Ethics of Hope

by Jürgen Moltmann

For a time of peril, world-renowned theologian Jrgen Moltmann offers an ethical framework for the future. Long distinguished as the architect of political theology and father of the theology of hope, 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. Now, in an era of unprecedented scientific advances alongside unparalleled global dangers, Moltmann has formulated his long-awaited Ethics of Hope . Building on his conviction that Christian existence and social matters are inextricably tied together in the political sphere, Moltmann unfolds his ethics in light of eschatology, clearly distinguishing it from prior and competing visions of Christian ethics. He then specifies his vision with an ethic of life (against the dominant ethic of death), an ethic of earth (against todays utilitarian ethic), and an ethic of justice (against todays social injustice and global conflicts). In the process, he applies this framework to concrete issues of medical ethics, ecological ethics, and just-war ethics. A creative and programmatic work, Ethics of Hope is a realistic assessment of the human prospect, as well as its imperatives, from one who stakes everything on Gods promise to rescue life from the jaws of death.

Genres: Theology, Christianity, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Jürgen Moltmann is a German Reformed theologian. He is the 2000 recipient of the Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion.

Moltmann's Theology of Hope is a theological perspective with an eschatological foundation and focuses on the hope that the resurrection brings. Through faith we are bound to Christ, and as such have the hope of the resurrected Christ ("Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3, NIV)), and knowledge of his return. For Moltmann, the hope of the Christian faith is hope in the resurrection of Christ crucified. Hope and faith depend on each other to remain true and substantial; and only with both may one find "not only a consolation in suffering, but also the protest of the divine promise against suffering."

However, because of this hope we hold, we may never exist harmoniously in a society such as ours which is based on sin. When following the Theology of Hope, a Christian should find hope in the future but also experience much discontentment with the way the world is now, corrupt and full of sin. Sin bases itself in hopelessness, which can take on two forms: presumption and despair. "Presumption is a premature, selfwilled anticipation of the fulfillment of what we hope for from God. Despair is the premature, arbitrary anticipation of the non-fulfillment of what we hope for from God."

In Moltmann's opinion, all should be seen from an eschatological perspective, looking toward the days when Christ will make all things new. "A proper theology would therefore have to be constructed in the light of its future goal. Eschatology should not be its end, but its beginning." This does not, as many fear, 'remove happiness from the present' by focusing all ones attention toward the hope for Christ's return. Moltmann addresses this concern as such: "Does this hope cheat man of the happiness of the present? How could it do so! For it is itself the happiness of the present." The importance of the current times is necessary for the Theology of Hope because it brings the future events to the here and now. This theological perspective of eschatology makes the hope of the future, the hope of today.

Hope strengthens faith and aids a believer into living a life of love, and directing them toward a new creation of all things. It creates in a believer a "passion for the possible" "For our knowledge and comprehension of reality, and our reflections on it, that means at least this: that in the medium of hope our theological concepts become not judgments which nail reality down to what it is, but anticipations which show reality its prospects and its future possibilities." This passion is one that is centered around the hope of the resurrected and the returning Christ, creating a change within a believer and drives the change that a believer seeks make on the world.

For Moltmann, creation and eschatology depend on one another. There exists an ongoing process of creation, continuing creation, alongside creation ex nihilo and the consummation of creation. The consummation of creation will consist of the eschatological transformation of this creation into the new creation. The apocalypse will include the purging of sin from our finite world so that a transformed humanity can participate in the new creation.

Reviews

[David Gregg]

The final in Moltmann's trilogy spanning forty-five years: commencing with "Theology of Hope" and continuing with "The Crucified God".

[Jason Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

In my opinion, Professor Moltmann is at his best when he is exploring the Trinity with profound statements that lead readers to value relationships with the Divine, and with each other, more deeply. This book does not represent Moltmann at his best. I was strategically written to the non-academic reader, but the absence of reasoned justification for the positions he takes in this book is noteworthy. Just when he is starting to make a significant claim, and you hope to see how he came to the conclusion, he moves on to another subject. I'm a fan of footnotes, but I can bear up with endnotes when an author entertains their claims more thoroughly in the text. So, even though Moltmann does have some footnotes that delve more deeply into his strong positions, they are not adequate. The book feels more like a propaganda piece than a layman's version of a scholarly work. A good example of what this book could have been (in terms of a non-academic version of a significant scholarly work) is representative in James K. A. Smith's book, You Are What You Love. Moltmann results more often to unfounded opinions about sociopolitical conditions that he believes exist in the world, and how his view of theology and hope addresses the issues. I was disappointed. If you are looking for a more engaging and founded survey on Christian ethics, Patrick Nullens The Matrix of Christian Ethics would be a better pick.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moltmann's "Ethics.." summarizes where he thinks the world is headed, based on Christian faith. Is there a goal for the universe, and what does it require of us? How dies one decide what is the right thing to do?
Father of the political theology of hope, he addresses the theory of evolution, ecological sciences, human rights, and global peace-- huge topics, but in a very relatable form.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is all good stuff. I see this book as an appendix to his other systematic contributions, as I don't think I encountered anything particularly new.

[Revpez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not JM's greatest work, but engaging in all the issues covered. More an introduction to some of the social - political - ethical corollaries of his systematics of hope.

[Garhett Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant book on the ethics of life, eschatology, medicine, and Capitalsim. He even makes a case for the Sabbath.

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who has read a massive amount of Moltmann, I found the book to be a bit uneven.

It has a number of strengths: first it does a fair job of introducing the new reader to Moltmannian themes. The reader intimately familiar with Moltmann's major works, especially The Theology of Hope through The Coming of God will recognize much of the underlying material here. Second, Moltmann makes even more explicit some of the implicit points of discussion in the realms of anthropology, the environment, and politics. In many regards, this book takes an almost Barthian turn where Moltmann lays out his theological contributions and only then addresses the ethic it involved. Third, one cannot but be moved by the passion in which Moltmann writes. Two facts continually emerge: he loves God and he loves the creation. Consequently, this book is continually sides on God for the glory of God and the creation for the glory of God's creation.

Yet, it has a number of weaknesses as well. These weaknesses correspond with its strengths. First, Moltmann is often a novel thinker. Those unfamiliar with his works will be forced to accept complex theological maneuvers with little explanation. Their foreigner status might offend the new reader. Second, the reader is left either agreeing with Moltmann or not. This may be unavoidable, but Moltmann often leaves a "take my opinion on this, I've thought much about it." Consequently, there is much too much "I have this viewpoint on X, you should too." This probably is due to the only superficial treatment Moltmann is able to devout to the foundation of his arguments.

[Kev · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most recent volume from Moltmann (and probably his last). This is the book he wanted to write in the 60s but had to put off for a (very) long time. Due to the dramatic advances in science and technology over the past 50 years, it is fortunate that he waited such a long time to write it.

Moltmann takes the main theme of his oeuvres - the importance of eschatological thinking to Christian theology due to the resurrection of Christ - and develops the implications of it for Christian praxis (thus tying into another central theme of Moltmann's - the need for a political/public theology).

Moltmann begins by distinguishing his own approach to ethics from various prior attempts in Christian theology. He then discusses his various applications of ethics (medical, ecological, war). I was disappointed, though, that he didn't discuss the issue of gay marriage at all when talking about human rights. A curious omission considering that it is an issue undergoing public discussion throughout the world.