Great post Matt. Thought provoking and comforting at once. Yes, our hope is from outside rather than projecting forward from other past positive experiences. It also is firmly grounded in reality that begins with the resurrection of Christ that really happened and essentially changed EVERYTHING for humanity going forward, at least for believers.
Thank you so much for reading, Chuck. I appreciate your line about Jesus' resurrection: "essentially changed EVERYTHING for humanity going forward." Yes, I could not agree more.
In retrospect, I should not have added the phrase “at least for believers” because he changed everything for everybody and offered the most important choice a person can make!
Wonderful distinction between adventus and futurum. The Eagleton framing of optimism as temperamental helps clarify why hope feels differnet when grounded theologically. I actually think this maps well onto how people navigate uncertainty in non-religious contexts too, where externally-grounded convictions end up being more durable than internal positivity. The emptytomb as source rather than projection is a powerful re-orientation.
Thank you for interacting with the post. I appreciate the comment you offered on non-religious contexts as well. That difference between internal positivity and something that has external grounding is powerful for rooting our hope beyond mere feelings, however they are generated.
Great post Matt. Thought provoking and comforting at once. Yes, our hope is from outside rather than projecting forward from other past positive experiences. It also is firmly grounded in reality that begins with the resurrection of Christ that really happened and essentially changed EVERYTHING for humanity going forward, at least for believers.
Thank you so much for reading, Chuck. I appreciate your line about Jesus' resurrection: "essentially changed EVERYTHING for humanity going forward." Yes, I could not agree more.
In retrospect, I should not have added the phrase “at least for believers” because he changed everything for everybody and offered the most important choice a person can make!
Wonderful distinction between adventus and futurum. The Eagleton framing of optimism as temperamental helps clarify why hope feels differnet when grounded theologically. I actually think this maps well onto how people navigate uncertainty in non-religious contexts too, where externally-grounded convictions end up being more durable than internal positivity. The emptytomb as source rather than projection is a powerful re-orientation.
Thank you for interacting with the post. I appreciate the comment you offered on non-religious contexts as well. That difference between internal positivity and something that has external grounding is powerful for rooting our hope beyond mere feelings, however they are generated.