Surprisingly, McGrath seems ready to excuse this specific failing, but not Heidegger's general, antidemocratic view of humanity.

Apparently, for the postmodern age, elitism is a graver offense than Nazism.

Likewise, McGrath deeply resents Heidegger's rejection of Christianity, and his later, neo-pagan romanticizing about new divinities. He takes Heidegger's talk of "the gods" literally, and levels his most passionate criticism at it.

A more fruitful reading might have seen Heidegger as a type of Nietzschean poet who wanted to restore a sense of the divine without relying on traditional Christian categories. Metaphor, not analysis, became the philosopher's new tool.

In any case, McGrath helps us appreciate Heidegger's rich, conflicted legacy; his originality and daring; his genuine insight into the question of Being.

Love him or hate him, we can agree on this much: Without Heidegger, 20th-century philosophy and theology would have been much the poorer.

And Being might have stayed forgotten.

¶ 9:24 AM