Light in the Darkness: Exploring the Path of Christian Hope

Light in the Darkness explores the nature of Christian hope for the modern world. In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus invites his disciples to pray for the Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. What does it mean for society and individuals? Peter Sills shows that Christian hope is not merely a hope for the life to come, but also for the life here and now.

In the Advent Antiphons, the ancient praises of Jesus that mark the seven days before Christmas Eve, seven basic hopes are expressed: for truth, justice, freedom, a new beginning, enlightenment, peace, and love. Peter Sills reflects on how, with each of the seven hopes, Christian faith offers a deeper and more insightful understanding than secular approaches. The fulfilment of hope requires a change of heart, a new spirit, and this is explored through some challenging issues, particularly about the way economic ideas, our individualistic culture, and the legacy of the Enlightenment shape hope in the modern world. The book offers a considered Christian response that unites the personal and the political.

A global pandemic and a lockdown radically affecting every aspect of life as we have known it offer considerable challenges to our understanding of the virtue of hope. Peter Sills’ Light in the Darkness: Exploring the Path of Christian Hope could not be more apposite in its exploration of Christian hope as a practice shaping personal and societal living. A demanding yet fulfilling read, it provokes reflection on biblical and liturgical texts and offers powerful perspectives on the “new normal”.

Gemma Simmonds, The Tablet

An excellent study; insightful, scholarly, sensible and written in a style that is a joy to read. Erudite and full of wisdom, the connections it makes between scripture and today’s world offer much for careful reflection.

The Rt Revd Dr Laurie Green, former Bishop of Bradwell

A real achievement. Written with a relaxed ease, it is a delight to read. I warmed to the way that the themes are teased out with an impressive range of theological, economic, biblical and literary reference. This is a book for Christians to get their teeth into with out feeling hampered by a lack of theological or biblical education.

Dr Bridget Nichols, Church of Ireland Theological Institute

This thoughtful and challenging book is a treasure trove. Hope is central to the Christian faith and these meditations on it contain much to nourish that hope. It deserves to be widely read.

The Rt Revd Dr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester

These thoughtful and prayerful reflections offer an admirable way of reflecting on the place of faith and hope in today’s world.

The Revd Canon Prof. Robin Gill

Challenging and worthwhile for personal reading and reflection during Advent.

Michael Foster, Transforming Ministry