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Echoing Hope: How the Humanity of Jesus Redeems Our Pain
Where is Jesus when we need him most? An influential pastor shares how despair can lead us to discover true hope and a deeper relationship with God, helping us emerge stronger and more joyful from times of crisis.
None of us live free of difficulties or hardships. But how can we learn to live richly in the midst of them? And even grow spiritually because of them? The answer is found in the hopeful humanity of Jesus.
As the Son of God, Jesus wasn't exempt from suffering, disappointment, or injustice. He lived in the real world as a real person. He wept for those he loved. He felt hunger and thirst. He endured temptation, betrayal, and ridicule. He died after being unjustly tortured. And somehow through it all, he embodied hope - by defeating death and opening a new world of life for us.
In 'ECHOING HOPE' influential pastor and blogger Kurt Willems reveals how understanding the humanity of Jesus can radically transform our identity and empower us to step into our pain-filled world in a new way. Combining rich theological insight with personal stories and practices for response, he shows how we can overcome despair and encounter the beautiful potential of our lives.
RUNNING TIME => 6hrs.
©2021 Kurt Willems (P)2021 Random House Audio
None of us live free of difficulties or hardships. But how can we learn to live richly in the midst of them? And even grow spiritually because of them? The answer is found in the hopeful humanity of Jesus.
As the Son of God, Jesus wasn't exempt from suffering, disappointment, or injustice. He lived in the real world as a real person. He wept for those he loved. He felt hunger and thirst. He endured temptation, betrayal, and ridicule. He died after being unjustly tortured. And somehow through it all, he embodied hope - by defeating death and opening a new world of life for us.
In 'ECHOING HOPE' influential pastor and blogger Kurt Willems reveals how understanding the humanity of Jesus can radically transform our identity and empower us to step into our pain-filled world in a new way. Combining rich theological insight with personal stories and practices for response, he shows how we can overcome despair and encounter the beautiful potential of our lives.
RUNNING TIME => 6hrs.
©2021 Kurt Willems (P)2021 Random House Audio
- GenresTheologyChristianity
Audible Audio
First published March 16, 2021
13 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Kurt Willems
4 books9 followersKurt Willems is a pastor, writer, and spiritual director. After several years in student and adult church ministry in Central California, he partnered with the Brethren in Christ to plant a Christian community in Seattle called Pangea Church. Kurt maintains a resource website, which hosts articles and podcasts, called Theology Curator (formerly called, The Paulcast). He is passionate about taking complex ideas about God and communicating them in ways that are empowering for people in all walks of life. He holds a master of divinity degree from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary and a master's degree in comparative religion from the University of Washington (where he focused on the historical Paul within Judaism and the Roman Empire). Kurt also completed a two-year training program to become a spiritual director called, Stewards of the Mystery. His wife, Lauren, is a special education teacher. They have two amazing, young daughters. His first book, Echoing Hope: How the Humanity of Jesus Redeems our Pain, releases in the Spring of 2021 (Waterbrook - Penguin Random House).
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 27, 2021
This book had me weeping in coffee shops and talking to so many people about it from my pastor to my therapist and they in turn recommended it to others. It’s that kind of book. Kurt’s vulnerability and humility is so refreshing and his wisdom through life’s pain guides its chapters. At the end of each chapter he guides the reader through a series of heartfelt prompts that feels like you’re meeting with a spiritual mentor. He helps us see how good and godly our humanity is.
It’s a book I will earmark and retreat again and again.
It’s a book I will earmark and retreat again and again.
