"Theologians with style" or "cannibals"? Karl Barth and Neo-Calvinism

From the beginning of his academic career, Karl Barth had a very critical relationship with the neo-Calvinism of Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck. Failed attempts at rapprochement, misunderstandings, polemics and fundamental theological differences seem to have prevented any cooperation. At the same time, a major parallel between the two theological concepts, namely the endeavour to update the theology of Reformation for the present and to develop it politically and culturally, has been recognised repeatedly and recently discussed anew. This study therefore traces Barth's assessment of neo-Calvinism and asks about the causes of the mutual rejection as well as points of contact for a constructive discourse on the theological approaches of Barth and neo-Calvinism.