Hope in Troubled Times: A New Vision for Confronting Global Crises

"The real struggle of our time is the choice between cynicism and hope. Hope in Troubled Times argues persuasively that the power and possibility of biblical hope offers a resolution to the problems of combating terrorism, global poverty, and environmental degradation."--Jim Wallis, author, God's Politics; editor-in-chief, Sojourners "Hope in Troubled Times pulls off the difficult feat of communicating, in a gracious and non-judgmental way, the dire straits in which our society finds itself today. Others have used the concept of idolatry as a category of social critique; no one has ever used it with such biblically-informed power and specificity. The analysis is sobering; no punches are pulled. But the ultimate context is hope, not despair. It's a remarkable achievement."--Nicholas Wolterstorff, Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology, Yale Divinity School "The authors' analysis of the global situation aims to go to the depth of real problems. Only by facing up to reality--to our own idolatries and degradations--is it possible to find a way of life that builds hope and leads to hopeful building. The book is as profound as it is illuminating."--James W. Skillen, president, Center for Public Justice, Washington, DC "Hope in Troubled Times provides the kind of hope that can only come from seeing the darkness more clearly. It is a hope energized by the intellectual excitement of original insights into the nature of the ideologies and idols that hold us captive, and the possibilities for setting the captives free."--The Honourable Bill Blaikie, MP, Deputy Speaker, Dean of the House of Commons, Canada "If you are looking for intelligent voices speaking from a deeply rooted and thoughtful Christian perspective--voices that provide a fresh and constructive alternative to the Religious Right--here they are. They awakened hope in me, but only after awakening a profound sense of alarm. Here is perceptive social diagnosis and wise prescription, thoroughly researched and broadly accessible."--Brian McLaren, author, lecturer, activist (anewkindofchristian.com) "Masterfully done. In a society that increasingly replaces a sense of the sacred with the deadly lure of materialism and violence, our communities need desperately to hear the message of this book: that there are genuine, life-affirming alternatives to the destructive path we are now on."--John M. Perkins, president, John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation and Development