Barth flaws and all

I have read Barth (Karl, Swiss theologian, writer of the Barmen Confession of German Christians opposed to Hitler, mentor to Bonhoeffer, and massive thinker of theology). Eugene Peterson said every one needs a theologian. Barth was mine. His Church Dogmatics, so many thousand of pages, I could read him for the rest of my life. In time, as I read more about Barth's life I found out about Charlotte. She was a secretary, then assistant, then collaborator on Barth's dogmatics. Then she moved into his home and had a room off his study. She became part of the family, if awkwardly. She traveled with Barth and his entourage. She was affectionately known as Aunt Lolo by his children. Of course, there were rumors and gossip about the relationship between the theologian and his assistant. But, no proof. Then, a theologian reported some new letters had come to light. The Barth family had them and released them in order to set to rest some of the wilder gossip. The letters purported to be love letters ( I have not read them) showing a new level of affection between the two. Some Christian critics called Barth an adulterer and questioned his whole theological enterprise. Even if the adultery was emotional only - for I am guessing that there is still no proof of physical adultery. It is hard for some to believe there was not. So the question is what we do with Barth's theology.

Charlotte remained in Barth's household with his wife and children until she got dementia and was institutionalized. The Barth family including Barth's wife, Nelly visited her at the institution until she died. It was an unconventional relationship. One no one really knows or understands. There are the letters of such a personal nature it almost seems shameful to peer into them.

It is a relationship only the Barth family understood. What we have is the evidence of Barth's life, his stand against the Nazis, his amazing theology. Then there are the letters and the questions.

It's like Luther the great reformer and his anti-Semitism. It's like Calvin the great theologian of the Reformation and his approval of sending heretics to the stake. It's like the Reformers purge of Anabaptism, many Anabaptists drowned, for their different views of baptism. It's like the founding fathers who found a nation on freedom while enslaving men and women. It's like many of our great presidents who failed as husbands and fathers. It's like all of us, capable of great and good things yet greatly flawed.

There are those blind spots. Jeremiah warned the human heart is deceitful and humans are the last to know sometimes. Jesus had those words about seeing the speck in someone's eye and missing the log in our own. Jesus said, do not judge. He said, the one without sin can throw the first stone. That's why we are careful not to assign glory to human beings, or put them high up on a pedestal above us, or claim greatness for those adams among us  (born of the dirt). Our fellow human beings are capable of  great theology, heroic acts of sacrifice, healing works of mercy but we are all a mix of saint and sinner. Judge lightly, forgive greatly, and respond to failure with grace and humility. There but for the grace of God, go we.