Karl Barth's Christian Humanism: a Public Theology?

Karl Barth is recognized as one of the most relevant theologians of the 20th century, contributing with works that impacted the theological world of his time. By way of a bibliographical analysis, the present text promotes an interpretation of Barth as a Christian classic that can help to think the human condition today. Based on public criteria of argumentation, an examination of his proposal of humanism is elaborated, considering it within Barth's Reformed tradition in relation to Calvin, being attentive to pertinent commentators and an analysis of primary sources. Focused on aspects of Barth's theological anthropology, a Christian humanism emerges that thinks the human being in his fellow-humanity and relationships based on an ethics of gratuity and responsibility. In this sense, we argue that Barth can be affirmed as a public theologian.