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Hope Against Darkness: The Transforming Vision of Saint Francis in an Age of Anxiety
Award winner! Catholic Book Awards (Catholic Press Association) Spirituality (Hardcover edition won)
"'Let us begin again, for up to now we have done nothing.' That enigmatic sense of beginning again at the end of life, at the end of an era, in the middle of so much failure, when you just want to rest and put the past behind you, that is the gift for reconstruction that we want to discover in this book. It makes Francis a man for all seasons…."-from Chapter Seven
Richard Rohr is a modern prophet calling us to change our ways. Rohr paints a critical picture of the prevailing thought, culture and attitudes of the present-day West-which he calls "The Postmodern Opportunity"-including our cultural biases, our embrace of victimhood, our often fearful attitudes toward one another and toward the Church and religion in general. Rohr offers hope in introducing the Franciscan path of transformation, the "new way of being that would change the face of history."
Rohr describes how following Saint Francis' way to forgiveness and love, and "owning the darkness," can bring us out of the postmodern pit in which we find ourselves.
"'Let us begin again, for up to now we have done nothing.' That enigmatic sense of beginning again at the end of life, at the end of an era, in the middle of so much failure, when you just want to rest and put the past behind you, that is the gift for reconstruction that we want to discover in this book. It makes Francis a man for all seasons…."-from Chapter Seven
Richard Rohr is a modern prophet calling us to change our ways. Rohr paints a critical picture of the prevailing thought, culture and attitudes of the present-day West-which he calls "The Postmodern Opportunity"-including our cultural biases, our embrace of victimhood, our often fearful attitudes toward one another and toward the Church and religion in general. Rohr offers hope in introducing the Franciscan path of transformation, the "new way of being that would change the face of history."
Rohr describes how following Saint Francis' way to forgiveness and love, and "owning the darkness," can bring us out of the postmodern pit in which we find ourselves.
182 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
96 people are currently reading
492 people want to read
About the author
Richard Rohr
256 books2,370 followersFr. Richard Rohr is a globally recognized ecumenical teacher bearing witness to the universal awakening within Christian mysticism and the Perennial Tradition. He is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Fr. Richard's teaching is grounded in the Franciscan alternative orthodoxy—practices of contemplation and expressing itself in radical compassion, particularly for the socially marginalized.
Fr. Richard is author of numerous books, including Everything Belongs, Adam’s Return, The Naked Now, Breathing Under Water, Falling Upward, Immortal Diamond, Eager to Love, and The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation (with Mike Morrell).
Fr. Richard is academic Dean of the Living School for Action and Contemplation. Drawing upon Christianity's place within the Perennial Tradition, the mission of the Living School is to produce compassionate and powerfully learned individuals who will work for positive change in the world based on awareness of our common union with God and all beings. Visit cac.org for more information.
Fr. Richard is author of numerous books, including Everything Belongs, Adam’s Return, The Naked Now, Breathing Under Water, Falling Upward, Immortal Diamond, Eager to Love, and The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation (with Mike Morrell).
Fr. Richard is academic Dean of the Living School for Action and Contemplation. Drawing upon Christianity's place within the Perennial Tradition, the mission of the Living School is to produce compassionate and powerfully learned individuals who will work for positive change in the world based on awareness of our common union with God and all beings. Visit cac.org for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 16, 2011
Richard Rohr has to be one of the most insightful non-fiction Christian authors alive. This book is no exception. Rohr lays out a solid track for finding hope and deep, nurturing spirituality in the healthy space between "liberal" and "conservative." It is a wonderfully sacred and sane breath of fresh air amidst the fractured polemics and polarization with which The Church has fallen victim. If you're a Christian who is weary unto death with the endless debating of issues, this book will revive your hope that there is a warm spiritual home in the middle!
July 14, 2008
Hope Against Darkness by Richard Rohr has a number of cogent points very useful for understanding the crux of what Christianity is all about. Here is his quote about hate, and why it is so prevalent:
"Hate unites a group quickly, it gives a person identity even if it is a negative one, and most of all it takes away doubt and all free floating anxiety. It gives us a place to stand that feels superior and in control. Hate settles the dust and ambiguity that none of us like. Hate is more common and more immediately effective than love."
This does a great job of explaining why loving as Jesus would have us love is so difficult, if we try to do it all ourselves. The 12 step programs call this "white knuckling"--hanging on for dear life trying to do what might be completely against your nature. As Saint Paul said, "I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15)
When the inevitable failure comes, we fall into despair. It is then that hate becomes easy. We either hate ourselves for our failure, or we hate the other for "making" us fail. Hate gives us the temporary power at a time when we feel completely powerless. But of course, the consequences of such hate are all around us. Jesus came and showed us exactly what such unbridled hate and craving for power does. And yet, we still chase after its false high.
