Barth, Comparative Theology, and Multiple Modernities

Abstract

This Chapter is a study of Barth’s contribution to comparative theology and multiple modernities. I attempt to dissect Barth’s comparative study of the Pure Land Buddhism, then I proceed to critically examine Knitter’s critique of Barth and Clooney’s comparative theology. A ‘speech-act’ comparative theology can be reconstructed in evaluating Barth’s position in the analysis of the sociological debate of multiple modernities. Our engagement with Barth is to reinterpret his ‘speech-act’ theology as the main source for undergirding further development of comparative theology in phenomenological, sociological framework.