The Experiment Hope

by Jürgen Moltmann

Over the past three decades- as fads in theology have come and gone - the work of Jurgen Moltmann has assumed a position of enduring vitality. 'Theology of Hope', The Church in the Power of the Spirit,' and 'The Crucified God' and rest of Moltmann's core corpus have formed a watershed which supplies one of the very few viable theologies still relevant to the practice of Christians in the world. The fourteen essays in this book have lasting value in that they portray the development of the author's thought in relation to our ever-changing historical and social situation. Theology, ethics, philosophy of religion, and politics coalesce as the author raises the basic issue of our time. To scan the table of contents and see such titles as "The Crucified God and the Apathetic Man," "Racism and the Right to Resist," "Bringing Peace to a Divided World," and "Introduction to the 'Theology of Hope'" is to be placed in the midst of exciting and enduring Christian thought.

Genres: Theology, Essays

Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

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

[Monte Rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Hope is an experiment with God, with oneself, and with history. . . . Life in hope entails risk and leads one into danger and confirmation, disappointment and surprise. We must therefore speak of the experiment of hope. . . . Those who enter into it lose everything that offers them security and reliance . . . But the more sure they become through trust in the Father, the more they stand in solidarity with the groaning of the whole unredeemed world.” – Jürgen Moltmann, The Experiment Hope. Trans. by M. Douglas Meeks (London, UK: SCM Press Ltd, 1975), 187-189.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

EARLY ESSAYS ON THE "THEOLOGY OF HOPE”

Jürgen Moltmann (born 1926) is a German Protestant theologian; his first (and most famous) book was 'Theology of Hope,' but he has also written 'The Gospel of Liberation,' 'The Passion for Life: A Messianic Lifestyle,' etc.

This book contains fourteen essays, written roughly between 1966-1974. He observes in the first essay that Christian theology finds its relevance in the "hope for the kingdom of the crucified one... (who) became the brother of the oppressed, the poor, and the abandoned, of those without legal rights, and of those who are unrighteous... Therefore brotherhood with these... is a part of being a brother of Christ..." (Pg. 4) The Bible is "the book of the poor, the oppressed, and the hopeless. It is not the book of ruling priests and lords." (Pg. 7)

Moltmann praises theology students who do not want to become clergy, since "the church must finally accept the fact that its theologians do not have to be sent into the world before anything can happen: its laity are already in the world." (Pg. 11) A Christian theology of hope, he argues, "is not grounded in optimism but in faith. It is not a theology ABOUT hope, but a theology growing OUT OF hope in God." (Pg. 45) But he adds that "there is no true theology of hope with is not first of all a theology of the cross." (Pg. 72)

However, man is basically enslaved by anxiety, and liberation from anxiety happens in the first place through faith---not through social improvements." (Pg. 115) He suggests that "Life in hope entails risk and leads into danger and confirmation, disappointment and surprise. We must therefore speak of the experiment of hope... These two sides of the experiment---experience and temptation---emerge sharply in Christian hope." (Pg. 188)

These essays shed further light on the development of Moltmann's theological views.

[R. Allain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theology is often a bit arid. Like chess, it's "moves," however brilliant, tend to take prescribed routes and leave the reader a bit exasperated. The Experiment Hope, however, crackles and soars like an October bonfire. And to recall my earlier analogy, in this collection of diverse essays, one's playing 3-D chess. Because what other theologian, however gifted, would evince the range and erudition to explore peace, racism, Calvinism, Dostoyevsky's prisoners and the art of medical healing in one book? Perhaps you're thinking, "OK, Moltmann's a Renaissance-type individual. But he's still a dry theologian, right?" Actually, no; he's more like a vibrant oasis. In fact, I'd call him, The God Whisperer - a man who emerged from three long years in World War Two prisoner-of-war camps to revolutionize religion and it's academic wing, theology. So, may I share a sampling of his gems? "They (Christians) are only different when they become identified in faith with Jesus who was foolishness for the wise, a stumbling block for the pious, and a troublemaker for the powerful, and therefore was crucified." Or, citing past prohibitions about 'simple folks' reading the Bible, he notes: "Have such prohibitions become unnecessary today because the church and theology have done their best to render the Bible harmless?" And Moltmann resembles a Christian guru with his probing rhetorical questions. Take this one: "For if social and political involvement is necessary because of our faith, then what is specifically Christian in this involvement?" In short, these engaging essays may have been gathered and released in 1975, but they've age very well. Indeed, one could say they're as timely and dynamic as Jesus' life and teachings. And, now it's your move.

[Ron Pendley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember the first time I read Moltmann in Seminary. I thought then he was an interesting read. That one was "Jesus Christ for Today's World". I have picked up a couple of more of his books that are on my reading list, and I began to read this one. I found a lot to like in this book and a lot to not like as well. Too much is unrealistic which I think can be attributed to his history with World War II. He puts too much hope in humanity's ability to solve our great problems and at the same time he offers the real answers we need without a strong enough emphasis. The best quote: " A fossil belongs in a museum, a chameleon in its natural environment. Christians, however, are required as Christians, to be people of their age, to be Christians. Only when they have the courage to be and act different from others can they be for others (Bonhoeffer) and mean something to others. They are however only different when they become identified in faith with Jesus, who was foolishness for the wise, a stumbling block for the pious, and a troublemaker for the powerful, and therefore was crucified. If God raised him and made him his Christ, then only in following of Jesus is the divine power of liberation granted to men. The question is not whether the church is modern, relevant, and interesting, but how the crucified one is Lord as the leader of life and freedom, and, consequently, how Christians follow him and hope in him. Christin theology finds its identity and relevance in the cross of Christ." The worst section was his advocacy of violence for the sake of liberation in the name of Christ.

[Jordan Tomeš · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sbírka kratších esejí či přednášek od jednoho z nejvýznamnějších stále žijících systematických teologů. Můj první kontakt s Moltmannem - klidně bych si dal ještě něco, ačkoliv si dokážu představit, že na větším prostoru může být jeho čtení o dost náročnější. Výrazně mi pomohla napsat příspěvek na konferenci <3

[Jon Christmas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the essays were phenomenal, but others just didn't hold my interest. I'll revisit this I'm sure as I become better acquainted with theological study.