February 16, 2021
Solid Exploration. Once one gets past the rampant (and expected) proof texting and leftist/ West Coast language barriers. Here, Willems makes a lot of really strong points about Jesus, pain, and Jesus' humanity that many have rarely if ever considered. And thus this is truly a strong book. It drops a star due to the rampant (beginning on page 2 or so) proof texting (which was expected, he *is* a pastor, after all) and I am waging a one-man war against the practice, with my book reviews being really my only weapon. And thus, any time I see the practice in a book I am reading, it is an automatic one star deduction, no matter how strong the rest of the text is. The rest of the text, away from the prooftexting, will largely vary by the reader's comfort level with leftist/ West Coast language, which is also rampant. To me, Willems could have adjusted the diction in these places to reflect more inclusive - see what I did there? ;) - language and arguably made a stronger book as a whole. As it is, the book reads a bit political with its talk of privilege and context and intersectionality, among other terms, even as Willems actually repeatedly makes the point that if you're looking to politics for solutions, you're looking in the wrong place. So ultimately the book will likely play better in certain crowds than others, and truly YMMV with the text solely based on the diction Willems uses. But ultimately his actual points are sound no matter your own political bent, and that is the very reason this book is recommended as highly as it is. Seriously, don't let Willems' word choices have you throwing the book out the window in disgust, keep reading and auto-translating in your head. It was very much worth it, at least for me. Truly a strong book with a couple of quibbles, it is still very much recommended.
November 10, 2022
I feel really split on this one. I had high expectations, primarily given my enjoyment of Willems' podcast work. The first half felt pretty meh to me, and a bit disjointed, and I maybe highlighted only one passage. The second half took off, and I think it's a rewarding look at the issues, brought into more orderly focus.
I also can't decide what I think of the book's tone. Willems has an academic mindset, but writes accessibly. Some of it works a little too hard to bring personality into the book when his discussion stands just fine on its own. The little footnotes with personal points could be too cute or distracting, and sometimes offered unnecessary explanations (as if making sure no one on any side was bothered by a word choice -- maybe the fault of a first book). However (and it's a notable however), part of the point of the book was Willems sharing his own vulnerability, all of which comes through in the forced personal interjections or the little footnotes. I really can't decide if it's a nice way to humanize the author and important to the argument in itself or if it's just a little cutesy.
This book seems to be getting a bunch of 5-star reviews, which makes me happy even if I didn't have a 5-star reading, and I think may readers will find it to be valuable.
I also can't decide what I think of the book's tone. Willems has an academic mindset, but writes accessibly. Some of it works a little too hard to bring personality into the book when his discussion stands just fine on its own. The little footnotes with personal points could be too cute or distracting, and sometimes offered unnecessary explanations (as if making sure no one on any side was bothered by a word choice -- maybe the fault of a first book). However (and it's a notable however), part of the point of the book was Willems sharing his own vulnerability, all of which comes through in the forced personal interjections or the little footnotes. I really can't decide if it's a nice way to humanize the author and important to the argument in itself or if it's just a little cutesy.
This book seems to be getting a bunch of 5-star reviews, which makes me happy even if I didn't have a 5-star reading, and I think may readers will find it to be valuable.
December 15, 2020
My friend Kurt Willems has a book coming out in March and I had the chance to read an early copy. It’s called Echoing Hope: How the Humanity of Jesus Redeems our Pain. I could recommend this book without even reading it because I can recommend Kurt as a person. And after reading it, I can say that the book represents him well.
Kurt is the pastor of Pangea Church in Washington. I would describe him as a pastoral theologian… and his book reads the same way. By that I mean he will connect with you on an emotional level while simultaneously dropping some profound theological depth in the process. It’s a rare skill to be able to balance the two as well as he does.
A few theological goodies:
-God’s empathy is better than God’s control.
-Jesus practiced love in advance so he could live out love on the spot.
-In Jesus, God suffers with us all.
One aspect of the book that jumps off the page is the raw vulnerability in which Kurt shares his own story. He shares the raw pain of growing up with the father figure in his life. I suspect his ability to share this narrative can only come from a truly confident person who has put in the work to deal with the pain that many of these stories represent. It’s also where Kurt shows how much he has to offer the reader by diving into territory that many Christian books won’t dare to touch. We all know pain and this book offers you a way to see Jesus in the midst of it.
Here are a few quotes that express this idea:
-Joy and pain aren’t enemies. They’re companions. The highs and lows of life dance together more often than we’d like to admit.
-Something is profoundly wrong. Jesus goes missing way too often.
-Jesus desires that we step into the world’s pain, echoing hope to the hurting as we wait for him to bring creation to an eternal state of shalom.
When we hurt, we allow it to empower us to move through suffering in a new way. Love isn’t the remedy to pain—at least in this life. Just as Jesus didn’t neglect his own pain but went to the cross and laid down his life for friends and enemies alike, so we embrace pain and invite it into companionship with God’s love.