What is needed, according to Rohr is to be "ready to live the emptiness of not knowing" for
"You do not have to create all the patterns and you do not have to fix all the failures. What else would be the beginnings of peace? Only people who have moved beyond ego and controlling of all outcomes, only those practiced at letting go, see fear for the impostor that it is.
To be trapped inside of your own small ego is always to be afraid.
Perfect love casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18)"
"Hate unites a group quickly, it gives a person identity even if it is a negative one, and most of all it takes away doubt and all free floating anxiety. It gives us a place to stand that feels superior and in control. Hate settles the dust and ambiguity that none of us like. Hate is more common and more immediately effective than love."
This does a great job of explaining why loving as Jesus would have us love is so difficult, if we try to do it all ourselves. The 12 step programs call this "white knuckling"--hanging on for dear life trying to do what might be completely against your nature. As Saint Paul said, "I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15)
When the inevitable failure comes, we fall into despair. It is then that hate becomes easy. We either hate ourselves for our failure, or we hate the other for "making" us fail. Hate gives us the temporary power at a time when we feel completely powerless. But of course, the consequences of such hate are all around us. Jesus came and showed us exactly what such unbridled hate and craving for power does. And yet, we still chase after its false high.
What is needed, according to Rohr is to be "ready to live the emptiness of not knowing" for
"You do not have to create all the patterns and you do not have to fix all the failures. What else would be the beginnings of peace? Only people who have moved beyond ego and controlling of all outcomes, only those practiced at letting go, see fear for the impostor that it is.
To be trapped inside of your own small ego is always to be afraid.
Perfect love casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18)"
February 22, 2015
The book contains many excellent observations and insights. I found myself occasionally impatient as the thought seemed to wander loosely, and there was a similar looseness to the rhetoric of the work, and yet the subject was so timely, so pertinent to my personal experience that any such flaws were quickly forgiven.
June 15, 2010
Rohr again takes us down a path of looking at ourselves to see how we can apply the teachings of the Gospel in a world that has become fractured precisely because of the misapplication of Gospel teachings.
February 28, 2012
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I refer to it often and go back almost every day to some of the prayers and meditations!! Richard Rohr is such an amazing spiritual mentor and a gift in my life!
August 10, 2012
This is how I want to live.
December 8, 2017
I've said all the things I'm going to say in other reviews of Rohr's work.
He hops from topic to topic and circles back to his original idea and ties things together. I don't mind in this case, but I expect it will bother some people. This book is like a wandering sermon by an enthusiastic preacher who interrupts himself. This book has a co-writer which seems to have helped with his organization.
Rohr quotes poets and occasional references cultural bits like a musical that only some people will catch. I do wish he would cite properly but also it doesn't affect his message.
The ideas in this book can be found in other places and other in other works by Rohr, except for his treatment of St. Francis. Sometimes I appreciate his insight; sometimes I think he generalizes a bit too much.
I see Rohr trying to be gender inclusive which is interesting.
I think this book is worth reading for those with an interest in church and some theological background. It would be preferable to have read widely and studied religions and the concept of postmodernism. I also think this book could start some interesting conversations.
Basically, if you aren't religious, and Christian specifically, this is not a book for you.
He hops from topic to topic and circles back to his original idea and ties things together. I don't mind in this case, but I expect it will bother some people. This book is like a wandering sermon by an enthusiastic preacher who interrupts himself. This book has a co-writer which seems to have helped with his organization.
Rohr quotes poets and occasional references cultural bits like a musical that only some people will catch. I do wish he would cite properly but also it doesn't affect his message.
The ideas in this book can be found in other places and other in other works by Rohr, except for his treatment of St. Francis. Sometimes I appreciate his insight; sometimes I think he generalizes a bit too much.
I see Rohr trying to be gender inclusive which is interesting.
I think this book is worth reading for those with an interest in church and some theological background. It would be preferable to have read widely and studied religions and the concept of postmodernism. I also think this book could start some interesting conversations.
Basically, if you aren't religious, and Christian specifically, this is not a book for you.
February 5, 2017
"After Jesus we find out that sin lies in the very act of expelling. There is no place to expel it to."
The important things about this book:
1) There's some great stuff in here.
