I received my copy of David Bentley Hart's dazzling The Beauty of the Infinite yesterday... It begins by setting the question:
'Is the beauty to whose persuasive power the Christian rhetoric of evangelism inevitably appeals, and upon which it depends, theologically defensible?'
That is a great question, and it coincides with some of my interest in describing and defending the power of scripture . It's a good question especially given the eschewal of power rhetorics by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1-3.
Hart closes his book with a chapter entitled 'The Gift of Martyrs', and has this to say:
'...theology has no choice but to cling to its own peculiar practice of persuasion, in order to resist the temptations of power (and in a history governed by sin, these temptations inhabit every moment); Christianity can only return to its understanding of peace, its unique style of rhetoirc, as the sole source of accord; it must always obey the form of Christ, its persuasion must always assume the shape of the gift he is, it must practice its rhetoric under the only aspect it may wear if it is indeed Christian at all: martyrdom'. (p. 441)
This is salutary for evangelists and apologists, isn't it?
4 comments:
I'm glad to hear that you like Hart's book -- I reckon it can't be praised enough.
Well, I have only read snatches of it: he is certainly quotable.
However, he certainly gave Calvin short shrift! And curiously, makes very little of Jonathan Edwards as a theologian of beauty...
But it is interesting how it coincides with some Protestant (esp Reformed) interests, despite being written by an Eastern Orthodox...
Are you going to devour it quickly, or are you willing to wait to read it with me when my Amazon (Ben-inspired) copy comes through in a few weeks?
no, I can wait... but I will be dipping.
it is a dip-worthy book, for sure.
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