We know that finding reliable resources for the topic you are interested in is not straight forward. So, we are sharing some of the books that we think are useful here. As you might expect, there is overlap between disciplines and ideas that will encourage you to stray across boundaries and adopt a more radical approach to your thinking. This is an open list, which will be updated over time. If you think something is missing, or you want to talk about something you have read, get in touch
Spaces of Hope Library
Anthropology
Turner, V., (1969). Liminality and Communitas, in the Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure. Chicago: Aldine Publishing.
This text is a seminal in both anthropology and ethnography and informs discussions of change, rites of passage, experiences of uncertainty and what it means to be human. Building on the work of Arnold Van Gennep exploring Rites of Passage in indigenous communities which are understood as 'liminal', Turner conceives of liminality in broader terms, developing it as the antithesis of structure and order in society and as the experience of community or as Turner puts it, communitas.
Van Gennep, A., (1960 [1909]). The Rites of Passage. Chicago.
Folklorist Arnold van Gennep's masterwork, The Rites of Passage, has been a staple of anthropological education for more than a century. First published in French in 1909, and translated into English by the University of Chicago Press in 1960, this landmark book explores how the life of an individual in any society can be understood as a succession of stages: birth, puberty, marriage, parenthood, advancement to elderhood, and, finally, death. Van Gennep's command of the ethnographic record enabled him to discern crosscultural patterns in rituals of separation, transition, and incorporation. With compelling precision, he elaborated the terms that would both define twentieth-century ritual theory and become a part of our everyday lexicon.
Turner, V., (1969). Liminality and Communitas, in the Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure. Chicago: Aldine Publishing.
This text is a seminal in both anthropology and ethnography and informs discussions of change, rites of passage, experiences of uncertainty and what it means to be human. Building on the work of Arnold Van Gennep exploring Rites of Passage in indigenous communities which are understood as 'liminal', Turner conceives of liminality in broader terms, developing it as the antithesis of structure and order in society and as the experience of community or as Turner puts it, communitas.
Van Gennep, A., (1960 [1909]). The Rites of Passage. Chicago.
Folklorist Arnold van Gennep's masterwork, The Rites of Passage, has been a staple of anthropological education for more than a century. First published in French in 1909, and translated into English by the University of Chicago Press in 1960, this landmark book explores how the life of an individual in any society can be understood as a succession of stages: birth, puberty, marriage, parenthood, advancement to elderhood, and, finally, death. Van Gennep's command of the ethnographic record enabled him to discern crosscultural patterns in rituals of separation, transition, and incorporation. With compelling precision, he elaborated the terms that would both define twentieth-century ritual theory and become a part of our everyday lexicon.
Continental Philosophy
Deleuze, G., (2014 [1968]). Difference and Repetition. London: Bloomsbury.
Deleuze, G. & Guattari, F., (2016 [1988]). A Thousand Plateaus. London: Bloomsbury.
The work that Deleuze did and the work he did with partner Felix Guattari can be understood as post-structuralist and offer distinctive roots for a school of thought called new materialism. At the heart of their work is the question "How might we live?" This is a central question for all of us I am sure. The philosophical roots of our lives may be clear to us. They may not. There are different ways of approaching this of course. The work of Gilles Deleuze has appealed to the development of Spaces of Hope as it is open to key foundational concepts for our age: difference and creative potential and the fact that differences co-constitute our different identities, stories and experiences, and as such: different ontologies, or ways of being, or worldviews that we hold, can affect one another and can both speak to our desires and to the process of becoming transformed and made new.
Latour, B., (2007). Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor Network Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
This is a key text in new materialist thinking, from the French Sociologist Bruno Latour. Latour developed the concept of Act Network Theory, which maps and develops theory of the affective relationships between the human and non-human. ANT as it is known is a key stepping stone within the thought of Latour. Whilst Latour developed his thinking beyond ANT and offered critique of his own theory alongside other new materialist thinkers, Reassembling the Social is a worthwhile point of reference for people seeking to step into assemblage thinking and the associated applications.
Massumi, B., (2015). Politics of Affect. Cambridge: Polity Press.
This volume opens up the concept of affect. It offers a dialogue based approach to exploring the concept and touches on both the philosophical roots within assemblage theory, and delves into related concepts such as freedom and hope. Massumi, whilst offering his own thoughts here, also played a role in translating the work of Deleuze and Guattari from the original French. With this in mind, Massumi's insights into affect theory are worth a look.
Deleuze, G., (2014 [1968]). Difference and Repetition. London: Bloomsbury.
Deleuze, G. & Guattari, F., (2016 [1988]). A Thousand Plateaus. London: Bloomsbury.
The work that Deleuze did and the work he did with partner Felix Guattari can be understood as post-structuralist and offer distinctive roots for a school of thought called new materialism. At the heart of their work is the question "How might we live?" This is a central question for all of us I am sure. The philosophical roots of our lives may be clear to us. They may not. There are different ways of approaching this of course. The work of Gilles Deleuze has appealed to the development of Spaces of Hope as it is open to key foundational concepts for our age: difference and creative potential and the fact that differences co-constitute our different identities, stories and experiences, and as such: different ontologies, or ways of being, or worldviews that we hold, can affect one another and can both speak to our desires and to the process of becoming transformed and made new.
