Dear Dr Hart, I am sorry for the pain you are suffering. Anyone who’s dealt with back pain knows that practically any movement at all can produce debilitating pain. You will be in my prayers. I was just listening to the audible book on The Doors of the See, and making my way through All Things are Full of Gods. As an Orthodox believer you’ve done more to open my mind to even greater wonders in our cosmos than I believed, you guided me to Bulgakov who has enriched my understanding of theology, and your other books—All Shall Be Saved in particular changed my prayer life and confidence that those I loved and have passed away will enter the kingdom of light. For these and your other books I owe you a debt I cannot repay, except in my prayers today for you.
I am new in this forum. Please don't be anxious regarding Substack and your posts here. Everybody understands that you are (also) human and liable to life's misfortunes.
My deeply felt wishes for a steady and speedy recovery.
Thank you for the update. It is so sad to read of this suffering. Prayers abound. And so many of your readers are enjoying the delights of your book All Things Are Full of Gods.
Godspeed with the recovery, which sounds intense. As a fellow traveler with a bone-crushing spinal disease, I appreciate how much that kind of pain can be all-consuming and demoralizing. As for a question: I’ve been disappointed a few times the past year coming back to Mass (for the first time in two decades) and hearing the priest talk politics, most recently a ten minute diatribe about the Olympics thing and how we need to fight back. I’m probably naive, but I still think it’s possible to separate politics from other domains of life, as I don’t treat anything as everything. In any case, I’m wondering about the early church and meetings and meals. Is there any evidence that early Christians eschewed politics (there was certainly plenty to talk about) when meeting for liturgical purposes? As in, keep talk of Rome out of here for now, or anything like that? I’d like to think so, and would feel encouraged by it, I suppose. I understand that politics can be broadened to include everything, thus rendering my question unintelligible. But I think we all kind of know what I mean by “politics.”
You are in the prayers of both me and mine, it is wonderful to hear from you. As for a question, I was wondering if you might grant us the blessing of a slightly longer list of what you believe to be some of the English language’s greatest stylists, since I have found all the ones recommended in your On Writing essay to be exquisite. God bless you!
I hate reading this from you. Having watched several people close to me suffer from chronic pain, your words resonate with me all too well. Prayers for your healing (I’ll even pray for your Os to have a successful October, despite being a jaded Cards fan).
I have a multitude of questions for you, but I’ll keep it to one, for now: do you have any plans to write a book about baseball, or sports in general? A book of any sort — a theological reflection on the perfect game, a memoir of the life of a fan of an up-and-down organization, an accounting of the games greatest players, etc.
I’ve read several great baseball books this year, and would love to see what you could do in that arena.
I'm just glad to hear from you, brother. You just released two books, so we are embarrassed by the riches of that alone.
As for a question: I would love to know how you personally deal with the blood atonement language in the NT, such as Romans 3:25-26. How are you placing that into the idea of "ransom payment" language found elsewhere?
Wishing you all the very best with your recovery, Dr. Hart. I'm enjoying your book of essays, The Dream-Child's Progress at the moment and the essay on golf, which I'm guessing is not your favourite sport, reminded me of a passage from a John Updike novel ". . . the sound of the rain in that great beech had been the most religious experience of his life. That, and hitting a pure golf shot." That resonated with me because it echoed an experience I once had myself. I always thought of it as a kind of physical mysticism, something that happens and that can't be programmed or planned for. Do you think it makes any sense to equate religion/spirituality in any sense at all with sport?
Well, my subscription renews today so you've got me for another year! I love your True Helen story. I searched for and read it before it was published in Prisms and Veils. I recall you mentioning somewhere that the extra paragraph at the beginning is important. Your dream and story of the two women sharing one dream rings so true and profound to me. What is Stesichorus adding to the tale that I'm missing?
Thank you for the update, I shall pray for your recovery, at present I am reading All Things are Full of Gods and have ordered another collection of your essays.
I have a question, is there a good, concise book that gives an accurate depiction of Greek, Roman and Hebrew religious cosmology at the time of Christ?
Dear Dr. Hart, I am very sorry to hear that your suffering persists. Rest assured that everyone here prays for you and your family and will continue to do so until your full recovery. What a fallen world we live in where a man of your erudition and talents cannot share (even temporarily) with the world the gift of his writing.
I would like to thank you for your magnificent new book, All Thing Are Full of Gods. I can only hope that enough people will read it, and it will discredit for good the most absurd materialist theories in the philosophy of mind.
God bless you, David Bentley Hart. May your pain be dispelled and your health restored. Your words are missed but the influence of your spirit is still felt among us while you convalesce. No questions at this time. Rest and be well.
I will keep you in my prayers. I must confess, despite the circumstances, it is nice to hear from you again. God bless you, sir.
Dear Dr Hart, I am sorry for the pain you are suffering. Anyone who’s dealt with back pain knows that practically any movement at all can produce debilitating pain. You will be in my prayers. I was just listening to the audible book on The Doors of the See, and making my way through All Things are Full of Gods. As an Orthodox believer you’ve done more to open my mind to even greater wonders in our cosmos than I believed, you guided me to Bulgakov who has enriched my understanding of theology, and your other books—All Shall Be Saved in particular changed my prayer life and confidence that those I loved and have passed away will enter the kingdom of light. For these and your other books I owe you a debt I cannot repay, except in my prayers today for you.
