Was Karl Barth a Socialist?

[@thehappyheretic2136]

Strange, I know many people other than DBH who love barth and are not socialist nor anti-capitalist seems stranger yet who knew we never got his theology nor became card-carrying socialists studying barth. Like it's almost mandatory or you just don't get barth at all. With that being said, I do not believe the kingdom of God is socialist or capitalist. I like what the mirror bible commentary says for john 18:36"Jesus answered my kingdom has nothing in common with the political or religious systems of this world; it does not originate out of their structures. If it did my subordinates would fight for me and resist my handover to the Jews." if I had to politically box myself for your amusement, I would guess an Anarco-Christian believing we cannot legislate morality. Love must be obeyed from the heart in a volunteer society. This cannot happen until all other illusions of governance pass away and are replaced by an upgrade in the collective consciousness. which objective cannot be achieved by any system we have today. All systems lead to slavery to others and/or slavery to self. all leading to extreme human suffering and putting the species at risk for survival and evolution of the species

[@StephenDMorrison]

Thanks for the insights! Barth was influenced by Ragaz who called socialism a "sign of the Kingdom," and carefully distinguished between hope for the Kingdom and for political change. The Kingdom is the ultimate hope while any political change is always penultimate. So I agree it is important not to say that socialism and Christian hope are the same hope. But as I like to think of it, socialism may be hope on the way toward a greater hope, a fallible but necessary tool for bringing about justice on earth. By the way, I believe DBH calls himself an anarcho-communist? Is that correct?