himself and humankind, or from any higher standpoint whatever” (IV/2, 41, rev.). As long as such stipulations are in place, the looser sense of ontology2 is acceptable. Barth could describe Christian discipleship, for example, as “not so much a matter of morals as ontology” when it came to the saying that no disciple was above his or her master (Matt. 10:24). Here “ontology” is a matter of pointing to the proper order and status of particulars in a limited case. To sum up: the important thing to