Kevin Hart: Phenomenology & the Crisis of Attention

Homebrewed Christianity

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6 • 612 Ratings

🗓️ 4 April 2025

⏱️ 79 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this thought-provoking episode, I am joined by theologian and philosopher Kevin Hart to discuss the nature of contemplation in both religious and secular contexts. Hart traces the historical origins of contemplation from ancient Rome and Greece through Christian traditions, distinguishing it from meditation and contrasting it with our modern culture of fascination. He draws on phenomenology, particularly Husserl's work, to explain how contemplation offers a way to move beyond the limiting "natural attitude" to experience reality more fully. Hart discusses how poetry, particularly that of Gerard Manley Hopkins, exemplifies contemplative engagement with the world, and explores how Jesus' parables invite a shift from worldly preoccupations to an intimate relationship with God. Throughout the conversation, Hart warns about the dangers of our technology-driven "culture of fascination" that traps our attention and leads to emptiness, while offering practical guidance on contemplative reading through practices like Lectio Divina that might help modern people recover a more enriching way of engaging with texts, the world, and the divine. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Dr. Kevin Hart is Jo Rae Wright University Distinguished Professor in the Divinity School. He is a philosopher, phenomenologist, and theologian. His academic work spans the intersection of philosophy, literature, and theology, with particular emphasis on religious experience, contemplation, and phenomenology. Hart is known for his significant contributions to understanding both religious and secular forms of contemplation, drawing on thinkers like Edmund Husserl while engaging deeply with Christian contemplative traditions. If you are new to Dr. Hart’s work, check out Contemplation: The Movements of the Soul, Lands of Likeness: For a Poetics of Contemplation, and Poetry and Revelation: For a Phenomenology of Religious Poetry. Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. ONLINE CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Many Faces of Christ Today The question Jesus asked his disciples still resonates today: "Who do you say that I am?" Join our transformative 5-week online learning community as we explore a rich tapestry of contemporary Christologies. Experience how diverse theological voices create a compelling vision of Jesus Christ for today's world. Expand your spiritual horizons. Challenge your assumptions. Enrich your faith. As always, the class is donation-based (including 0), so head over to ManyFacesOfChrist.com for more details and to sign up! _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	What is up theology nerds? This is Tripp. And today on the podcast is a philosopher, phenomenologist, a theologian from Duke University, brand new at Duke. But nonetheless, he's there. Kevin Hart. We're going to be talking about a number of his
0:23.1	recent books looking at contemplation, the nature of prayer and practice, his Gifford lectures.
0:29.5	Anyway, it's a wonderful conversation. I've been a long time reader, first time podcast
0:35.8	interviewer, but Dr. Hart was great to talk to. We get to talk about
0:41.3	hustle-rule. We get to talk about the contemplative tradition. And really, here's the thing I was
0:47.9	struck by is as we look at the nature of the contemplative tradition, both in its religious and
0:53.9	secular forms, the kind
0:55.9	of way it orientes our thinking and reflecting and experiencing in the world, it's rather striking
1:01.5	just how fascinated we've become by our devices, by the kind of immediate, intrinsic,
1:10.3	instinctual seizure of our attention, rather than the kind of
1:15.6	contemplation that takes place, both in prayer, but also in that kind of contemplative orientation
1:22.3	to the world. What's being sabotage or undermined by our fascination with the fascination.
1:30.2	And towards the end of this conversation, we picked that up.
1:34.1	It was a really powerful theme reading the book.
1:36.6	It's got me thinking personally.
1:39.1	And, you know, I'm just saying, I'm giving you the lure.
1:42.6	You don't want to miss the payoff of some phenomenology because, yeah, it had me thinking for days.
1:50.3	Anyway, thank you, Dr. Hart for coming on the podcast, and I'll look forward to the next time we get to chat.
1:58.5	But y'all don't know why yet.
2:00.6	Here it goes. You can listen.
2:09.8	Hello, everyone. This is Tripp and for the first time on the podcast, Kevin Hart, who has just
2:16.8	recently arrived to Duke University at the
	...

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