What works of Bulgakov can you point me to?
Lamb of God comes immediately to mind. Jacob’s Ladder: On Angels is another to start with.
Dear Dr. Hart,
I am new in this forum. Please don't be anxious regarding Substack and your posts here. Everybody understands that you are (also) human and liable to life's misfortunes.
My deeply felt wishes for a steady and speedy recovery.
Thank you.
Take care of yourself, DBH, and know that many people are thinking of you and wishing you well.
You are in my prayers DBH. I am looking forward to reading 'All Things...'
I would be curious to know your views on Freudian psychoanalysis and Lacan's development thereof - however brief!
Thank you for the update. It is so sad to read of this suffering. Prayers abound. And so many of your readers are enjoying the delights of your book All Things Are Full of Gods.
Btw, I don’t know what you’d think, but I rather enjoy this short review of All Things by James Matthew Wilson.
https://wng.org/articles/the-mysteries-of-mind-1725418637
Godspeed with the recovery, which sounds intense. As a fellow traveler with a bone-crushing spinal disease, I appreciate how much that kind of pain can be all-consuming and demoralizing. As for a question: I’ve been disappointed a few times the past year coming back to Mass (for the first time in two decades) and hearing the priest talk politics, most recently a ten minute diatribe about the Olympics thing and how we need to fight back. I’m probably naive, but I still think it’s possible to separate politics from other domains of life, as I don’t treat anything as everything. In any case, I’m wondering about the early church and meetings and meals. Is there any evidence that early Christians eschewed politics (there was certainly plenty to talk about) when meeting for liturgical purposes? As in, keep talk of Rome out of here for now, or anything like that? I’d like to think so, and would feel encouraged by it, I suppose. I understand that politics can be broadened to include everything, thus rendering my question unintelligible. But I think we all kind of know what I mean by “politics.”
You are in the prayers of both me and mine, it is wonderful to hear from you. As for a question, I was wondering if you might grant us the blessing of a slightly longer list of what you believe to be some of the English language’s greatest stylists, since I have found all the ones recommended in your On Writing essay to be exquisite. God bless you!
I hate reading this from you. Having watched several people close to me suffer from chronic pain, your words resonate with me all too well. Prayers for your healing (I’ll even pray for your Os to have a successful October, despite being a jaded Cards fan).
I have a multitude of questions for you, but I’ll keep it to one, for now: do you have any plans to write a book about baseball, or sports in general? A book of any sort — a theological reflection on the perfect game, a memoir of the life of a fan of an up-and-down organization, an accounting of the games greatest players, etc.
I’ve read several great baseball books this year, and would love to see what you could do in that arena.
I'm just glad to hear from you, brother. You just released two books, so we are embarrassed by the riches of that alone.
As for a question: I would love to know how you personally deal with the blood atonement language in the NT, such as Romans 3:25-26. How are you placing that into the idea of "ransom payment" language found elsewhere?
Wishing you all the very best with your recovery, Dr. Hart. I'm enjoying your book of essays, The Dream-Child's Progress at the moment and the essay on golf, which I'm guessing is not your favourite sport, reminded me of a passage from a John Updike novel ". . . the sound of the rain in that great beech had been the most religious experience of his life. That, and hitting a pure golf shot." That resonated with me because it echoed an experience I once had myself. I always thought of it as a kind of physical mysticism, something that happens and that can't be programmed or planned for. Do you think it makes any sense to equate religion/spirituality in any sense at all with sport?
I loved Prisms, Veils, by the way.
Well, my subscription renews today so you've got me for another year! I love your True Helen story. I searched for and read it before it was published in Prisms and Veils. I recall you mentioning somewhere that the extra paragraph at the beginning is important. Your dream and story of the two women sharing one dream rings so true and profound to me. What is Stesichorus adding to the tale that I'm missing?
I'm sorry to hear about the persisting pain. Going through ATAFoG and it is a gift indeed. I will pray for your body's steady improvement.
Thank you for the update, I shall pray for your recovery, at present I am reading All Things are Full of Gods and have ordered another collection of your essays.
I have a question, is there a good, concise book that gives an accurate depiction of Greek, Roman and Hebrew religious cosmology at the time of Christ?
Dear Dr. Hart, I am very sorry to hear that your suffering persists. Rest assured that everyone here prays for you and your family and will continue to do so until your full recovery. What a fallen world we live in where a man of your erudition and talents cannot share (even temporarily) with the world the gift of his writing.
I would like to thank you for your magnificent new book, All Thing Are Full of Gods. I can only hope that enough people will read it, and it will discredit for good the most absurd materialist theories in the philosophy of mind.
God bless you, David Bentley Hart. May your pain be dispelled and your health restored. Your words are missed but the influence of your spirit is still felt among us while you convalesce. No questions at this time. Rest and be well.