The Case Against Hope: Why One Scholar Argues the "Kingdom" is Already Here
The Case Against Hope: Why One Scholar Argues the "Kingdom" is Already Here
Gold Coast, Australia — In a provocative challenge to traditional Christian rhetoric, Australian scholar Dr Peter E. Lewis argues that the concept of "hope" may actually be a hindrance to modern faith. In his latest piece, Lewis contends that hope—often viewed as a primary Christian virtue—is a "melancholy journey" that distracts believers from the present reality of the Divine.
"Christians do not need hope... it counteracted what he did on the Cross and should not be significant in the ongoing life of the Church. Forget about hope. Being hopeful is an unfulfilling experience. It is concerned with the future, not the present."
Lewis posits that the focus of the Gospels was never a distant future, but the immediate "Kingdom of God." He argues that the Holy Spirit acts as the functional presence of Christ in the modern world, rendering the act of "hoping" for future intervention redundant.
By shifting the emphasis from the "wanting" inherent in hope to the "blessed assurance" of the present, Lewis calls for a revitalized Christianity rooted in personal witnessing and the current experience of the Spirit.
Dear Peter, this is a fantastic article. What a breath of fresh air.
I agree with you about the Kingdom being here and now. Hope is so often a tether to a future we haven't reached, rather than an embrace of the presence of God we already possess. This resonates deeply with the New Thought traditions; Louise Hay spoke about this presence in her work, as did Ernest Holmes and Dr. Raymond Charles Barker.
I am grateful to carry this message forward in my new ministry. We spend too much time "hoping" for a shift that has already occurred within us.
Your Brother in Christ, Shane.
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