I nearly missed the fact that today is the birthday of these two significant figures in Church history. I must offer a HT to Ben Myers, of Faith and Theology, for referencing the following post by Dr Jim West:
I can't say that I am a fan of Barth. I really am no expert on him. I've only read a short biography and introduction to his works: Barth for Armchair Theologians by John R. Franke. I've also begun reading Karl Barth, by David L. Mueller in the Makers of the Modern Theological Mind series. I've learned some, but still have a long way to go. I've not even touched Barth's Church Dogmatics.It’s well enough known, isn’t it, that May 10th is Karl Barth’s birthday. It’s also well enough known that he stole the stage in the 30’s and 40’s with his fiery socialism / Calvinism (a strange combination indeed). It’s also well enough known that Barth was a fan of Mozart and began his day with a recording of some piece from Mozart and a coffee along with the newspaper.
It may not be well enough known, though, that the young Barth (from 1919-1931) was at his best, his brightest, and his most insightful. It was during those years that he lectured at Göttingen and Münster and other places as well. At Göttingen he gave his rightly famous lectures on Dogmatics (the only Dogmatics he ever completed! Yes, it includes Barth’s eschatology!!!!); and it was there too that he lectured on Zwingli and Calvin and Schleiermacher. Barth did his best work those years. (read more here)
BARTH, KARL (1886-1968), Swiss theologian and founder of the dialectical or neo-orthodox 
school. Born in Basel. Educated in Berne, Berlin, Tübungen [sic], and Marburg. Liberal pastor of two Swiss churches from 1909 to 1921. Horrors of World War I and his study of Kierkegaard, Calvin, and the Bible shattered his liberal optimism and led to the formulation of his crisis theology, first set forth in his Römerbrief in 1919. Professor at Göttingen, Münster, and Bonn from 1921 to 1935 and at Basel from 1935 to 1962. His ideas are set froth in the Barmen Declaration, which he mainly wrote in 1934 for the Confessional church against Nazism and in his multivolume Church Dogmatics. He pictures God as transcendent, sovereign, and outside history with basic discontinuity of sin separating man and God. Man can only relate to God in a spiritual crisis when the Holy Spirit uses the Bible to relate man to God through Christ. Universalism seems inherent in his system. He was opposed to natural revelation and clashed with Brunner on this point. Thus neo-orthodoxy from 1930 to about 1950 replaced the earlier naive Liberalism. [From the Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church. Edited byElgin Moyer, revised and enlarged by Earle E. Cairns. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981.) p. 30.]
I've profited greatly from the writing J. C. Ryle. His Expository Thoughts on the Gospels and Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots are "must have" volumes for every preacher's library.
RYLE, JOHN CHARLES (1816-1900), Low church Anglican bishop, born near 
Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, studied at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford. After college ordained in 1842, pastored several lesser known churches, then in 1871 made honorary dean of Norwich. In 1880 nominated by Lord Beaconsfield as dean of Salisbury. Before he had taken office he was made the first bishop of the newly organized diocese of Liverpool where he served until his death. Wrote more than one hundred tracts and pamphlets on doctrinal and practical subjects which enjoyed a wide circulation in English and foreign languages. Published a number of books of sermons and devotional literature. Among published books are: Christian Leaders of the Last Century; The Bishop, the Pastor and the Preacher; Is All Scripture Inspired?; Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (seven volumes); Light from Old Times; Hymns for the Church on Earth; Knots Untied; Lessons from English Church History; and What Do We Owe to the Reformation? Thoroughly evangelical in doctrine; one of the most prominent members of the evangelical party. [From the Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church. Edited byElgin Moyer, revised and enlarged by Earle E. Cairns. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981.) p. 354.]
Other writings:
- Thoughts for Young Men
- Old Paths
- Faithfulness and Holiness
- Practical Religion
- Are You Ready for the End of Time
- Five English Reformers
- Upper Room
- Warnings to the Churches
- Day by Day with J.C. Ryle
- Boys and Girls Playing and Other Addresses to Young Ch...
Biography of J. C. Ryle: That Man of Granite With the Heart of a Child
J. C. Ryle on the web:J. C. Ryle Page
Wikipedia
Christian Classics Ethereal Library
I apologize that this was so late, but I wanted to capture the opportunity to highlight this birthday in some way.
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