It’s refreshing to read a Christian book that doesn’t promise me prosperity and success. Rather, it invites the reader to experience the depth of life in Jesus. As Kurt says, “Jesus took on our nature so that we might take on his.”
Kurt is the pastor of Pangea Church in Washington. I would describe him as a pastoral theologian… and his book reads the same way. By that I mean he will connect with you on an emotional level while simultaneously dropping some profound theological depth in the process. It’s a rare skill to be able to balance the two as well as he does.
A few theological goodies:
-God’s empathy is better than God’s control.
-Jesus practiced love in advance so he could live out love on the spot.
-In Jesus, God suffers with us all.
One aspect of the book that jumps off the page is the raw vulnerability in which Kurt shares his own story. He shares the raw pain of growing up with the father figure in his life. I suspect his ability to share this narrative can only come from a truly confident person who has put in the work to deal with the pain that many of these stories represent. It’s also where Kurt shows how much he has to offer the reader by diving into territory that many Christian books won’t dare to touch. We all know pain and this book offers you a way to see Jesus in the midst of it.
Here are a few quotes that express this idea:
-Joy and pain aren’t enemies. They’re companions. The highs and lows of life dance together more often than we’d like to admit.
-Something is profoundly wrong. Jesus goes missing way too often.
-Jesus desires that we step into the world’s pain, echoing hope to the hurting as we wait for him to bring creation to an eternal state of shalom.
When we hurt, we allow it to empower us to move through suffering in a new way. Love isn’t the remedy to pain—at least in this life. Just as Jesus didn’t neglect his own pain but went to the cross and laid down his life for friends and enemies alike, so we embrace pain and invite it into companionship with God’s love.
It’s refreshing to read a Christian book that doesn’t promise me prosperity and success. Rather, it invites the reader to experience the depth of life in Jesus. As Kurt says, “Jesus took on our nature so that we might take on his.”
December 19, 2020
What does it mean to find hope, even in the midst of pain? I appreciated the author's transparency, as well as his depth of theology (NT Wright for the win).
March 17, 2021
Willems writes to give Christians a new way to travel the path of their pain. Jesus is our model and Willems desires we learn to lean into the tension of pain and hope. While he informs us that in this life we will never fully overcome the pain we walk through, we can step into it and through it with Jesus. (517/3723)
Willems shares his own stories of pain. He is very expressive and descriptive and some people reading his accounts may find themselves revisiting their own painful experiences. He writes that “there is something transformational” about opening up his story to God. (487/3723) I wonder if that cathartic experience of sharing trauma was not a part of Willems' reason for writing this book.
He writes of the benefit of his own therapy and seems to be a believer in its necessity. He includes a formative exercise where he says not to reflect on traumatic memories without a therapist or trusted counselor for support. (532/3723) He also writes of Jesus going to His therapist's office often, connecting deeply with His Father. (665/3723) I found it interesting that we are not encouraged to do the same, to deeply connect with our Father. I thought Jesus' human experience and example was the point of this book.
Another aspect of Willems teaching I found puzzling was his observation after noting he was plagued with anxiety. “I'm finding that there exists a freedom through anxiety rather than a freedom from it. Jesus taught me that.” (680/3723) I thought for sure Jesus taught that we were not be anxious about any aspect of our life. (Oh, that's right, He did, in Matt. 6:25-34. He even gave us the antidote to anxiety there, seeking first the kingdom.)
I am unclear as to the audience for whom Willems wrote this book. His writing is often academic and theological in style. He does, for example, repeatedly argue that we must fully recognize the humanity of Jesus and not neglect it. He also has quite a discussion on the sovereignty of God verses free will, gives a lengthy exploration of Caesar Augustus and how he is to be understood, and explores the various meanings of baptism by the many cultures in first century world. The layperson wanting insights into dealing with their pain may skim over such material.
