You Are Gods

On Nature and Supernature

By: David Bentley Hart

Narrated by: Chris Monteiro

In recent years, the theological—and, more specifically, Roman Catholic—question of the supernatural has made an astonishing return from seeming oblivion. David Bentley Hart's You Are Gods presents a series of meditations on the vexed theological question of the relation of nature and supernature. In its merely controversial aspect, the book is intended most directly as a rejection of a certain Thomistic construal of that relation, as well as an argument in favor of a model of nature and supernature at once more Eastern and patristic, and also more in keeping with the healthier currents of mediaeval and modern Catholic thought. In its more constructive and confessedly radical aspects, the book makes a vigorous case for the all-but-complete eradication of every qualitative, ontological, or logical distinction between the natural and the supernatural in the life of spiritual creatures.

Hart, one of the most widely read theologians in America today, presents a bold gesture of resistance to the recent revival of what used to be called "two-tier Thomism," especially in the Anglophone theological world. In this astute exercise in classical Christian orthodoxy, Hart takes the metaphysics of participation, high Trinitarianism, Christology, and the soteriological language of theosis to their inevitable logical conclusions.

©2022 David Bentley Hart (P)2022 Tantor

Always interesting & challenging

DBH is one of my favorite authors. I always learn so much from his books. His views on the Trinity in this book are fascinating.

Brilliant and Insightful. Yet Abstruse & Tangential

Huge fan of Hart. This book is loaded with insights related to nature and super nature and the end of the longing of all human desire. It serves as a useful follow up, in my view, to The Experience of God. In fact I would say EG falls short without this. Hart’s perspective fits well with the chapter on “Hope” in CSL’s Mere Christianity. His encounter with other theological ideas or persons (Manualism or Kant or Hegel) comes with the expectation that the reader is well acquainted with the very particular issues addressed by those writers. As if everyone is as well acquainted with O’Regan’s critique as they are of, say, the border issues with Mexico. And one often has to wade through material to get to the point as it relates to the book. Well worth it as the central observations are brilliant. Yet … just sayin’

There is a problem with the audible version. It divides the chapters and times incorrectly. Chapter 5 starts in what Audible tells you is the middle of chapter 4. This is a significant error that I’m surprised audible has not corrected.

The voiceover could have more intonation and pauses. Seems at times too rushed. Not in terms of speaking speed. But in terms of getting through sentence after sentence without proper emphasis of key points or junctures. Decent enough and understandable. But with such heady thoughts and vocabulary needed to enhance the pauses.

A Path for Hope in Faith

I should begin by making the obvious observation that David Bentley Hart’s writing style (and topics) are not for everyone, or perhaps even a minority of people. However, I do not mean this as a criticism, for the depth of insight required for proper explication of such theological inquiries is manifold. However, I did find reading to be more difficult than listening as far as absorption of his vocabulary. Needless to say this is the only book I have ever listened to at a consistent 0.9 speed level, though I am grateful that it has proved to be much more enjoyable.

The way that DBH speaks about God is proper to his name. I have become weary of all the theologians who are still embalmed within the tiresome Aristotelian-Thomist language. At the particular stage in intellectual development that I happen to be in, I have regarded his work with an immense joy for providing me with the kind of concepts that I need. He gives words that are able to supply the intuitions that I have been having. Overall, I am renewed with a hope for Christianity after coming to know his work.

Right up until the political jab

It was at least interesting until the “morally and intellectual competent supporter of Donald Trump” statement and I lost respect for the author. I was not listening to this for his political opinions, but to hopefully expand my knowledge.