Karl Barth's Epistle to the Romans

Having read a good deal of Barth, I was curious to read this, his first book, the book which established his reputation. It certainly leaps off the page even today as a mystical commentary on Saint Paul, and was way ahead of its time in terms of what he understood it to mean for society, the individual, and the churches. After reading this, I have concluded that the problems of the churches which profess Christianity but do not seem to me to be living the values they talk about were in every way predictable and foreseeable through exegesis. That certainly comes as a surprise, although I'm also relieved to hear about it. I also came to realize in reading this last book, and the first volume of Pickwick Papers, that I read in part to feel a call to become something more than I am. Funny it took me so many books to understand that. Barth also discusses how the people of Israel come to sin because of their special vocation, a variation on 'to whom much is given, much will be asked.' Since I feel very fortunate in my life, this is not an entirely comfortable conclusion to read about. On both these points, Barth suggests that we need to fashion ourselves not according to the present world, but according to its transformation.