David Bentley Hart on Reason, Faith, and Diversity in Religious Thought | Conversations with Tyler

David Bentley Hart is an American writer, philosopher, religious scholar, critic, and theologian who has authored over 1,000 essays and 19 books, including a very well-known translation of the New Testament and several volumes of fiction.
In this conversation, Tyler and David discuss ways in which Orthodox Christianity is not so millenarian, how theological patience shapes the polities of Orthodox Christian nations, how Heidegger deepened his understanding of Christian Orthodoxy, who played left field for the Baltimore Orioles in 1970, the simplest way to explain how Orthodoxy diverges from Catholicism, the future of the American Orthodox Church, what he thinks of the Book of Mormon, whether theological arguments are ultimately based on reason or faith, what he makes of reincarnation and near-death experiences, gnosticism in movies and TV, why he dislikes Sarah Ruden’s translation of the New Testament, the most difficult word to translate, a tally of the 15+ languages he knows, what he’ll work on next, and more.
Recorded March 23rd, 2023
Transcript and links: conversationswithtyler.com/ep...
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[@salt88]

I love how wide ranging this interview was. So much ground was covered and so much to think about. The section on faith and reason was especially good. Thank you for this!

[@christopherconey732]

Congratulations Mr Tyler on asking questions directly and unaffectedly, as well as showing due respect to DBH without pandering to him.

[@bearheart2009]

It took me a while to get used to your interview style, but it was actually a bit of a refreshing change and interesting to see David talk about his tastes in music and entertainment. It’s fleshed out my perception of who he is and I appreciate that, thank you!

[@Portekberm]

David Bently Hart’s translation is truly beautiful

[@cherryswirlchale9511]

I hope you’re right. Just ordered the 2nd edition and I’ll receive it tomorrow.

[@Portekberm]

@@cherryswirlchale9511 definitely right 😂

[@TheProdigalMeowMeowMeowReturns]

@@cherryswirlchale9511It’s also a good addition to his book on universalism. They should be read together

[@TylerMcConnell]

This baseball question around 9:00 made me laugh out loud, mainly the deadpan answers after discussion of Heidegger and the Universe as a Burning Bush. 😂

[@christopherconey732]

A lovely discussion, especially because DBH restrained his usual impulses so much so that he condescendingly patted Mr Tyler on the head only a couple of times.

[@billtimmons7071]

I love these conversations. Because of them, I’m constantly evaluating and adjusting my own “ Christianity” … my world is more enchanted and peaceful. Great interviewer and great guest. Life is very good.

[@christopherconey732]

Next question Professor Hart: in the Tunney v Dempsey fight of September 1927, how many left hooks did Tunney successfully land in the 2nd round?

[@TylerMcConnell]

😂

[@mcosu1]

DBH is a national treasure

[@sam-lz6pi]

not just national, he is a global treasure.

[@suatustel746]

Florid language doesn't get him up top of the ladder!!!!!

[@jpielemeierpianist]

LOVE IT 🎉

[@mcnallyaar]

SOLID GOLD!

[@edlabonte7773]

My reaction to "The Prisoner" was that I thought the Village was a wonderful place to retire.

[@10.6.12.]

Smart really focused questions, thanks.

[@patrickdoyle2510]

Wow. I was first introduced to your channel through your interview with Irish historian RF Foster. Now you're talking to DBH?! Subscribed!

[@61jcfield]

Thanks! great conversation. (liked "repunant" @26:00)

[@glennstrong4683]

Does anyone know what is DBH favoured translations apart from his own. Thanks

[@jdspainhour]

At first, the array of not-so-rapid fire questions, and the relative lack of conversational engagement to DBH’s responses, felt awkward and continually “out of left field” (as DBH noted)-and it was pretty humorous to see DBH react to the randomness of the interview Qs and the interviewer’s lack of affect-but I think we all (DBH included) got with the program rather quickly because the value of this type of interview became evident as DBH fielded all those Qs from left field. What better way to engage a genuine polymath-not only for the wide ranging scope of the terrain covered, but also because there was just enough time for DBH to state his responses in positive terms and yet not enough time for the negative followup: we were spared having to hear him wander off into those characteristic meandering (and often condescending) tangents in which he proceeds to mow down a historical and international catalogue of thinkers who *obviously* got it wrong. Brilliant interview. I wish more took this thoughtful yet rapid-ish fire approach!

