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In the article by David B. Hart, he speaks of the First Commandment
as a “call to arms”, and says that it is against modern
philosophy/culture “that spiritual warfare (today) is principally
to be waged”. What tactics does he suggest we employ in this
battle? Does he give reasons why these tactics are the best for
the situation? (If so, what are they?) Do you agree that they are
the best? What other tactics might you suggest? Can you guess
at some of the reasons Hart might reject your suggestions?
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What definition of “nihilism” is David B. Hart employing?
Why does he think that, “by comparison to the burden the First
Commandment lays upon us today, the defeat of the ancient pantheon
... will prove to have been sublimely easy”?
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There are a couple of places in the Hart article where he admits
he oversimplifies (“Scandalously to oversimplify his argument,
it is, says Heidegger, ...”) or employs extreme arguments
(“These are, I admit, extreme formulations ... I may delight in
provocation ...”). To what purpose is he employing these
devices? Is it appropriate?
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David B. Hart laments “the withdrawal of Christian culture”
as a “failure ... to live up to its victory over the old gods.”
Yet, on the surface of it, he seems to advocate withdrawal from
a society that he calls “culturally worthless, and spiritually
depraved.” Do you think my use of the word “withdrawal”
to characterize his prescription a fair one? Is there room for taking
his suggestion and still engaging the culture around us? Could
Christians act, on an individual level, as he prescribes and yet
bring about the advancement of Christian culture?
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One “controversy” (perhaps reignited in the public eye
most recently by the book “The Da Vinci Code”) about the
Christian religion for some, both within the Faith and outside it,
is its assimilation of pagan practices: the date set for Christ's
birthday was a pagan holiday, the use of the “fish symbol”,
etc. Why, according to Hart, have such adoptions been entirely
appropriate? Do you agree? Can you think of recent “adoptions”
into Christian practice?
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Expound upon the two concepts of “sacrifice” that Hart
says “clash” at the cross of Christ.
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