The Hope of the Christian

This volume maintains that without hope in eternal life, the future is, ultimately, only death; and death puts into question the meaning of life. An account of Christians' hope explains what they are about as Christians, why it makes sense to them, and how they are to be about it. In describing their hope, Christians proclaim the Gospel anew and let their light shine for others. To understand Christian hope, then, Father Hentz first explores some fundamental topics: the freedom of the human person; the nature of hoping; hope in God; and the goal of Christians' hoping - the promised kingdom of God. He then considers the special problem of talking about eschatology or the "end time", which traditionally addresses the passage through death and resurrection to eternal life, the process of divine judgment, and the common notions of hell and purgatory. After examining these topics, Father Hentz turns to an issue most critical to Christian hoping: how hope in eternal life relates to the challenges faced now.