[@gpxavier]

Agree with this 100%: this interview brought out the best from DBH while avoiding his more negative qualities!

[@pappapiccolino9572]

Blind Willie McTell is a fantastic track for sure. But my choice would be Desolation Row.

[@TheProdigalMeowMeowMeowReturns]

Wonderful stuff

[@johnschuh8616]

Read his critique of Newman’s Development, and annoyed by his failure to set the work in the context of 1845. Newman was writing to people of his time, and in rejoining to what the Germans was saying and what other English speaking people were saying. Might look at Marx and how HE was using history at the very same time. As for his dismissal of the Rome that Newman walked into when he became Catholics as “centuries behind”. Rome was trying to survive the terrible events that had begun with the French Revolution and just trying to keep its balance as the ground continued to move under it as the tremors continued with one earth quake after another. Newman came from an English Church that was having to make its own series of earthquakes. Evangelicalism had undermined its monopoly, and its emergence as an alternative to the older Anglicanism became clear in 1829, and then a further shaking of Protestantism with Catholic emancipation in response to Irish radicalism. The Oxford Movement was response to this as much as to German thinking.

[@wordscapes5690]

I am a Theravada Buddhist (who lives in Taiwan - unusual, I know). I have to be honest, and I would usually not speak about such things because it is rude, but I have become so repulsed by western religion - its horrendous atrocities, its violence against LGBTQ people, the Orthodox clergy’s blessing of Russian missiles, and its Trump cult. Forgive me but I have had my fair share of silence in this regard. Someone has to say something - most Christians seem unable to do so. No more. Namo Buddhaya.

[@Honkthentrumpets]

Shame you spoke up, all of a sudden, on an interview with a EASTERN Orthodox Christian. I don’t blame you though, seems Christians have been black pilling, other Christians for the last 3 or 4 hundred years.

[@10.6.12.]

DBH seems to be not well versed in contemporary geo-politics, the only dissonant note I can hear in his brilliantly illuninious mind.

[@PaulSavoy-ky1ct]

If Orthodoxy emphasizes self denial, why is he at least sixty pounds overweight?

[@tonyoliver2750]

Perhaps, were he a Baptist, he'd be 120lbs overweight, so well done DBH for refusing the Pringles.

[@PaulSavoy-ky1ct]

So he's to be congratulated for just being fat when he could be Jab a the Hutt? Sounds like a pitiful evasion, like why he's in a church that refuses to ordain women but he gets called a "progressive".@@tonyoliver2750

[@Honkthentrumpets]

Haha DBH has been very sick for years.

[@jasonbonifacio2473]

Really hard to keep listening after the guest endorsed NDEs as “some of them quite compelling”. He may be the most well-read person ever, but apparently not enough to do a cursory google search and read the well-documented flaws with the “compelling” evidence.

[@Simon_Kidd]

Can you give links to published examples of 'the well-documented flaws' please?

[@jasonbonifacio2473]

​@@Simon_Kidd Of course. I think the best example is actually the most rigorous attempt ever conducted to document NDEs (look it up as "AWARE-A prospective study"). This was conducted by Parnia from NYU (real scientist, but very much a true believer). In spite of his bias, the study is helpful because it used a large, multi-hospital sample and, crucially, because he included a test (pre-registered) to validate whether people could see something written on a piece of paper only viewable from the ceiling (this besides other, much less "smoking-gun" type tests). He interviewed 140 people who survived their medical event, and came out claiming 2 people had NDEs based on "described awareness," but, as expected, neither passed the one dispositive test: physically reading the card only viewable from the ceiling. Parnia's study is the best scientific "evidence" of NDEs. As far as documenting Parnia's flaws, I recommend looking up the article "Aware Results Finally Published - No Evidence of NDE" by Yale neurologist Steven Novella. I'm homing in on Parnia because it is the best ever attempt to document NDEs, but Novella has written many other articles documenting the flaws of other less rigorous studies. GM Woerlee has written a couple of books on the topic too. Hope that helps.

[@tomatoversace3427]

If your argument against david bentley hart is a “quick google search” then you’re probably not on the same level of understanding lmfao

[@jasonbonifacio2473]

⁠​⁠@@tomatoversace3427My argument is “lacking basic plausibility and the scientific consensus of neurologists” lmfao

[@RootinrPootine]

He was trying to be polite numnuts what are you 12?