A Multitude Of Hope

The most popular source of theological hope for American Christians is that of Jurgen Moltmann. Preachers, teachers, and lay people reflect Moltmann's influence, with their hope in a this-worldly eschatology and a suffering God. However, an exclusive reliance on that hope deprives the church of crucial resources in the face of global economic, environmental, and military crises. This book explores Moltmannian hope and considers its costs before looking elsewhere for additional contributions, from Thomas Aquinas's theological virtue of hope to nihilism and beyond, in order to encourage the church to sustain and practice hope in Jesus Christ, our only hope.

We all have treasures within. When we explore those treasures, “we offer hope to a dying world.” Treasures of hope will release so many others to share their experiences without guilt, shame or condemnation. Even the soft spoken will begin to allow their stories to burst forth like thunder. In order to become an overcomer, deliverance of some sort has to take place. We have each been given a gift, not a gift of gab, but a gift of the word of our testimony. When we use our testimonies to glorify God we show others that though there will always be “tests” the “monies” are never too far behind. Move outside of yourself and inspire others to live. Come out of bondage to secrecy.

In their international bestseller Empire, Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri presented a grand unified vision of a world in which the old forms of imperialism are no longer effective. But what of Empire in an age of “American empire”? Has fear become our permanent condition and democracy an impossible dream? Such pessimism is profoundly mistaken, the authors argue. Empire, by interconnecting more areas of life, is actually creating the possibility for a new kind of democracy, allowing different groups to form a multitude, with the power to forge a democratic alternative to the present world order.Exhilarating in its optimism and depth of insight, Multitude consolidates Hardt and Negri’s stature as two of the most important political philosophers at work in the world today.

Unlike humans, Lucifer is ineligible for redemption and therefore doomed to eternal hell. Playing on God's sense of fairness, Lucifer appeals to the Archangel Michael for a chance to redeem himself by turning a person he corrupted into a paragon of virtue. Against his own wishes, Michael makes the deal. However, since moral perfection is impossible for anyone, he decrees that Lucifer must attain redemption by seeing that his subject does not break nine of the Ten Commandments politically. The agreement is struck and the target of Lucifer's effort will be the corrupt, wealthy governor of Kentucky, who is gearing up for reelection and is hopelessly paranoid about his opponents. Besides engaging in the usual local corruption, the "Guv" worms his way into a deal to bring riverboat gambling to the state. Lucifer dispatches an imp disguised as a political consultant to infiltrate the campaign and influence the governor toward political righteousness. The imp and the governor's spokeswoman share a romantic attraction, which is also resolved in this rollicking, metaphysical muckraking of Kentucky politics.