Hart Rejects Atheism for Jesus' Compelling Light

TL;DR

Peter Wehner interviews Eastern Orthodox theologian David Bentley Hart on faith, Jesus, and critiques of atheism.
Hart rejects atheism due to unanswerable philosophical arguments and finds Jesus infinitely compelling as a historical and eternal light.
The piece explores tensions in Christian history over God's nature and Hart's defense of universalism against eternal torment.

The story at a glance

Peter Wehner, a contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, conducts a guest essay interview with David Bentley Hart, an Eastern Orthodox scholar, philosopher, and author of over 30 books. Hart explains his rejection of atheism, his fascination with Jesus, and views on theodicy, universalism, and the church's moral legacy. The article appears now as part of Wehner's series engaging leading theologians on belief amid cultural debates over religion.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/opinion/jesus-christianity-atheism.html)[[2]](https://davidbentleyhart.substack.com/p/a-link-695)

Key points

Hart states: "The reason I’m not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable."[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/opinion/jesus-christianity-atheism.html)
Jesus captivates Hart as "a light that’s both historical and eternal," infinitely compelling despite his initially secular background.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/opinion/jesus-christianity-atheism.html)
Christian history involves a "constant struggle between two fundamentally irreconcilable pictures of God," one aligned with Christ's revelation and another more punitive.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/opinion/jesus-christianity-atheism.html)
Hart argues the Bible does not teach eternal conscious torment and supports universalism, where all are ultimately saved.
He addresses suffering and evil (theodicy), rejecting portrayals of God as morally inferior to humans.
The early church brought an "epochal transformation of moral categories," emphasizing care for the poor and marginalized.
Hart feels a "burning sense of obligation" to those Jesus loved, while critiquing the church's historical evils alongside its goods.

Details and context

The interview fits Wehner's pattern of dialogues with theologians like Rowan Williams and N.T. Wright, probing faith's intellectual foundations.[[3]](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/08/opinion/jesus-faith-god-compassion.html) Hart, once "thoroughly secular," credits philosophical critiques of physicalism—mind cannot reduce to matter—and Jesus' moral demands for his turn to Orthodoxy.

Hart's positions draw from his books like That All Shall Be Saved (universalism) and Atheist Delusions (Christianity's cultural impact). He notes physicalism's flaws in science, allowing openness to transcendence.

Beauty and faith intertwine for Hart; Jesus' character evokes awe. The church's dual legacy—as source of radiant and monstrous God-images—demands constant reform.

Key quotes

"The reason I’m not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable." – David Bentley Hart, to Peter Wehner.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/opinion/jesus-christianity-atheism.html)
"Christian history has been a constant struggle between two fundamentally irreconcilable pictures of God." – David Bentley Hart.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/opinion/jesus-christianity-atheism.html)

Why it matters

Hart's arguments challenge reductive atheism and punitive Christian views, reframing God as infinite love amid rising secularism and religious polarization. Readers grappling with doubt may find philosophical tools to reconsider faith; believers, a call to Jesus' radical ethics over institutional dogma. Watch Hart's influence in theology debates and Wehner's series for more on universalism's reception, though denominational pushback remains likely.