{"id":4000,"date":"2015-02-12T23:59:33","date_gmt":"2015-02-12T23:59:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=4000"},"modified":"2015-02-13T03:42:55","modified_gmt":"2015-02-13T03:42:55","slug":"active-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/active-hope\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Finest Response IS Needed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone describes \u201cactive hope\u201d as a practice, something that we must do rather than have. Stating that this active hope is a process that can be applied to any new situation involving three steps: a clear view of reality, defining a clear direction that we would like things to move-in or values we would like to see expressed, and finally, we take steps to move ourselves or our situation in that direction.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

The difference, say between, passive hope and the active hope that the authors bring forth in their book is that active hope is a choice guided by the impetus of intention to bring about the desired act or expression desired. What is this desire? It is to act in such ways that brings forth our finest response to the multifaceted crisis of sustainability that our planet currently suffers under.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n

This active hope is described throughout the book, but not as being dutiful or worthy, but rather is a stepping out into a state, that the authors refer to as, “aliveness that makes our lives profoundly satisfying.”[3]<\/a><\/p>\n

The authors make a passionate plea for a new and different human response regarding the precipice of our \u201cimpending doom and the catastrophic existence\u201d that we currently enjoy today to an epochal transition from an industrial society committed to economic growth to some type of society that is life-sustaining and committed to the healing and recovery of our world. This is essential plot of the book and referred to as the Great Turning.[4]<\/a><\/p>\n

The authors address our current story as being first \u201cbusiness as usual.\u201d This story deals with the unfortunate reality that people are living their lives in an all out desire to consume, and how they eventually become consumed by the American\/western dream that pushes them and calls them to increase their consumption. In a mad rush to acquire the profits that consumption can generate, businesses continue to increase their production and transportation of goods that affect society as a whole. Authors like Bauman would agree to the affects that such globalization generates, but differentiates from Macy and Johnstone as to the identity of collateral damages. Far more important than the issues of our planet and depleting natural resources is the lack of concern for our fellow human that suffers in the “jet fuel wake” of our globalization progression.<\/p>\n

Does the way we currently live our consumer driven life affect the greater good of humanity and our planet? Of course the answer is \u201cyes.\u201d The way we handle or mishandle our natural resources and the continual pollution of our water and land should be of concern to every person, but especially to those of the household of faith. It was to us believers, grafted into the root and stock of spiritual Israel, that continue in the Adamic Covenant to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it, and have dominion over all living things. This charge was a charge of caring for and tending to the needs of all God\u2019s creation. So the Christian should do our connected part toward the natural world\/God\u2019s creation.<\/p>\n

Though I believe that there is a crisis in our day, I disagree with the authors that that ultimate crisis and need for immediate emergency response is the deterioration of our physical planet. Oh, indeed, there is a crisis that we must address and perhaps we could use some of the understanding found in this book, however, I do not believe the crisis of our day is the issues dealing with our planet. The crisis that I believe needs our greater attention is that of eternal souls that currently lie in the valley of decision and perish daily without ever having heard the reconciling message of a loving God found in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

It was interesting that my February 11 devotional this week out of Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest was in regards to one’s hope in God fainting and dying. Juxtapose to the authors active hope, i.e., impetus of intention to bring about the desired act, Chambers provokes us to recollection of God and his goodness toward us which will then bring hope that will be inexpressibly bright. It is to my gratitude of God and the recollection of His goodness that I must turn to look at the future and in so doing, gain the hope that is needed to bring forth our finest response to the human crisis. To Go into all the World and make disciples is the pressing need or our time and to this end I will continue to press forward actively hoping in God’s goodness and faithfulness!<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone, Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We\u2019re in without Going Crazy<\/em> (Novato, CA: New World Library, 2012), 3.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Ibid., 4.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Ibid., 5.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone describes \u201cactive hope\u201d as a practice, something that we must do rather than have. Stating that this active hope is a process that can be applied to any new situation involving three steps: a clear view of reality, defining a clear direction that we would like things to move-in or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":4007,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[176],"class_list":["post-4000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-macyjohnstone","cohort-lgp4"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4000"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4016,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4000\/revisions\/4016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}