Chapter 3 –
So That You May Hope Again
1. Steinke’s stated intention in
this chapter is to “look at hope in the context of God’s people in exile, a
time of dislocation and near despair, like ours.” To that end, we receive an excellent, although
truncated, biblical history lesson. The
Babylonian captivity is paramount to Jewish history, as demonstrated by the
deep involvement of its prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
In review,
what series of circumstances led to this predicament and how did the exiles
learn to find hope in the midst of exile?
2. Steinke points out the
necessity of dialectical thinking here, citing Brueggemann that, “In a broken
world, hope and lament are partners.
Hope does not need to silence the rumbling of crisis to be hope.” Steinke adds that, “The paradoxical nature of
faith as exile and homecoming defines the Christian in the world.”
How to you
relate to these statements?
3. Church leaders today likewise
face the temptations of denial, despair, and magic. Take time to examine how each of these temptations
poses a threat to the health and vitality of today’s congregations and church
leaders.
4. “To many, religion is a good
thing, as long as it provides personal comfort and meets individual needs. Consequently,
they want the church to double the offer—to give them not only a message of
salvation but also the elements of a benefits plan, such as self-improvement
methods, life-coping skills, satisfaction enhancement, and stress reduction.”
How does
this “double offer” expectation lead to the dark side, namely…the three
temptations of denial, despair, and magic?
How can the church communicate and extend genuine hope in the gospel of
Jesus Christ in today’s shifting culture?
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