Perhaps my favorite podcast on this topic yet (with respect to Jason). I know you aren't an overly sentimental fellow, Dr. Hart, but I just wanted to sincerely thank you for dispelling so many of my dark shadows through your writing. There was always a very, very, very, deep schizophrenia in my evangelical conservative homeschooled background regarding the character of God. As a very biblically literate young protestant, I used to read over and over Romans 11:32 and secretly hope that it meant exactly what it said, even though I would never dare question what I was taught. I realize you take the brunt of a lot of criticism from those who have the most to lose, i.e. Calvinist and Thomist clergy especially. You speaking with such clarity on this is threatening not only their livelihood, but the clarity of their entire worldview, indeed, the entire foundation of imperial Western Christianity in so many ways. Although you have correctly deduced that the motivation behind some of these attacks is that "for some, hell is the best part of the story." I think the vast majority of the pushback (for almost everyone else) is fear, top to bottom. Fear that if you question the doctrine of eternal hell, you too will be thrown to the flames. Its not even really biblically justified WITH an infernalist viewpoint, but for some reason the fear drives everyone mad. At my evangelical university, which shall remain unnamed, *ahem* we used to have an annual event called "Scaremare." In this event, the school would invite unsuspecting strangers and students to a haunted mansion type walkthrough horror thrill event, and then in the end they would bring everyone into tents and tell them "if you thought that was scary, hell is an infinity times worse and it never ends. Repent and believe the good news." This was spoken without the slightest hint of irony. Anyways, all that's to say, what you are pushing against ultimately is fear. Its unbelievably obvious that your argument is philosophically unassailable, and makes far more sense of scripture. But fear is not rational. It is deep, dark, and fiercely tribalistic.
But I suppose this was all a part of the divine plan anyways. In the end, every sad shadow will be dispelled, and all will see God as He truly is. Truly all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I especially appreciated your analysis of the evolution of absolute sovereignty starting with late Augustine through the divine right of kings on to modern notions of individualism.
Your discussion of Augustine's "darker side" also confirmed my sense of his being a tormented soul, as revealed in some parts of the Confessions. I wonder if he was really able to forgive himself for his youthful debauchery?
Perhaps my favorite podcast on this topic yet (with respect to Jason). I know you aren't an overly sentimental fellow, Dr. Hart, but I just wanted to sincerely thank you for dispelling so many of my dark shadows through your writing. There was always a very, very, very, deep schizophrenia in my evangelical conservative homeschooled background regarding the character of God. As a very biblically literate young protestant, I used to read over and over Romans 11:32 and secretly hope that it meant exactly what it said, even though I would never dare question what I was taught. I realize you take the brunt of a lot of criticism from those who have the most to lose, i.e. Calvinist and Thomist clergy especially. You speaking with such clarity on this is threatening not only their livelihood, but the clarity of their entire worldview, indeed, the entire foundation of imperial Western Christianity in so many ways. Although you have correctly deduced that the motivation behind some of these attacks is that "for some, hell is the best part of the story." I think the vast majority of the pushback (for almost everyone else) is fear, top to bottom. Fear that if you question the doctrine of eternal hell, you too will be thrown to the flames. Its not even really biblically justified WITH an infernalist viewpoint, but for some reason the fear drives everyone mad. At my evangelical university, which shall remain unnamed, *ahem* we used to have an annual event called "Scaremare." In this event, the school would invite unsuspecting strangers and students to a haunted mansion type walkthrough horror thrill event, and then in the end they would bring everyone into tents and tell them "if you thought that was scary, hell is an infinity times worse and it never ends. Repent and believe the good news." This was spoken without the slightest hint of irony. Anyways, all that's to say, what you are pushing against ultimately is fear. Its unbelievably obvious that your argument is philosophically unassailable, and makes far more sense of scripture. But fear is not rational. It is deep, dark, and fiercely tribalistic.
But I suppose this was all a part of the divine plan anyways. In the end, every sad shadow will be dispelled, and all will see God as He truly is. Truly all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I especially appreciated your analysis of the evolution of absolute sovereignty starting with late Augustine through the divine right of kings on to modern notions of individualism.
Your discussion of Augustine's "darker side" also confirmed my sense of his being a tormented soul, as revealed in some parts of the Confessions. I wonder if he was really able to forgive himself for his youthful debauchery?