadwood (without cussing, anyway), but I do commend your effort to Barth it all up. I spotted an older edition of CD in the college library where I’m starting a new professorship in August, and I’m already planning on checking them out, one volume at a time, and working my own way through them.
But I’m 32 with a wife, 2 kids, and a mortgage, and I’ve also got a dissertation to finish, so you know how that goes.
I made a similar plan about four years ago… and I’m currently on CD II.2.
So much for the plan. But I’m still reading, dammit!
If Ammon Shea can read through twenty volumes of the Oxford English Dictionary in a year (granted he spends 8 hours a day doing nothing else) why not?
http://www.amazon.com/Reading-OED-One-Year-Pages/dp/0399533982
I think the best way to achieve this is to not only let yourself fall behind (inevitable), but to also let yourself get ahead.
Those weeks will come when reading a volume is impossible. But those weeks will also come when reading a bit more than planned is possible.
I wish I could read all the Church Dogmatics—if only it weren’t for the expense at the moment. Eventually I will so for the time being Halden I wish you success in your exploits and look forward to hearing more about your Barth adventures.
It’s possible! I purchased the 31 volumes and started early May and am now about 3/4 of the way through volume 14. It’s like a full-time job, but it’s well worth it. I’m an undergrad right now so I have the time. The only thing is that my gpa is taking a small hit for this. . .