I think Willems' concept of Jesus as our model when experiencing pain has great potential. I am just puzzled as to how to glean life changing teaching from this book. Willems says of those reading the book hoping to find a remedy for deep pain, that is a tall order he “won't be able to fully deliver on.” (2733/3723)
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
Willems shares his own stories of pain. He is very expressive and descriptive and some people reading his accounts may find themselves revisiting their own painful experiences. He writes that “there is something transformational” about opening up his story to God. (487/3723) I wonder if that cathartic experience of sharing trauma was not a part of Willems' reason for writing this book.
He writes of the benefit of his own therapy and seems to be a believer in its necessity. He includes a formative exercise where he says not to reflect on traumatic memories without a therapist or trusted counselor for support. (532/3723) He also writes of Jesus going to His therapist's office often, connecting deeply with His Father. (665/3723) I found it interesting that we are not encouraged to do the same, to deeply connect with our Father. I thought Jesus' human experience and example was the point of this book.
Another aspect of Willems teaching I found puzzling was his observation after noting he was plagued with anxiety. “I'm finding that there exists a freedom through anxiety rather than a freedom from it. Jesus taught me that.” (680/3723) I thought for sure Jesus taught that we were not be anxious about any aspect of our life. (Oh, that's right, He did, in Matt. 6:25-34. He even gave us the antidote to anxiety there, seeking first the kingdom.)
I am unclear as to the audience for whom Willems wrote this book. His writing is often academic and theological in style. He does, for example, repeatedly argue that we must fully recognize the humanity of Jesus and not neglect it. He also has quite a discussion on the sovereignty of God verses free will, gives a lengthy exploration of Caesar Augustus and how he is to be understood, and explores the various meanings of baptism by the many cultures in first century world. The layperson wanting insights into dealing with their pain may skim over such material.
I think Willems' concept of Jesus as our model when experiencing pain has great potential. I am just puzzled as to how to glean life changing teaching from this book. Willems says of those reading the book hoping to find a remedy for deep pain, that is a tall order he “won't be able to fully deliver on.” (2733/3723)
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
July 16, 2021
This book requires a spiritually mature and discerning person. The first portion (maybe as much as half, I'm not sure) was really good. I felt like it was God's timing that I was reading it when I was. And then things got interesting.
There are things that are said, the way things are said at times, that have me cautious about this book. Words matter greatly, especially when a theological framework hangs on them. When dealing with things that are too great for us to understand, our words are crucial because the wrong ones can lead to misunderstanding. I may know or guess what the author intends to say but what about someone who is newer to the faith? And what about someone who is in great pain, not looking for spiritual trip wires? I do not think the author intends to trip people up, by any means, but that could be an unintended consequence.
Something else that troubled me were the many quotes from people who are at best questionable on orthodox Christianity. I'm not saying that these people have nothing good or correct to say, one quote was quite good, but they are authors that you need to have extreme caution when reading. It concerns me when their names show up in a book, because it is likely that this author (Kurt Willems in this case) is a student or friend of them and likely influenced by what they teach. Which might not be a good thing.
There were a lot of good things to be gleaned from this book. I really like portions of it. But all things taken together, I can not recommend this to anyone and the only ones I think should read are those who are spiritually mature and discerning. If you have to put that much work into a book, especially a book you would read to find comfort, there are better options for you. My top recommendation would be Philip Yancey's Where Is God When It Hurts? and I am sure there are other great ones as well.
A smaller complaint is that I felt like Willems got too political at times. I fully support Christians being political, but this was not the book for that. However, if that had been all that I found an issue with, I would have probably given it four stars.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
There are things that are said, the way things are said at times, that have me cautious about this book. Words matter greatly, especially when a theological framework hangs on them. When dealing with things that are too great for us to understand, our words are crucial because the wrong ones can lead to misunderstanding. I may know or guess what the author intends to say but what about someone who is newer to the faith? And what about someone who is in great pain, not looking for spiritual trip wires? I do not think the author intends to trip people up, by any means, but that could be an unintended consequence.
Something else that troubled me were the many quotes from people who are at best questionable on orthodox Christianity. I'm not saying that these people have nothing good or correct to say, one quote was quite good, but they are authors that you need to have extreme caution when reading. It concerns me when their names show up in a book, because it is likely that this author (Kurt Willems in this case) is a student or friend of them and likely influenced by what they teach. Which might not be a good thing.
