Authors: John Polkinghome
ISBN-13: 9780664227494, ISBN-10: 066422749X
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Date Published: September 2003
Edition: (Non-applicable)
Advent is a time for deepening encounter with reality, including the ultimate reality made manifest in human form at Christmas and Epiphany. This thought-provoking book illuminates biblical thinking with striking new insights from the author's twin disciplines of theology and science at the cutting edge of physics. Through daily readings for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Polkinghorne explores such themes as the end of the world, individual destiny, unseen realities, heaven, hell, and suffering; this is not a book that hides behind platitudes or easy solutions, yet the author offers profound insight into his deep reflections on the nature, meaning, and purpose of creation. Suitable for individual study, as a guide to prayer during Advent and beyond, or as the basis of small group discussion, Living with Hope offers a unique and inspiring pathway into the coming of Christ in history, in our lives, and in what we shall be.
Preface | vii | |
Introduction | 1 | |
Advent recovered | 1 | |
Advent preparation | 2 | |
Advent hope | 3 | |
The Four Last Things | 5 | |
Christmas | 6 | |
Advent 1 | 7 | |
The end of the world | 7 | |
Monday: Death | 10 | |
Tuesday: The Fall--Mortality | 12 | |
Wednesday: The Pit--Little deaths | 15 | |
Thursday: Denial of death--The rich fool | 17 | |
Friday: Individual destiny | 19 | |
Saturday: Sorrow | 21 | |
Advent 2 | 24 | |
Unseen realities | 24 | |
Monday: Judgement | 26 | |
Tuesday: The distortive effects of sin | 29 | |
Wednesday: Divine wrath | 31 | |
Thursday: The coming of the hidden Christ | 33 | |
Friday: Purgation, not destruction | 35 | |
Saturday: Do not judge | 37 | |
Advent 3 | 39 | |
John the Baptist | 39 | |
Monday: Heaven | 41 | |
Tuesday: Continuity--The soul | 44 | |
Wednesday: Discontinuity--The new creation | 46 | |
Thursday: A sacramental world | 48 | |
Friday: The worship of Heaven | 50 | |
Saturday: All creation | 52 | |
Advent 4 | 55 | |
The Blessed Virgin Mary | 55 | |
Monday: Hell | 57 | |
Tuesday: Grey, not red | 59 | |
Wednesday: Holiness | 61 | |
Thursday: The sin against the Holy Spirit | 63 | |
Friday: Cynicism | 64 | |
Christmas | 67 | |
Christmas Eve: Mary or Augustus? | 67 | |
Christmas Day: The Word made flesh | 69 | |
St Stephen: Following Christ | 71 | |
St John the Evangelist: Simple words--profound truth | 73 | |
Holy Innocents: The bitterness of suffering | 75 | |
29 December: Divine vulnerability | 76 | |
30 December: Faithful Joseph | 78 | |
31 December: The pilgrim path | 80 | |
Epiphany | 82 | |
Naming of Jesus: Saviour | 82 | |
2 January: Prophet | 84 | |
3 January: Priest | 86 | |
4 January: King | 88 | |
5 January: Jesus is Lord | 90 | |
Epiphany: Gentiles and intellectuals | 92 | |
Baptism of Christ: All assumed | 94 | |
Postscript | 96 | |
Does the universe make sense? | 96 | |
Questions | 97 |