Word on the Street

Alexander Street in the blogosphere

photo © 2007 Declan Jewell | more info

If you don't have access to a library, the Andy Rowell Church Leadership Blog has a great roundup of ways to explore the works of Karl Barth. And if you want to check out the Digital Karl Barth Library, email [email protected] and we'll send you a username and password good for 30 days!

You also may have heard that earlier this month, James Fowler, the Alabama State Trooper who fatally shot peaceful protestor Jimmie Lee Jackson in 1965, was sentenced to a six-month prison sentence. The killing was part of the inspiration for the marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, and our friends over at Smithsonian Folkways offer two albums documenting these marches (which you can find in our Smithsonian Global Sound® collection, as well). "Freedom Songs: Selma, Alabama" features freedom songs sung by protestors and was recorded by Carl Benkert, one of the night watchmen during the watches (Mr. Benkert passed away just a little before Fowler's sentencing). The other, "WNEW's Story of Selma", is a radio broadcast documentary featuring Pete Seeger, len Chandler, and the Freedom Voices recalling their experiences at the march and singing freedom songs.

Updates to The Digital Karl Barth Library

Two new volumes of Barth's Gesamtausgabe have just been added to The Digital Karl Barth Library. The online collection now includes volumes 1 through 45 of Gesamtausgabe, in addition to The Church Dogmatics in its entirety, and Die kirchliche Dogmatik and its English translation.

The new material includes Predigten 1921 (GA I.44), 31 sermons by Karl Barth that provide not only a window into his theology as given through the spoken word, but also something of Barth himself. This collection also contains a Biblical index, and index of terms, as well as a list of names.

Also included is Karl Barth-Charlotte Von Kirschbaum Band 1 1925-1935 (GA 5.44), the first volume of correspondence between Karl Barth and Charlotte Von Kirschbaum. Von Kirschbaum and Barth shared a unique relationship: she was his pupil, secretary, companion and theologian in her own right. Along with living with Barth and his wife Nelly for over 30 years, Barth and Charlotte would often vacation together, leaving Nelly home to care for the home and the children. Containing over 130 letters and spanning the time from 1925 to 1935, this collection will be of interest to theologians and historians alike.

The Digital Karl Bath Library is available to academic institutions worldwide. For more information, and to request a free trial and price quote, contact [email protected].

Celebrate the life of Karl Barth with free trial access

December 10th marked the fortieth anniversary of Karl Barth's death. To celebrate his life and works, we are offering free trial access to The Digital Karl Barth Library through the end of 2008.

Release 5 of the online collection went live in November, and includes seven new volumes of Barth's collected works in German. Now up to 89 volumes, The Digital Karl Barth Library also features the English translation of Barth's magnum opus The Church Dogmatics, in its entirety. The English translation accompanies the original German version, Die kirchliche Dogmatik, as well as the first 43 volumes of Gesamtausgabe.

More information, including insightful quotes from Barth himself, is available at TheoSource.

To sign up for Alexander Street's free access to The Digital Karl Barth Library go to http://alexanderstreet.com/dkbl_trial.htm.

Libraries wishing to request an institution-wide trial or pricing information should contact our sales team or go to http://alexanderstreet.com/request.htm.

Digital Karl Barth Library now live

The Digital Karl Barth Library is now live.  This initial release features the first 36 volumes of Barth's Gesamtausgabe (GA), which is the definitive print edition of Barth's works in German. The Gesamtausgabe includes private and open letters, lectures, sermons, academic writings, interviews, and recorded conversations.

Also included here is the first volume of Barth's key work, the 14-volume Kirchliche Dogmatik, widely considered the single most important theological writing of the 20th century. The remaining 13 volumes of the Kirchliche Dogmatik will be included in release 2, which we expect this summer.

The database will also grow with English translations starting this summer.