originally published 8/31/2022

David Bentley Hart, author of You Are Gods: On Nature and Supernature, on how “two-tier Thomism” deviates from historic Christian understanding of the relationship between God and Creation. Hart argues that Biblical and Christian history flatly contradict the new integralist return to a two-tiered system of nature versus supernature. Hart believes that the impulse toward this metaphysical vision follows after the political vision: a desire to return to a non-existent medieval ideal where absolute power is manifested in “throne and altar or a sacerdotal monarchical system.” While we can all justly criticize modernity, Hart believes the new integralist critique of modern liberalism neglects the reality that the flaws of liberalism proceed out of the flaws that arose within Christendom. Even the common dismissal of modern ideas of freedom as “voluntarist” is inadequate, Hart articulates. Because Enlightenment understandings of freedom proceed out of Renaissance humanism, modern ideas of freedom find their origin in an age that took seriously the god-like endowment of freedom of choice to those created in the image of God. This interview was originally published on Volume 155 of the Journal.

42 minutes

PREVIEW

The player for the full version of this Feature is only available to current members. If you have an active membership, log in here. If you’d like to become a member — with access to all our audio programs — sign up here.

Related reading and listening