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The preposition before , coram in the Latin language, has had a distinguished intellectual history since Luther discovered its importance in Jerome's translation of the Bible. Steven DeLay comes after many theologians and philosophers who have described what man is before God , rather than what he is in a substantial way. His clear and precise book both summarizes a long episode and brings noteworthy precisions.--Jean-Yves Lacoste, Clare Hall, Cambridge In a strikingly original account, Steven DeLay offers a constructive vision of philosophy as religiously implicated. Far from simply being a book about philosophers and theologians, Before God itself stands as an exercise in thinking and living well. Ultimately, whether one offers amens or criticisms in response, DeLay invites us all to rethink our assumptions about God, others, and ourselves.--J. Aaron Simmons, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Furman University

DeLay's account of a life lived before God succeeds in its task of shedding light on the world from the perspective of faith. This is in part because while the existence of God might not be a matter to be settled by description or argument, DeLay does provide a rich phenomenological characterization of what living with a secure faith and trust in God involves. It is a work of immense wisdom, compelling arguments, and rich phenomenological descriptions. It is, finally, a refreshing reminder of what draws most of us to philosophy in the first place: to grapple with ultimate questions of human existence, with clarity of thought and expression, and without methodological evasions.--Walter Hopp, Boston University Phenomenological Reviews Henry David Thoreau once wrote that there are nowadays professors of philosophy, but no philosophers. In this brief claim, Thoreau challenges the hyper-professionalization of a discourse in which far too many scholars write books about what someone else has said, but rarely write books actually saying something worth hearing. Steven DeLay is a striking and exciting counter to this trend. In the very best sense of the term: DeLay is a philosopher in that he is devoted to a life in which he sees his task as in line with Thoreau's description: to love wisdom and to live according to its dictates. In this strikingly original account, he offers a constructive vision of philosophy as religiously implicated. Far from simply being a book about philosophers and theologians, Before God itself stands as an exercise in thinking and living well. Ultimately, whether one offers amens or criticisms in response, DeLay invites us all to rethink our assumptions about God, others, and ourselves.--J. Aaron Simmons, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Furman University The preposition before , coram in the Latin, has had a distinguished intellectual history since Luther discovered its importance in Jerome's translation of the Bible. Steven DeLay comes after many theologians and philosophers who have described what man is before God -- and who have done so because they found it fruitless to speak of man as he is , substantially and before all relation. This clear and precise book summarizes a long episode. An original contribution to philosophy, it also brings noteworthy precisions.--Jean-Yves Lacoste, Clare Hall, Cambridge

"Before God is a richly insightful, frequently opinionated, and sometimes idiosyncratic book well worth the effort. This is philosophically-inspired discussion at the service of spiritual growth, enrichment, and conversion. It is a book I recommend and will very happily return to.--John D O'Connor OP, Blackfriars ""New Blackfriars"" DeLay's account of a life lived before God succeeds in its task of shedding light on the world from the perspective of faith. This is in part because while the existence of God might not be a matter to be settled by description or argument, DeLay does provide a rich phenomenological characterization of what living with a secure faith and trust in God involves. It is a work of immense wisdom, compelling arguments, and rich phenomenological descriptions. It is, finally, a refreshing reminder of what draws most of us to philosophy in the first place: to grapple with ultimate questions of human existence, with clarity of thought and expression, and without methodological evasions.--Walter Hopp, Boston University ""Phenomenological Reviews"" The preposition ""before"", coram in the Latin, has had a distinguished intellectual history since Luther discovered its importance in Jerome's translation of the Bible. Steven DeLay comes after many theologians and philosophers who have described what man is ""before God"" -- and who have done so because they found it fruitless to speak of man as he ""is"", substantially and before all relation. This clear and precise book summarizes a long episode. An original contribution to philosophy, it also brings noteworthy precisions.--Jean-Yves Lacoste, Clare Hall, University of Cambridge Henry David Thoreau once wrote that ""there are nowadays professors of philosophy, but no philosophers."" In this brief claim, Thoreau challenges the hyper-professionalization of a discourse in which far too many scholars write books about what someone else has said, but rarely write books actually saying something worth hearing. Steven DeLay is a striking and exciting counter to this trend. In the very best sense of the term: DeLay is a philosopher in that he is devoted to a life in which he sees his task as in line with Thoreau's description: ""to love wisdom and to live according to its dictates."" In this strikingly original account, he offers a constructive vision of philosophy as religiously implicated. Far from simply being a book ""about"" philosophers and theologians, Before God itself stands as an ""exercise"" in thinking and living well. Ultimately, whether one offers ""amens"" or criticisms in response, DeLay invites us all to rethink our assumptions about God, others, and ourselves.--J. Aaron Simmons, Furman University; author of God and the Other"

Henry David Thoreau once wrote that there are nowadays professors of philosophy, but no philosophers. In this brief claim, Thoreau challenges the hyper-professionalization of a discourse in which far too many scholars write books about what someone else has said, but rarely write books actually saying something worth hearing. Steven DeLay is a striking and exciting counter to this trend. In the very best sense of the term: DeLay is a philosopher in that he is devoted to a life in which he sees his task as in line with Thoreau's description: to love wisdom and to live according to its dictates. In this strikingly original account, he offers a constructive vision of philosophy as religiously implicated. Far from simply being a book about philosophers and theologians, Before God itself stands as an exercise in thinking and living well. Ultimately, whether one offers amens or criticisms in response, DeLay invites us all to rethink our assumptions about God, others, and ourselves.--J. Aaron Simmons, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Furman University The preposition before , coram in the Latin, has had a distinguished intellectual history since Luther discovered its importance in Jerome's translation of the Bible. Steven DeLay comes after many theologians and philosophers who have described what man is before God -- and who have done so because they found it fruitless to speak of man as he is , substantially and before all relation. This clear and precise book summarizes a long episode. An original contribution to philosophy, it also brings noteworthy precisions.--Jean-Yves Lacoste, Clare Hall, Cambridge

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Steven DeLay's main research is in phenomenology. For the 2018-2019 academic year, he will be at Wake Forest University’s Department of Philosophy as a postdoctoral fellow. His first book, 'Phenomenology in France: A Philosophical and Theological Introduction', was published in 2018.

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