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In an era defined by technological ambition and spiritual questioning, Return to Babylon: From Adam to Antichrist presents a rigorous study at the intersection of Intellectual History and Religious Studies. David Patrick Harry, PhD, offers a critical examination of modern transhumanism through the lens of Eastern Orthodox theology, revealing how attempts at technological self-deification draw upon deep historical and metaphysical currents within Christian thought. The book contrasts these developments with the premodern Christian vision of theosis-a transformative participation in divine life through union with the Logos, Jesus Christ.
Western civilization now faces two competing postsecular narratives: the rationalist, technological ambitions of transhumanism and the mystical, grace-centered theology of Orthodox Christianity. Harry traces these paths through their philosophical, theological, and historical foundations. He analyzes transhumanism's functionalist anthropology, materialist epistemology, and postgenderist ethics alongside the Orthodox understanding of embodied human divinization. Orthodox thought perceives transhumanism not only as a modern Tower of Babel but also as a potential stage-set for the Antichrist, attempting to supplant divine grace with technological apotheosis.
The book examines the eschatological imagination of transhumanist thought, from the pursuit of the Singularity to the conception of an AI god. These ambitions are framed as a profound challenge to spiritual and moral order. By juxtaposing this vision with Orthodox theosis, Return to Babylon demonstrates how Christian anthropology offers a counter-narrative that safeguards personhood, free will, and communion with the divine.
This work advances contemporary debates in theology, philosophy, and intellectual history. It illuminates the tension between human ingenuity and spiritual transcendence and shows how transhumanist presuppositions are rooted in centuries of Christian thought. Scholars, theologians, and reflective readers are challenged to confront a pressing question: can humanity achieve true deification through technology, or is divine grace the only path to authentic transformation?
