I have often said of Dietrich von Hildebrand that he was not only a professor but a confessor. That is, he lived out his philosophy and gave witness to his Christian faith through his extraordinary life.

I had the great privilege to know Dietrich von Hildebrand as a teacher and a friend, and together with his widow Alice von Hildebrand, my son John Henry Crosby, and many other friends, colleagues, and students along the way, we have founded the Hildebrand Project to carry on his legacy.

There is, of course, no substitute for personal connection, but there is something very special nonetheless about being able to take part in living tradition—and that is what we hope to do here at the Hildebrand Project.

In the words of the composer Gustav Mahler, “Tradition is not the spreading of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”

We invite you to receive and to share the torch of the Christian faith, philosophy, and witness of Dietrich von Hildebrand.

To that end, my colleagues at the Hildebrand Project have prepared a short course on Hildebrand’s life. It is a wonderful introduction to his life and to various themes in his philosophical and religious works. I hope you will enjoy it.

Welcome to the Hildebrand Project.