Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and its Fashionable Enemies, by David Bently Hart. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009
Review by Martha Brundage, 2015
In his book, Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and its Fashionable Enemies, David Bentley Hart responds to writings of popular atheists such as Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, and Richard Dawkins with an account of the history of Christianity and the ways in which it revolutionized all aspects of Western culture. Hart discusses the introduction of Christianity into pagan society as a revolution that “[transformed] thought, sensibility, culture, morality, and spiritual imagination,” particularly regarding society's understanding of personhood and charity as the highest moral principle (xi). Hart's defense of historical Christianity against certain popular objections is balanced by his critique of “modernity.” Supporting both of these projects is Hart's understanding of the concept of freedom and how its definition has changed throughout history. While he will focus primarily on historical exegesis throughout the book, the discussion of freedom and subsequent argument regarding personhood are arguably the most important part of the book.
Hart's book is divided into four parts. In part 1, Hart considers the current state of the atheist and anti-Christian debates, identifying some of their shared assumptions and arguments. Hart uses flashy rhetoric to match the style of the popular atheists, but balances such writing with well-researched, academic arguments in a way that is often absent in the work of his opponents. In chapter 2, Hart begins to outline his argument regarding freedom. The person who is truly “modern” believes “in nothingness as such,” or in other words is a nihilist (21). This belief stems from the primacy of the will in the modern definition of freedom. Freedom formerly meant recognizing “one's proper ‘essence,’” or one's ultimate concern and purpose such that “we are free not merely because we can choose, but only when we have chosen well” (24-25). According to the “modern” definition, humans are free only insofar as their wills can choose.
In part 2, Hart articulates and argues against the warped view of Christian history that modern ideology embraces. Ideas such as human rights, economic justice, social justice, providing for the impoverished, legal equality, and basic human dignity all stem from the influence of Christianity, not paganism. Hart reminds his readers that religious persecution began under pagans. He does not dismiss the imperfect behavior of some Christians, but instead notes, “as for the failure of many of the Christians of the time to transcend their circumstances, it is enough to observe that it is easier to baptize a culture than to change it” (44). While some books may have been destroyed, it was primarily because of church monasteries that Hellenistic intellectual, aesthetic, and spiritual writings were drawn into Christian metaphysics, theology, ethics, and art. Pagan culture, Hart argues, was already declining when Christianity began to flower. In addition, much of the later violence such as the Spanish Inquisition and Habsburg wars that popular atheists reference, originated with the Crown or State, not the church. Churches were often invoked or forced to participate in these affairs, but the primary interests and forces at play were the political states. It is important in this section to note the difference between Christianity and Christendom. Sometimes the two coincide, but often they are separate entities. In the last chapter of part 2, Hart returns to his discussion of freedom, contrasting it with the materialism of the popular atheists. Modernity's idea of freedom has overturned divine law and natural law in pursuit of the will. It is impossible to think anymore that everyone will agree on moral truth, but instead, modernity attempts to improve humanity as it rejects the Christian notion of freedom.
In part 3, Hart outlines early church history as the Roman Empire slowly converted to the Christian faith. He describes the Christian worldview in contradistinction to the pagan worldview. Christianity proclaimed salvation like ancient mystery religions, but “it was obliged to proclaim, far more radically than any other ancient system of thought, the incorruptible goodness of the world, the original and ultimate beauty of all things, inasmuch as it understood this world to be the direct creation of the omnipotent God of love” (144). With Christianity came a new, profound understanding of the dignity of the human person, and with it the principle of charity. These ideas were completely subversive at the time, but served to launch Christianity as a true revolution, or one “that first [converts] minds and wills” (183). The Christian worldview permeated the world, until finally with the emperor Theodosius, the state bowed to the power of the church. In this way, the values and principles of the church became the generally accepted worldview of Western civilization. This worldview was molded and shaped by theological discussions of Christian doctrine. The dignity of the human person, divine transcendence, and created goodness are grounded in both the doctrine of the Trinity and in Christology.
In part 3, Hart outlines early church history as the Roman Empire slowly converted to the Christian faith. He describes the Christian worldview in contradistinction to the pagan worldview. Christianity proclaimed salvation like ancient mystery religions, but “it was obliged to proclaim, far more radically than any other ancient system of thought, the incorruptible goodness of the world, the original and ultimate beauty of all things, inasmuch as it understood this world to be the direct creation of the omnipotent God of love” (144). With Christianity came a new, profound understanding of the dignity of the human person, and with it the principle of charity. These ideas were completely subversive at the time, but served to launch Christianity as a true revolution, or one “that first [converts] minds and wills” (183). The Christian worldview permeated the world, until finally with the emperor Theodosius, the state bowed to the power of the church. In this way, the values and principles of the church became the generally accepted worldview of Western civilization. This worldview was molded and shaped by theological discussions of Christian doctrine. The dignity of the human person, divine transcendence, and created goodness are grounded in both the doctrine of the Trinity and in Christology.
In part 4, Hart considers the contemporary consequences of Christendom's decline. He finds materialism “almost certainly logically impossible,” and in the wars and violence of the 20th century sees no evidence that a materialistic society will be any more just and humane than a Christian-influenced society. Hart believes that temporal powers will be violent whether or not they are religious. Ultimately, “something dangerously novel entered our culture when we began to believe that the proper end of the will might simply be willing as such” (226-227). This opened the door to believing that some races and people are better than others. If Christianity entirely fades from our culture, Hart believes that it could be replaced with nihilism, “mere banality,” “monstrosity,” or “fundamentalism” (230-231). The problem with this modernity is that people believe they are progressing to be more rational and ethical, while in fact their highest ideals are borrowed from Christianity.
Throughout this book Hart is honest about his prejudices and actively tries to present both sides of arguments. While he could perhaps be more nuanced at times, his project of responding to the modern atheists does not always allow for the space necessary for such work. Although he seems to become melancholy toward the end of the book as he considers the future of Christianity, he finds hope in the precedent of the desert fathers. Hart's book is a wonderful response to the popular atheists. He combines flashy rhetoric with academic depth and an eye for truth in scholarship. His description of the revolutionary character of Christianity in history is inspiring and reason enough to read this book. The warped view of history is so pervasive in society today and Hart provides such a thorough rebuttal, that it is essential reading for a modern understanding of both history and the origin of Judeo-Christian ideals. In particular, Hart's important explanation of the change in the definition of freedom is accurate, clear, concise, and therefore quite powerful.