David Bentley Hart

[markeverett49]

DBH is a theologian (The Beauty of the Infinite, Atheist Delusions, The Experience of God) whose name has popped up in several places lately. I haven’t read him and wonder if anyone here has.

I’m an Aquinas guy who learned a lot from Frank Sheed and G.K. Chesterton before studying theology formally. What would I be in for if I got some DBH books via inter-library loan?

Thanks!

 

[ccmnxc]

I’m only about 50-some odd pages into The Experience of God, and so far, pretty much every page has resonated with me. I’m not into the meat of it yet, but based upon what I have read so far, I would very highly recommend the book.

 

[Counterpoint]

DBH is a theologian (The Beauty of the Infinite, Atheist Delusions, The Experience of God) whose name has popped up in several places lately. I haven’t read him and wonder if anyone here has.

I’m an Aquinas guy who learned a lot from Frank Sheed and G.K. Chesterton before studying theology formally. What would I be in for if I got some DBH books via inter-library loan?

Thanks!

I have read the “Experience of God.” It is basically a not-so-tacit synthesis of Thomistic metaphysics and Vedanta. It also covers some basic ground in the philosophy of mind and serves as a polemic against the “New Atheist” movement.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

DBH is a theologian (The Beauty of the Infinite, Atheist Delusions, The Experience of God) whose name has popped up in several places lately. I haven’t read him and wonder if anyone here has.

I’m an Aquinas guy who learned a lot from Frank Sheed and G.K. Chesterton before studying theology formally. What would I be in for if I got some DBH books via inter-library loan?

Thanks!

The inter-library system is great, though since the recession in 2008 some libraries have greatly restricted its use because it costs them money. Maybe in your area you still have full use of it. You can also go to WorldCat and find the book at a library close by and go there and read the book you want. I once spent three months in a library reading a book they wouldn’t allow to be checked out. There are other sources as well :
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlibrary

Linus2nd

 

[markeverett49]

The inter-library system is great, though since the recession in 2008 some libraries have greatly restricted its use because it costs them money. Maybe in your area you still have full use of it. You can also go to WorldCat and find the book at a library close by and go there and read the book you want. I once spent three months in a library reading a book they wouldn’t allow to be checked out. There are other sources as well :
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlibrary

Linus2nd

Thanks. The inter-library loan system in Palm Beach County, Florida is top notch… Patrons May have five items at a time ((though only two requests are permitted per day) and the county recently updated the system so that as soon as you return a book it is discharged from your account, meaning you can order another book immediately. (Preiously, each return item had to be shuttedl back to the main branch and then discharged, which might take several days.) I have five items out now (-two John Haldanes, Daniel Sullivan’s “Intro to Philosophy”, Stanley Jaki’s “Chesterton, Seer of Science” and a book about jazz improvisation.)
I think I’ll start with “Atheist Delusions”…

 

[polytropos]

I have read Atheist Delusions. It was not too bad. Largely historical. It is a response to the (a)historical excesses of the new atheists. So it is interesting.

I have heard very positive things about his other two books, Beauty of the Infinite and The Experience of God. I intend to read both of them when I find the time. Perhaps this summer. Those are more theological, sort of treatises to classical theism.

 

[markeverett49]

I have read Atheist Delusions. It was not too bad. Largely historical. It is a response to the (a)historical excesses of the new atheists. So it is interesting.

I have heard very positive things about his other two books, Beauty of the Infinite and The Experience of God. I intend to read both of them when I find the time. Perhaps this summer. Those are more theological, sort of treatises to classical theism.

Thanks. Yes, I want “Atheist Delusions” for the history. I spent several years in seminary but that ended a decade ago, so I hope this will be a solid review of that in light of “new atheist” attacks.

I’m glad you mentioned “classical theism.” That’s my main interest. I enjoy Edward Feser’s books (and his excellent blog too). I think that’s where I ran across a reference to DBH.

 

[polytropos]

Thanks. Yes, I want “Atheist Delusions” for the history. I spent several years in seminary but that ended a decade ago, so I hope this will be a solid review of that in light of “new atheist” attacks.

It’s worth noting that the focus is predominantly on early Christianity. Hart is interested in disputing the idea that Christianity was just like the surrounding pagan cults and managed to “come out on top” merely by fortune.

The book is actually remarkably fair and even non-polemical (besides a few jibes in the opening chapters, if I recall correctly), despite its incendiary title.

I’m glad you mentioned “classical theism.” That’s my main interest. I enjoy Edward Feser’s books (and his excellent blog too). I think that’s where I ran across a reference to DBH.

Yeah, Feser appreciates those works, as do some of Feser’s readers as well. Their appeal seems to lie in the fact that they focus on the aesthetics of classical theism, which many philosophical works don’t get at as much. Hart is also interested, I think, in pointing out that classical theism is consistent (to varying extents, of course) with spiritual traditions outside of Christianity.

 

[balto]

I haven’t read any of them but they sound very interesting! And my reading list continues to grow exponentially… Thank you for starting this thread.