Theology Of Hope

Causing a considerable stir when it was first published in Germany in 1965, "Theology of Hope" represents a comprehensive statement of the importance for theology of eschatology - and of an eschatological theology which emphasizes the revolutionary effect of Christian hope upon the thought, institutions and conditions of life in the here and now. Jürgen Moltmann understands Christian faith essentially as hope for the future of humankind and creation as this has been promised by the God of the exodus and the resurrection of the crucified Jesus. God's promise is the compulsory force of history, awakening hope which keeps human beings unreconciled to present experience, sets them in contradistinction to prevailing natural and social powers, and makes the church the source of continual new impulses towards, in Moltmann's own words, "the realization of righteousness, freedom and humanity in the light of the promised future that is to come". This new expanded edition of a theological classic includes his 2020 Charles Gore lecture ‘A Theology of Hope for the 21st Century’, in which he offers a powerful reflection on the nature of hope in our current times.

The following efforts bear the title Theology of Hope, not because they set out once again to present eschatology as a separate doctrine and to compete with the well known textbooks. Rather, their aim is to show how theology can set out from hope and begin to consider its theme in an eschatological light. For this reason they inquire into the ground of the hope of Christian faith and into the responsible exercise of this hope in thought and action in the world today. The various critical discussions should not be understood as rejections and condemnations. They are necessary conversations on a common subject which is so rich that it demands continual new approaches.

For a time of peril, world-renowned theologian Jürgen Moltmann offers an ethical framework for the future. Moltmann has shown how hope in the future decisively reconfigures the present and shapes our understanding of central Christian convictions, from creation to New Creation.

Profound reflection on lament and hope arising out of Africa's immense suffering There is no more urgent theological task than to provide an account of hope in Africa, given its endless cycles of violence, war, poverty, and displacement. So claims Emmanuel Katongole, a recognized, innovative theological voice from Africa. In the midst of suffering, Katongole says, hope takes the form of "arguing" and "wrestling" with God. Suchlamentis not merely a cry of pain it is a way of mourning, protesting, and appealing to God. As he unpacks the rich theological and social dimensions of the practice of lament in Africa, Katongole tells the stories of courageous Christian activists working for change in East Africa and invites readers to enter into lament along with them."

Culture is a continuing, forward process-the gradual unveiling of truth as life. But often we get ensnarled. We can only imagine culture as a war, a gritty ideological and religious struggle where every arena is bloody with strife: art, philosophy, cuisine, music, literature, science. But at its foundation, culture is about building, not conflict. The time has come for us to beat our swords into plowshares. By realizing the Bible's vision for a cultivated earth, we can build a more comprehensive, radical, holistic culture, resistant to compromise and dedicated to a Trinitarian aesthetic. What does this culture look like? It is the development of the earth into a global fabric of gardens and cities in harmony with nature-a glorious garden-city. Plowing in Hope provides a positive, clear, and colorful introduction to this transformational topic. "David Hegeman's approach is refreshingly different. He maps out a positive theology of culture building rooted in Creation and extending into the New Jerusalem. His wonderful little book, based on sound Biblical exegesis, presents a compelling case for why and how we should build a culture that magnifies God and ennobles men." -David Ayers, Grove City College, Pennsylvania

In this provocative study, Dr Moltmann develops his interest in political theology with particular reference to the questions of liberation, joy and the glory of God. How, he asks, can we laugh and rejoice when there are still so many tears to be wiped away and when new tears are being added every day? He cites the recent musical Fiddler on the Roof. Are the Jewish congregation here singing just to forget, or is there really such a thing as freedom in the midst of slavery, joy in the midst of suffering ? The rest of his extended essay investigates the possibility that in playing we can anticipate our liberation and with laughter rid ourselves of the bonds which alienate us from real life. David Jenkins, who writes an extended introduction and comment, takes up two points from Dr Moltmann's work. Moltmann argues that instead of using God to enjoy the world, men can now use the world to enjoy God. Furthermore, this development liberates the concept of 'God' to become what it really is, free and sovereign, instead of an idea enmeshed in our own plans and purposes.

Famous theologian Jrgen Moltmann returns here to the theme that he so powerfully addressed in his groundbreaking work, Theology of Hope. In the twenty-first century, he tells us, hope is challenged by ideologies and global trends that would deny hope and even life itself. Terrorist violence, social and economic inequality, and most especially the looming crisis of climate change all contribute to a cultural moment of profound despair. Moltmann reminds us that Christian faith has much to say in response to a despairing world. In the eternal yes of the living God, we affirm the goodness and ongoing purpose of our fragile humanity. Likewise, Gods love empowers us to love life and resist a culture of death. The books two sections equally promote these affirmations, yet in different ways. The first section looks at the challenges to hope in our current world, most especially the environmental crisis. It argues that Christian faithand indeed all the worlds religionsmust orient themselves toward the wholeness of the human family and the physical environment necessary to that wholeness. The second section draws on resources from the early church, the Reformation, and the contemporary theological conversation to undergird efforts to address the deficit of hope he describes in the first section.