In honour of Kingsley Barrett’s 90th birthday last Friday, the NT seminar held a special reception and invited Morna Hooker, a former quasi-PhD student of his to give a paper. In the 20th century Barrett was the major influence on upholding Durham as an internationally recognised theological department, espcially in the area of biblical studies. He taught here from 1945 until 1982! and also was the Lightfoot Professor of Divinity for a while. Former students (some from the early 50’s) and friends came, such as Maurice Casey, Morna Hooker, Jimmy Dunn, and Tom Wright.
Hooker’s paper was on 2 Corinthians 5.21. She first compared it to Galatians 3.13, and the curse/blessing dialectic there. The main point of that verse is the asymmetrical nature of the two–although Christ ‘became’ a curse, the believers did not ‘become’ a blessing. They ‘received’ the blessing. Back at 2 Corinthians 5, she focused on the relationship between the three gospel summary statements (14-15, 18-19, & 21) and how they played a role in Paul’s argument for his ministry. Her analysis showed that the summaries were ways of showing that Paul’s activity was directly in line with the universal plan of God. Through his incarnation, death, and resurrection Christ is saving the world, and Paul’s ministry follows in that same type of pattern. Thus, it is shown to be of God. Accordingly, her analysis of the final summary statement follows the same pattern. She understands our becoming the δικαιοσυνη θεου, as the activity of God (a la Käsemann) in restoring relationships. It is not just us sharing in the new justified status of Christ, but the activity of God working through believers. There were several questions, but a general sense of agreement from the floor. But it was fun to see the exchange between Hooker, Wright, Dunn, Barclay, Moberly, and others.
At the reception, they announced the introduction of the C.K. Barrett Fund, which is aimed at funding NT studies at Durham, and solicited donations. Along with his focus on the NT department, Barrett is also a devout Methodist. So the fund will also require that the recipient contribute to the life of the Methodist Church. It hit me that although the department mostly has Anglicans, the Methodists have played a significant role here with Barrett, Hooker, and Dunn, and well now me of course. If you are interested in giving towards the fund, see here (CK Barrett Fund, reference 770573).
Here is a picture I took of John and Morna. John studied with Morna during his time at Cambridge while doing his PhD in the late 70s/early 80s.
Monday, 28 May 2007 at 4:31 pm
With her express permission, an audio recording of Professor Hooker’s presentation is now available online here:
http://www.kevinbywater.com/weblog/?p=67
Tuesday, 29 May 2007 at 9:32 pm
Thanks for the link.
Monday, 25 June 2007 at 6:15 pm
Hello my friend, I’m brazilian, please forgive my enghish. I need to know about C.K. BARRETT. Any information is very important to me because I make my “monografia” about him. Please if you can help-me please contact me. God bless you a lot. Thank you so much. Cleonice Russo
Monday, 25 June 2007 at 6:26 pm
Greetings. I’m afraid I don’t know much more about his life/work other than some of his books. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lack of things written about him on the web. If I come across anything, I’ll post it here.
Monday, 9 July 2007 at 3:39 am
thanks my friend. God bless you a lot. I realy pray for you to get something abou C K BARRETT to help me in my studies.
Wednesday, 30 April 2008 at 6:11 am
I am trying to locate something C. K. Barrett wrote on the Institution of the Lord’s Supper as part of a collection of essays by numerous authors. Can anyone help
Wednesday, 9 July 2008 at 4:52 am
Barry,
Barrett wrote about the Lord’s supper in Church, Ministry, & Sacraments in the New Testament. Here are my notes about that book if that is helpful.
Andy Rowell
Th.D. Student
Duke Divinity School
http://www.andyrowell.net/
C.K. Barrett begins the book by acknowledging that though he is a Methodist he has been highly influenced by Anglo-Catholics and has worked with many Anglicans at the University of Durham. In chapter one, Barrett explains that his thesis is a paradox: “that the church is both central and peripheral in the New Testament.” On the one hand, calling disciples was central to the mission of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, Barrett argues, the formation of an organization was surprising necessity when the consummation of the age did not follow the resurrection.