2) There's some really New Age, hippie stuff in here ("quantum theology", the Enneagram, etc.), and some other stuff that didn't resonate with me and frankly felt in opposition to material that did (a prayer, for example, thanking God for borders and barbed wire, and for separateness, resonates most closely in my mind with this).
3) A lot of this material seems ... very loosely ... based on the vision of St. Francis.
If you were looking for a closely connected book on an application of the theology of St. Francis (such as it was), this is not a good book. If you're looking for a book with a few interesting ideas peppered in between material that isn't useful, it's not bad.
The important things about this book:
1) There's some great stuff in here.
2) There's some really New Age, hippie stuff in here ("quantum theology", the Enneagram, etc.), and some other stuff that didn't resonate with me and frankly felt in opposition to material that did (a prayer, for example, thanking God for borders and barbed wire, and for separateness, resonates most closely in my mind with this).
3) A lot of this material seems ... very loosely ... based on the vision of St. Francis.
If you were looking for a closely connected book on an application of the theology of St. Francis (such as it was), this is not a good book. If you're looking for a book with a few interesting ideas peppered in between material that isn't useful, it's not bad.
January 24, 2020
I find much of Rohr needs to be read in several sittings over a period of time with time and room for digestion. It's easy to pull out an excerpt from his writing for contemplation and rumination, but you also need to be able to digest what comes before and after to get the real context, or gist of where he's leading you. No matter what I read of Rohr, it always comes back to the Big Love of God and our place as receivers of that love. If you miss that, there's no use in reading any more. If you can accept that, you'll see it everywhere in how paradigms and paradoxes, expectations and holding things loosely all fit together in this tapestry called life with God.
September 13, 2017
More densely-packed Franciscan wisdom from Father Rohr.
September 4, 2021
I love Father Rohr and this book felt especially timely even though it was written a few years ago. I highlighted and dog eared a ton of it to look back on later.
August 5, 2018
Both challenged and affirmed in these pages
Rick Rohr has aged with wisdom and grace. I'll remain grateful for his gifts while I protect a deep wound that would seem to elude his perspective. That's okay. The pearls are worth cherishing. I'm happy to have made his acquaintance early on in his work with the New Jerusalem community in Cincinnati and then to have visited the Center for Action and Contemplation near Albuquerque.
It is a good thing to gaze into a mirror of my soul. I'm quite beyond the energies of Reconstruction that he speaks of. If I manage to simply live so that I image Jesus and Francis to my small circle of publics i will consider myself redeemed and an effective peacemaker.
Rick Rohr has aged with wisdom and grace. I'll remain grateful for his gifts while I protect a deep wound that would seem to elude his perspective. That's okay. The pearls are worth cherishing. I'm happy to have made his acquaintance early on in his work with the New Jerusalem community in Cincinnati and then to have visited the Center for Action and Contemplation near Albuquerque.
It is a good thing to gaze into a mirror of my soul. I'm quite beyond the energies of Reconstruction that he speaks of. If I manage to simply live so that I image Jesus and Francis to my small circle of publics i will consider myself redeemed and an effective peacemaker.
April 13, 2019
It is a rare book where I want to highlight every word. But this is one of those books. I believe that it is one of Rohr's best efforts, and it provides an argument against postmodern relativism that, I believe, contributes so much to our broken psyches. I revisit this book often, and it was an entrance way into Rohr's other, and harder, books. It serves as a great introduction to his spiritual point of view - that the message of Christ, of the Gospel, and of the kingdom are not some antiquated and outdated relics from a bygone age of humanity, but are EXACTLY the thing that is needed most in this fragmented and increasingly disconnected and polarized world.
May 10, 2013
What a beautiful, timeless, interpretation of Jesus' (and later St Francis')mission on earth. I found this deeply profound book to be helpful in surviving our current culture of anger and victimhood. I will read ghost book again!
January 15, 2016
Thoughtful, folky, and spiritually rich. Rohr uses his Franciscan background to present another way: way that is at once traditional, faithfully relevant, and timeless. While it is not necessarily groundbreaking, but it is clear and helpful.
November 9, 2012
Good book. The caused of anxiety that he relates are a bit outdated, but overall I enjoyed it and learned a lot.
February 4, 2013
Interesting but dated. I don't think I finished it. Had some very fine thoughts.
November 9, 2016
Loved this book! Made a great meditation source. Rohr really has a clear vision of God and shares it beautifully.
November 26, 2016
Really needed this right now...
April 24, 2023
Worth reading.
March 24, 2022
All that can be said is this is the best book by Richard Rohr and the best about authentic Christianity.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews