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Hope in the Ecumenical Future pp 45–62Cite as

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Together Towards Life: Christian Hope and its Witness: Some Theological Aspects and Missiological Implications

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Part of the book series: Pathways for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue ((PEID))

Abstract

The first part of the chapter sketches some theological aspects of hope; the second focuses aspects of their development and reinterpretation in the context of the missionary nature of the Church. The Christian Churches are called to commit themselves to be a sign of hope and an expression of the Kingdom of God here on earth. Their commitment has a clear form—that of personal and communal witnessing—and a specific object: Christian hope, rooted in God’s salvific project. It follows that the Churches must be “communities of hope” in which openness to the future is linked with the commitment to living the present. They must be inclusive, excluding every kind of internal and external discrimination, and favoring the dignity of human persons.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See Henri Bourgeois, La speranza ora e sempre (Brescia: Queriniana, 1987), 97–220. Philosophical and theological views have influenced the development of the notion of hope: see, among others, Gabriel Marcel, Homo viator. Prolégomènes à une métaphisique du l’ésperance (Montaigne: Aubier, 1944); Ernest Bloch, Das Prinzip Hoffnung (Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1959); Jürgen Moltmann, Theologie der Hoffnung. Untersuchungen zur Begründung und zu den Konsequenzen einer christlichen Eschatologie (München: Kaiser Verlag, 1965); Karl Rahner, “Sulla teologia della speranza,” in Karl Rahner, Nuovi saggi (Roma: Paoline, 1967), iii, 627–652; Wolfhart Pannenberg, Il Dio della speranza (Bologna: EDB, 1969), 25–46; Ferdinand Kerstiens, “Speranza,” in Sacramentum Mundi 7 (Brescia: Morcelliana, 1977), 748–750; Gabriel Marcel, Dialogo sulla speranza, ed. Enrico Piscione (Roma: Logos, 1984); Sebastiano Mosso, “Speranza,” in Teologia, eds. Giampiero Bof, Giuseppe Barbaglio, and Severino Dianich (Cinisello Balsamo [MI]: San Paolo, 2003), 1531–1533; Jean Louis Chrétien, L’indimenticabile e l’insperabile (Assisi [PG]: Cittadella, 2008); Jürgen Moltmann, Etica della speranza (Brescia: Queriniana, 2011).

  2. 2.

    See Rudolf Bultmann, “ἐλπíς, ἐλπíζω. A. Il concetto greco di speranza,” in Grande Lessico del Nuovo Testamento [hereafter, GLNT] (Brescia: Paideia, 1967), iii, 507–516; Giuseppe Visonà, “Dalla elpís dei greci alla speranza dei cristiani,” in La speranza nei padri, ed. Giuseppe Visonà (Milano: Ed. Paoline, 1993), 13–28; Basil Studer, “Speranza,” in Angelo di Berardino (ed.), Nuovo Dizionario patristico e di antichità cristiane P-Z (Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum, Genova: Marietti, 22008), 5078.

  3. 3.

    See Rudolf Bultmann, “ἐλπíς, ἐλπíζω. B. Il concetto veterotestamentario di speranza,” in GLNT, iii, 518–522; “D. La speranza nel giudaismo ellenistico,” in GLNT, iii, 536–539; Karl H. Rengstorf, “ἐλπíς, ἐλπíζω. C. La speranza nel giudaismo rabbinico,” in GLNT, iii, 522–536; François Van Menxel, Ἐλπíς Espoir Espérance. Études sémantiques et théologiques du vocabulaire de l’espérance dans l’Hellénisme et le Judaïsme avant le Nouveau Testament (Frankfurt/M, Bern, New York: Peter Lang, 1983); Visonà, “Dalla elpís,” 29–41.

  4. 4.

    At the time of the so-called diaspora, for instance, the notion of hope acquired a more dynamic sense, according to which it referred to the reconstruction of the new Israel, the new Jerusalem and the new Covenant; in addition, it was used in messianic and eschatological sense (see Vidonà, “Dalla elpís,” 33).

  5. 5.

    See Mosso, “Speranza,” 1534–1535.

  6. 6.

    See Juan Alfaro, Speranza cristiana e liberazione dell’uomo (Brescia: Queriniana, 1972), 34–40. 57–64. Romans 8 is perhaps the most significant example of the St Paul’s theology of hope (see Alfaro, Speranza cristiana, 33–34. 57–61; Mosso, “Teologia,” 1535–1536).

  7. 7.

    See Rudolf Bultmann, “ἐλπíς, ἐλπíζω. E. Il concetto di speranza nel cristianesimo primitivo,” in GLNT, iii, 539–548; Alfaro, Speranza cristiana, 33–64; Pierre Grelot, La speranza cristiana (Bologna: EDB, 1976); Kerstiens, “Speranza,” 746–748; Mosso, “Speranza,” 1535–1536; Bourgeois, La speranza cristiana, 11–95.

  8. 8.

    See Kerstiens, “Speranza,” 746.

  9. 9.

    See Bultmann, “ἐλπíς,” 543–544; Alfaro, Speranza cristiana, 33–37; Kerstiens, “Speranza,” 747.

  10. 10.

    Within history, hope implies both development of human identity, and commitment to present life. The future has not been defined by the New Testament, which rather has described it, using images and symbols, such as God’s judgement, eternal life with God, the new Jerusalem, new heavens and earth, and so on (see Bultmann, “ἐλπíς,” 547–548; Grelot, La speranza, 77–114; Kerstiens, “Speranza,” 748).

  11. 11.

    See Alfaro, Speranza cristiana, 37–41.

  12. 12.

    Along with faith and charity, hope is the essence of Christianity; due to its peculiar nature, hope will not disappear in the eschatological fulfillment (see Bultmann, “ἐλπíς,” 545; Rahner, “Teologia della speranza,” 631–640; Alfaro, Speranza cristiana, 40–53; Kerstien, “Speranza,” 748).

  13. 13.

    Ancient Christian authors, above all those who were inspired by St Paul’s writings, dealt with the theme of hope. Both ecclesial life and coeval cultural-philosophical contexts affected its development and re-interpretation, according to specific pastoral, apologetic and spiritual needs. Progressively, the notion of hope was understood firstly as the waiting for future good things. However, this eschatological orientation did not prevent Christians from committing themselves in the world. Another feature of hope was certainty, due to the theological and Christological foundation of hope (see “ἐλπίς,” in Geoffrey W. Lampe (ed.), A Patristic Greek Lexicon (Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1961), 452–453; Basil Studer, “Hoffnung. B. Nichtchristlich. C. Christlich,” in Reallexikon für Antike und Christentum, (Stuttgart: A. Hiersemann, 1991), xv, 1161–1244; Brian E. Daley, The Hope of the Early Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Cambridge Press, 1991); Visonà, “Dalla elpís,” 9–78; Studer, “Speranza,” 5072–5086).

  14. 14.

    See Karl Rahner, “Sul concetto di futuro: considerazioni frammentarie di un teologo,” in Karl Rahner, Nuovi Saggi, iii (Roma: Paoline, 1969), 619–626; Bourgeois, La speranza, 235–240.

  15. 15.

    See Bourgeois, La speranza, 240–248.

  16. 16.

    See Burgeois, La speranza, 251–252; Fernando Bogónez Herreras, “La persona humana en su relación con Dios según la Constituciόn Gaudium et spes,” Estudios Augustinianos 32 (2000): 541–543; Gianni Colzani, “A quarant’anni dalla ‘Gaudium et Spes.’ La legge di ogni evangelizzazione,” Rivista di Scienze Religiose 19 (2005): 441–442; James Mc Evoy, “Church and World at the Second Vatican Council: The Significance of Gaudium et Spes,” Pacifica 19 (2006): 54.

  17. 17.

    St. Paul recalls that “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Rom. 8:22–25 NRSV). See Alfaro, La speranza cristiana, 161, 168.

  18. 18.

    See Grelot, La speranza cristiana, 73–114; Pierangelo Sequeri, “La speranza oggi e il fine dell’uomo,” in Problemi e prospettive di teologia dogmatica, ed. Karl H. Neufeld (Brescia: Queriniana, 1983), 135–152; Marcello Bordoni and Nicola Ciola, Gesù nostra speranza. Saggio di escatologia in prospettiva trinitaria (Bologna: EDB, 2008), 175–197.

  19. 19.