In chapter two, entitled “Ministry,” Barrett reflects on the leadership of the church as described in the New Testament – beginning with the Pauline literature. Every member was to be a minister. Functions are emphasized over offices. There was no leader who gathered money, administered the sacraments, oversaw worship or led church discipline. He points out that Paul was the authority in his churches while he lived and Spirit-gifting was emphasized. Churches also met in the households of rich people who probably exercised some leadership. Barrett emphasizes the importance of talented people and people who specialize in their ministries but also warns of the dangers of people flaunting their gifts, being enriched by them, and creating an aura of superiority.
Barrett then looks at the issue of presbyters and episkopos in 1 Peter. He wonders if presbyters may have been primarily older people rather than an office. The advice of 1 Peter is to lead with humility. In the Johannine literature, Barrett sees evidence of apostles, prophets, a leading elder, traveling preachers and witnesses. The criteria for evaluating these leaders is their teaching that Jesus Christ came in the flesh and in their love. In the book of Acts, Barrett again emphasizes the informal nature of leadership: evangelists, prophets, teachers, elders, apostles – not ordained but chosen by people and the Spirit. They are unpaid and part-time.
Barrett points out the diversity in the practice of the sacraments in the New Testament in the third chapter. He argues that the writer of the book of Acts is likely trying to point out that baptism is not magic because the Spirit and water are usually but not always together. Barrett argues that Paul too mitigates the importance of baptism in his comments in 1 Cor 1. Barrett theorizes that Paul may have infused the two basic practices (baptism of initiation and regular resurrection meals) with greater cruciform emphases because they were causing division in his communities. Thus, he argues, the sacraments like the church should be seen as both peripheral and central.
In chapter four, Barrett reflects on the development of the church into a more formal, priest-dominated institution. Barrett concludes that the church is at its best, is central, when it sees itself as peripheral.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008 at 5:29 am
A Barrett bibliography is at:
http://www.theologicalstudies.org.uk/theo_barrett.php
Wednesday, 9 July 2008 at 6:20 am
Andy, This is great! I’ve noticed that a lot of searches that get to this blog are for “C.K. Barrett”, so I’m sure this will be well appreciated.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008 at 2:09 pm
I did a search to look for any sort of biography of Barrett and this blog post of yours is the first entry that shows up from a Google search of ‘C.K. Barrett’.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008 at 7:38 pm
[…] of his works through the years. You’ll find the info it in the comments on my post about Barrett’s 90th birthday last year. […]
Tuesday, 24 August 2010 at 6:50 pm
Can someone be kind enough to tell me who taught CK Barrett his theology when he studied at Pembroke College, Cambridge ?
Tuesday, 17 April 2012 at 1:21 pm
I think Barrett was much influenced by Edwin Hoskyns and Noel Davey at Cambridge. PS Don’t think he could ever have been Lightfoot Prof….it is/was linked to an Anglican canonry in the cathedral.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012 at 1:25 pm
Thanks Andrew. The Lightfoot chair isn’t tied to the cathedral, because Barrett and Dunn (both Methodists) have held it. The only chair that’s tied to cathedral now is the Van Mildert, and it’s held by Mark McIntosh.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012 at 3:05 pm
Thanks Ben. Another change to note since my days in the Theology Dept at Durham (78-81). Do you happen to know when the Lightfoot chair was liberated from Anglican hegemony? When I was at Chad’s it was held by DR Jones,known to disrespectful undergrads as the “Lightweight” prof.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012 at 9:02 pm
I’m not really sure. Just before I left Durham (in 2011), I heard that there were originally 10 or 12 canon chairs (not just in theology), but one by one they were removed as the university moved away from the church. I’m sure it would an interesting study if someone documented the transition.
Tuesday, 1 December 2020 at 10:52 pm
[…] “Kingsley” Barrett preached at 90 years old in November 2007. He taught New Testament at the University of Durham from 1945 until 1982, writing commentaries on […]