Summary

Exposes bait-and-switch between Folk God (supernatural agent) and Philosophers’ God (Being/Consciousness/Bliss itself). New Atheists demolished Folk God (what believers actually worship); David Bentley Hart defends Philosophers’ God (metaphysical abstraction). Shell game: Hart claims they’re same God, but they’re not. Believers pray to supernatural person; Hart baptizes this into metaphysics without consent. Critique: New Atheists aimed too low (village idol), Hart aims too high (academy abstraction). Alternative: Measure, Vantage, Phosphorism captures what Hart wants (being, consciousness, value) without divinity. Metaphysics without mystification, agency without superstition.

Key Concepts

  • Folk God vs Philosophers’ God – Supernatural agent vs metaphysical abstraction
  • Theological sleight-of-hand – Defending different God than believers worship
  • Measure-Vantage-Phosphorism triad – Secular framework for being/mind/value
  • Two missed targets – Atheists too low, theologians too high

Tags

theology, atheism, david-bentley-hart, metaphysics, phosphorism, measure, vantage

Cross-References