    Attributed to human beings, the notion of image of God implies a special relationship between God and humans, which is the basis of all human relationships both with other people, and creation. According to biblical accounts, this image has been also affected by human sin and has been perfected by Christ who is the true image of God, the perfect man (see John Peter Sandanam, “In His Image after His Likeness: From the Perspective of Gaudium et Spes,” Indian Theological Studies 40/3 [2003]: 241–246; Giovanni Ancona, Antropologia teologica. Temi fondamentali (Brescia: Queriniana, 2014), 57–80).

  20. 20.

    See Lumen Gentium 22. This correlation must be interpreted soberly. Vatican II simply suggests to us that Christ is an essential element in knowing what/who human beings are, according to the Christian tradition (see Francesco Scanziani, “L’antropologia sottesa a Gaudium et Spes. Invito alla lettura,” Scuola Cattolica 135 [2007]: 637–638).

  21. 21.

    “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15 NRSV).

  22. 22.

    “Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth’.” (Gen. 1:26 NRSV).

  23. 23.

    See CTI, “Teologia, cristologia e antropologia,” in CTI, Documenti 1969–2004 (Bologna: ESD, 2006), 202–7.

  24. 24.

    See Sequeri, La speranza oggi, 136–143; Mosso, “Speranza,” 1539.

  25. 25.

    The relationship between creation and history of salvation, which this theme presupposes, has been variously developed in course of times (see Giorgio Gozzelino, Nell’attesa della beata speranza. Saggio di escatologia cristiana (Leumann (TO): Elledici, 1993), 321–5; Ancona, Antropologia teologica, 81–106).

  26. 26.

    This discernment concerns both the different forms of hope, and the Christian hope itself (see Bourgeois, La speranza, 255–257. 261).

  27. 27.

    These criteria refer to the divine love, whose apex is the cross of Christ, for human beings and world (see Mosso, “Speranza,” 1541).

  28. 28.

    With regard to prophetic function of laity, LG 35 affirms: “They conduct themselves as children of the promise, and thus strong in faith and in hope they make the most of the present, and with patience await the glory that is to come. Let them not, then, hide this hope in the depths of their hearts, but even in the program of their secular life let them express it by a continual conversion and by wrestling against the world–rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness.” See also Rahner, “Sulla teologia della speranza,” 646–651.

  29. 29.

    See, for instance, Acts 1:15–26. The account of the choice of Matthias includes some relevant elements, such as the role of the Spirit and ecclesial community, the Christological content of witness, the personal experience of content of witness.

  30. 30.

    Alfaro, Speranza cristiana, 111–4, 185–211.

  31. 31.

    See Stephen B. Bevans and Roger P. Schroeder, Teologia per la missione oggi. Costanti nel contesto (Brescia: Queriniana, 2010), 88–91 (80–100); 112–4 (101–19); 128–30 (119–36). The page numbers between brackets refer to the three mission models, while the page numbers without brackets refer to the eschatological section, in which the theme of hope occurs. See also Gianni Colzani, “Teologia della missione,” in Gianni Colzani, Pensare la missione. Studi editi e inediti, ed. Sandra Mazzolini (Città del Vaticano: Urbaniana University Press, 2012), 253–95.

  32. 32.

    See David J. Bosch, La trasformazione della missione. Mutamenti di paradigma in missiologia (Brescia: Queriniana, 2000), 510–704; Bevans and Schroeder, Teologia per la missione, 444–623.

  33. 33.

    In fact, witness includes each faithful community, Church (in this case it refers to the institutional dimension of witness), and all Churches (it alludes to the ecumenical profile of Christian witness). See Bevans and Schroeder, Costanti nel contesto, 558–565. For a more detailed view of the Orthodox perspective, see Ion Bria, “The Liturgy after Liturgy,” in Petros Vassiliadis (ed.), Orthodox Perspectives on Mission, (Oxford: Regnum Books, 2013), 46–59; John Meyendorff, “Unity of the Church-Unity of Mankind,” in Vassiliadis (ed.), Orthodox Perspectives, 93–113.

  34. 34.

    The purpose of EG, which is intended for the Catholic Church, is “to present some guidelines which can encourage and guide the whole Church in a new phase of evangelization” (EG 17). The pope invites “everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective communities” (EG 33).

  35. 35.

    The aim of TTL is “to seek vision, concepts and directions for a renewed understanding and practice of mission and evangelism in changing landscapes. It seeks a broad appeal, even wider than WCC member churches and affiliated mission bodies, so that we can commit ourselves together to fullness of life for all, led by the God of Life!” The previous WCC statements on mission are collected in in “You Are the Light of the World.” Statements on Mission by the World Council of Churches 1980–2005 (Geneva: WCC Publications, 2005).

  36. 36.

    Their analysis must be introduced by the following preliminary remarks. EG explains the missionary issue in the perspective of the pastoral conversion, based on a missionary option (see EG 25); TTL focuses them in the context of “a renewed appreciation of the mission of the Spirit” (TTL 2). Analysis and comparison of EG and TTL must pay attention to this different approach. Nonetheless, both documents have outlined the profile of a dynamic, welcoming and inclusive Church, as well as the vast horizons of ecclesial mission, namely the areas in greater need, the territorial and existential margins, the new settings, which challenge Christian Churches to rethink their presence and witness.

  37. 37.

    In conclusion, it is said that “[t]riune God’s overflowing sharing of love is the source of all mission and evangelism” (TTL 55).

  38. 38.

    About the New Testament foundation of the link between hope and ecclesial hope, see Alfaro, Speranza cristiana, 107–114.

  39. 39.

    Since the World Missionary Conference at Edinburgh (1910), the awareness of the correlation between ecclesial unity and mission has developed within Christian Churches, despite many theoretical and practical difficulties, which are not easy to solve. The expression “mission in unity”, for instance, sheds light on them, if we consider that it “refers to the search for ways of witnessing together in unity and cooperation—despite differing ecclesiologies—within the context of the burning challenges facing churches everywhere today ‘so that the world may believe’ (John 17:21), avoiding any form of confessional rivalry or competition. This does not imply an unrealistic super-church ecclesiology; neither does it deny the intrinsic relationship between mission and ecclesiology”: “Mission and Evangelism in Unity Today” (1999), in “You Are the Light of the World”, 64. “Mission in unity” absolutely excludes any form of proselytism (see “Towards Common Witness: A Call to Adopt Responsible Relationships in Mission and to Renounce Proselytism” (1997), in “You Are the Light of the World,” 42–58).

  40. 40.

    See Juan Scannone, “Papa Francesco e la teologia del popolo”, La Civiltà Cattolica 3930 (2014): 571–90; Juan Scannone, “La realtà si capisce meglio guardandola non dal centro, ma dalle periferie,” in ‘Evangelii Gaudium.’ Testo integrale e commento de La Civiltà Cattolica (Milano-Roma: Ancora-La Civiltà Cattolica, 2014), 183–96.

  41. 41.

    Pope Francis wants to share his “concerns about the social dimension of evangelization, precisely because if this dimension is not properly brought out, there is a constant risk of distorting the authentic and integral meaning of mission of evangelization” (EG 176).

  42. 42.

    The Pope treats “them more fully because I believe that they will shape the future of humanity” (EG 185).

  43. 43.

    See also: “The dominant expression of missions, in the past and today, has often been directed at people on the margins of societies. These have generally viewed those on the margins as recipients and not active agents of missionary activity” (TTL 41).

  44. 44.

    “Marginalized people have God-given gifts that are under-utilized because of disempowerment, and denial of access to opportunities and/or justice. Through struggles in and for life, marginalized people are reservoir of active hope, collective resistance, and perseverance that are needed to remain faithful to the promised reign of God” (TTL 39).

  45. 45.

    TTL 44 introduces here the theme of the church’s hope, which “is rooted in the promised fulfilment of the reign of God. It entails the restoration of right relationship between God and humanity and all of creation. Even though this vision speaks to an eschatological reality, it deeply energizes and informs our current participation in God’s salvific work in this penultimate period.”

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  1. Pontifical Urbanian University, Rome, Italy

    Sandra Mazzolini

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  1. University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Mark D. Chapman

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Mazzolini, S. (2017). Together Towards Life: Christian Hope and its Witness: Some Theological Aspects and Missiological Implications. In: Chapman, M. (eds) Hope in the Ecumenical Future . Pathways for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63372-5_4

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