Karl Barth on horses

“a really good horseman cannot possibly be an ungodly person”
– Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics III.4, p. 352.

Some people would be startled to find this superlative assertion in the major work of the 20th century’s most significant theologian.

No one in my family.

I’m in a 5-year commitment of reading through Karl Barth, Thomas Torrance and George MacDonald. In the last few days I’ve happened upon the above saying by Barth; found a page in Rolland Hein’s biography of MacDonald saying that riding horses was MacDonald’s favorite outdoor activity (p. 154), and heard Robert Walker, a relative of TF Torrance, say that TFT also loved horses. How cool is that?

Watch the following video (from 6:30 to the end) to see some of the horses involved in my Dad’s life:

Click the photo of Marvin below to read more on the theology of horses:

Chester, I’m also remembering what Laura said about your horse-related ministry to children. Can’t wait to hear more.