There were a lot of good things to be gleaned from this book. I really like portions of it. But all things taken together, I can not recommend this to anyone and the only ones I think should read are those who are spiritually mature and discerning. If you have to put that much work into a book, especially a book you would read to find comfort, there are better options for you. My top recommendation would be Philip Yancey's Where Is God When It Hurts? and I am sure there are other great ones as well.
A smaller complaint is that I felt like Willems got too political at times. I fully support Christians being political, but this was not the book for that. However, if that had been all that I found an issue with, I would have probably given it four stars.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
June 11, 2021
"Where was God in my pain? Was he even in the room? Why can't I find him?" These are some of the questions that Willems attempts to answer in his book. He proposes that, "Christ has humanity as he steps into the pain of others - just as he did when he bore his own suffering." Willems concedes that while sometimes God is hard to find in the midst of difficulty, he is hard at work redeeming our suffering for his purpose. Everything does not happen for a reason, which Willems demonstrates through data about personal choice and free will doctrine, but God enters in our pain, grieves with us, and infuses our stories with hope and meaning.
Willems is open and vulnerable about his own hurts and wounds which allows the reader to recognize their own pain. He reminds us that, "Jesus sobs over any hell we go through, whether self-inflicted by poor choices or due to circumstances of living in a broken world." There are many excellent quotes and formation exercises at the beginning and end of each chapter that aid in connecting the book's concepts to our own stories.
While Echoing Hope does not include trite sayings or dismissive platitudes, it does delve into the pain almost analytically, and therefore may not be the best read for someone who has recently experienced tragedy or trauma,
Willems is open and vulnerable about his own hurts and wounds which allows the reader to recognize their own pain. He reminds us that, "Jesus sobs over any hell we go through, whether self-inflicted by poor choices or due to circumstances of living in a broken world." There are many excellent quotes and formation exercises at the beginning and end of each chapter that aid in connecting the book's concepts to our own stories.
While Echoing Hope does not include trite sayings or dismissive platitudes, it does delve into the pain almost analytically, and therefore may not be the best read for someone who has recently experienced tragedy or trauma,
April 10, 2021
Echoing Hope is a beautiful reminder that even in our darkest moments, Jesus is entering into those places with us. Often we forget that Jesus came to earth as a human and experienced things as we do. Willems does a beautiful job of showing us how Jesus, in his humanity, enters into those hardest situations in life and fully experiences them with us. Through walking through hard things, Willems reminds us that it further connects us God. And while we may sometimes not see him in the moment, we can go back and revisit those places and ask God to reveal himself to us. As someone who has also experienced my own share of grief and hard struggles, I loved the different view of seeing Jesus in our grief. When we see Jesus, in His humanity, there with us, we are able to begin a new healing process.
I received copy of this book through NetGalley. This review is my own, honest opinion.
I received copy of this book through NetGalley. This review is my own, honest opinion.
March 1, 2021
Theologically sound book which may be a bit "heavy" for the average reader, but it's great for someone who wants to go a bit deeper. The author shares his own story in a very raw way, which could make it more relatable for the reader.
One of my favorite quotes:
- Joy and pain aren’t enemies. They’re companions. The highs and lows of life dance together more often than we’d like to admit.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
One of my favorite quotes:
- Joy and pain aren’t enemies. They’re companions. The highs and lows of life dance together more often than we’d like to admit.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
March 15, 2021
Full of hope, this book is also filled with reality. We get thru -- not over -- reality with hope.
January 2, 2023
Required reading for class. I disagreed with some of the ideas presented in this book. More often I think I really disagreed with the *way* the concepts were presented. The way certain statements read, it almost borders here and there on LDS theology on one hand and universalism on the other... But having read it all in context, I can understand the point Willems was making. I am appreciative of the great vulnerability he poured into this work, as that testimony of Jesus working in his heart and through his pain is powerful and transformative. I may be wrong but it feels like Willems may come from a more apophatic perspective — which is a good thing, we need more of that in Western Christianity, and Willems’ voice is one that carries a compassionate disruption to the way we “do” life. Through exercising discernment... it is a theological framework of humanity, pain, and the redemption to be found in Jesus (as he became man, and as we slowly journey throughout life to become like him).
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews