The Hardest Question No Religion Can Answer... | David Bentley Hart Jan 11, 2025 • 2 hr 5 min • Transcript available on Metacast Episode description David Bentley Hart is a renowned author, philosopher, religious studies scholar, and theologian. In today's episode David explores the problem of evil, labeling it the most compelling argument against theism due to the undeniable suffering of innocents. David candidly acknowledges the dilemma, finding it intellectually irresolvable, yet juxtaposes this with the profound hope and transformative significance of Christ’s resurrection. Drawing on Stoic metaphysics, David explores the concept of a spiritual body and its philosophical ties to early Christian thought, all while challenging conventional Trinitarian interpretations of texts like John 1:1. This conversation is a rich tapestry of theology, philosophy, and personal insight, inviting listeners to reconsider foundational beliefs about faith, suffering, and the nature of reality.
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Evil
08:50 - New Testament
15:02 - Stoic Metaphysics
24:51 - The Spirit
31:12 - Books of the Bible
39:24 - John 1:1
47:55 - Jesus
54:14 - Language
01:02:45 - Neo-Platonism
01:08:53 - Self Awareness
01:14:35 - Consciousness
01:18:05 - God
01:19:51 - Spirituality
01:27:36 - Perennialism
01:36:55 - Belief
01:39:44 - Episode Recap!
01:50:50 - Outro
Links Mentioned:
• Johnathan Bi’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@bi.johnathan/featured
• David Bentley Hart’s bibliography: https://amzn.to/3C9vIqA
• The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss (book): https://amzn.to/3DOuNMO
• The New Testament: A Translation (book): https://amzn.to/427Dzzv
• All Things Are Full of Gods: The Mysteries of Mind and Life (book): https://amzn.to/4h525pm
• A Conversation Between Iain McGilchrist and David Bentley Hart (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vooDJQ3fdug&pp=ygUjaWFpbiBtY2dpbGNocmlzdCBkYXZpZCBiZW50bGV5IGhhcnQ%3D
• Curt’s OSV profile: https://www.osv.llc/fellows-grantee/curt-jaimungal-95763
• Michael Levin’s blog: https://thoughtforms.life/
• The Atheist’s Guide to Reality (book): https://amzn.to/4h4U97n
• Psychology from An Empirical Standpoint (book): https://amzn.to/3DHRzWA
• Iain McGilchrist on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9sBKCd2HD0
• Donald Hoffman on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmieNQH7Q4w&t=7139s
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The Hardest Question No Religion Can Answer... | David Bentley Hart | Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast
