Addenda
A monthly e-mail newsletter from MARS HILL AUDIO
October 15, 2004 v Number 8
"The history of modern political and social doctrine is, to a large degree, thehistory of Western culture's long, laborious departure from Jewish, classical,and Christian models of freedom, and the history in consequence of theascendancy of the language of "rights" over every otherpossible grammar of the good"--David B. Hart, "The Pornography Culture," The New Atlantis, Summer 2004
New on our desks
Freedom and Decency
"We are free not because we can choose, but only when we have chosen well." So writes orthodox theologian David B. Hart in an article titled "Freedom and Decency" published in the June/July 2004 issue of First Things. Hart, a guest on Volume 67 of the MARS HILL AUDIO Journal, muses about matters of censorship and definitions of freedom in this edifying and lambent article.
Eurabia by 2100?
Historian Bernard Lewis set the course for vigorous political discussion in Europe this fall with an assertion he made in an interview in July published in the Hamburg-based daily paper Die Welt. Lewis, a guest on Volume 59 of the MARS HILL AUDIO Journal, was asked if the European Union could serve as a global counterweight to the United States in the future and he answered that, no, it could not serve as such because it would be a part of the Arabic west by the end of this century.[Read more]
An apology (sort of) for The Beauty of the Infinite
"If I had only known that R. R. Reno thought it was a 'veritable Himalaya of prose,' I might never have even tried to start reading [The Beauty of the Infinite]. Now I'm looking for theological Sherpas to help me up the slope." This sentiment from one of our subscribers (who is by no means an intellectual lightweight), may accurately express what many have felt when attempting to read The Beauty of the Infinite: The Aesthetics of Christian Truth by David Bentley Hart, who was interviewed on Volume 67 (March/April 2004). We concur, and we considered including a disclaimer to our recommendation of this book; it is extremely challenging, even for those well-versed in 20th century philosophy and in the language of technical philosophy. We feel partly responsible for those who forked over $45 for a book that may require a bit more time and effort than expected.
However, help is on the way. R. R. Reno has written a very accessible review of The Beauty of the Infinite for Touchstone magazine. Also, Duke University theologian Geoffrey Wainwright, in his review in First Things, says that "If and when you are ready to devote several days of close study to it, read it and you will be amply rewarded." For those daunted less by effort than by price, a less-expensive paperback version is expected from Eerdmans in mid-November.
Divine Sanction for Talk and Libraries
"We serve a talkative God, who does not even seem to be able to do without a library. In his service, we will be concerned for talk and libraries." This observation by Robert Jensen emphasizes the importance of the Word in the Christian faith, and underscores the validity of the callings of many Christians to academic and journalistic fields.
In an essay entitled "A Calling to Talk and Libraries," originally published on Breakpoint.com, Ken Myers urges the Church to recover the "essential unity of truth (that . . . accounts for the uni- in university)" as she is situated in a relativistic age in which modern habits and prejudices have led many (including some within the Church) to speak of a "multiplicity of truths." Part of this recovery must include "a robust sense of the rich and comprehensive structure of Christian intellectual life."
"A Calling to Talk and Libraries" is available online (HTML). And for Christians in the academy, an excellent resource is the Emerging Scholars Network, a project by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship that seeks to identify, encourage, and support the next generation of Christian scholars. For more information see www.emergingscholars.org.
Upgrades to our Online Resources
One of the services we provide to our subscribers and others is to let people know about new (and old) books and articles that they might not discover on their own. We have recently improved the organization of our Online Resources so that they are better organized and thus more readable and accessible.
Our Topic Index contains information about a variety of print resources as well as a select guide to on-line books and a comprehensive and annotated guide to most of our audio products. When you browse through our Guest Index you might be introduced to some new names among this distinguished company, or you may remember an interview you heard years ago and couldn't quite recall. Our Volume Number Index allows you to browse the contents of those recordings and provides links to more thorough descriptions of individual segments. You may also access these sections from our homepage (www.marshillaudio.org) by clicking on "Browse the Journal" on the left side of the page.
We are adding new material to these sections on an almost daily basis, so if you haven't done so recently, we encourage you to take a look. We would appreciate hearing from you regarding the usability of the pages as well as content suggestions.
Volume 70 (Sept/Oct 2004) in Duplication
Volume 70 (September/October 2004) is currently in the late duplication stage of its existence, and we hope to begin mailing it to current subscribers right around the end of October (although given delivery speed for Standard Class mail, an early November arrival may be more realistic). A preview of this issue is available online.
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