Latour, B., (2007). Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor Network Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
This is a key text in new materialist thinking, from the French Sociologist Bruno Latour. Latour developed the concept of Act Network Theory, which maps and develops theory of the affective relationships between the human and non-human. ANT as it is known is a key stepping stone within the thought of Latour. Whilst Latour developed his thinking beyond ANT and offered critique of his own theory alongside other new materialist thinkers, Reassembling the Social is a worthwhile point of reference for people seeking to step into assemblage thinking and the associated applications.
Massumi, B., (2015). Politics of Affect. Cambridge: Polity Press.
This volume opens up the concept of affect. It offers a dialogue based approach to exploring the concept and touches on both the philosophical roots within assemblage theory, and delves into related concepts such as freedom and hope. Massumi, whilst offering his own thoughts here, also played a role in translating the work of Deleuze and Guattari from the original French. With this in mind, Massumi's insights into affect theory are worth a look.
Education
Freire, P., (1970) Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
Paulo Freire argues for a dialogue-based education system designed to help the oppressed recognise their humanity and fight for liberation. It critiques the "banking model" of education—where teachers deposit information into passive students—and promotes "conscientization" to encourage critical consciousness, praxis (reflection and action), and a radical, cooperative transformation of society.
Lee, S, (2026), Universities in Peripheral Vision, From ‘The Idea of a University’ in 1852 to ‘No Idea of a University’ in 2025?
On the Feast of All Saints, 1st November 2025, Pope Leo XIV will declare St John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Universal Church. He will be the 38th person to be declared a Doctor of the Church, and only the second English person to be so declared, after the Venerable Bede. In 1852, Newman gave a series of lectures in Dublin on the subject of The Idea of a University. Collected into a book of the same name in 1853, they have been frequently reprinted, and have proven to be one of the most influential and enduring texts on the subject of what a university should be. In England today, the nation is again confronting the questions of the aims, purposes and values of our university system, in the context of significant and growing dissatisfaction amongst students, staff and the general public, alongside a worsening financial crisis that threatens to undermine the viability and excellence of the sector. The latest official document to consider a way forward for higher education is the Government’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, published on 20 October. In this essay for Policy Exchange, Professor Simon Lee reflects on the history, evolution and purposes of our university system in the context of both St John Henry Newman’s Idea of a University and the White Paper. https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Universities-in-Peripheral-Vision.pdf
Snow, CP., (2021 [1969]) The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution
The notion that our society, its education system and its intellectual life, is characterised by a split between two cultures - the arts or humanities on one hand, and the sciences on the other - has a long history. But it was C. P. Snow's Rede lecture of 1959 that brought it to prominence and began a public debate that is still raging in the media today. This 50th anniversary printing of The Two Cultures and its successor piece, A Second Look (in which Snow responded to the controversy four years later) features an introduction by Stefan Collini, charting the history and context of the debate, its implications and its afterlife. The importance of science and technology in policy run largely by non-scientists, the future for education and research, and the problem of fragmentation threatening hopes for a common culture are just some of the subjects discussed.
St John Henry Newman, (1852), The Idea of there University.
Newman thought that knowledge should be pursued 'for its own sake'. But by this he did not mean pure research. For him the search for truth was part of an educational ideal which shaped the personality of the cultivated man, and was inseparable from moral and religious education. This ideal required a pastoral relationship between teacher and student, and it derived from Newman's early experience as a college tutor at Oxford. Newman thought that the personal gifts needed for research and teaching were quite different, and that research was best conducted outside universities. He also described the university as a place of 'universal knowledge', in which specialised training, though valid in itself, was subordinate to the pursuit of a broader liberal education. These ideals, later developed by other Victorian apostles of culture like Matthew Arnold, became the basis of a characteristic British belief that education should aim at producing generalists rather than narrow specialists, and that non-vocational subjects – in arts or pure science – could train the mind in ways applicable to a wide range of jobs. https://www.newmanreader.org/works/idea/
Pope Leo, (2026), Drawing New Maps of Hope, An Apostolic Letter
"I ask educational communities: disarm words, raise your eyes, and safeguard the heart. Disarm words, because education does not advance with polemics, but with meekness that knows how to listen. Raise your eyes. As God said to Abraham, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars” ( Gen 15:5): know how to ask yourselves where you are going, and why. Safeguard the heart: relationships come before opinions, people before programmes. Do not waste time and opportunities: “to quote an Augustinian expression: our present is an intuition; a time we live and must take advantage of before it slips through our fingers” [24]. In conclusion, dear brothers and sisters, I make my own the exhortation of the Apostle Paul: you must “shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life” ( Phil 2:15-16)" https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/apost_letters/documents/20251027-disegnare-nuove-mappe.html
Freire, P., (1970) Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
Paulo Freire argues for a dialogue-based education system designed to help the oppressed recognise their humanity and fight for liberation. It critiques the "banking model" of education—where teachers deposit information into passive students—and promotes "conscientization" to encourage critical consciousness, praxis (reflection and action), and a radical, cooperative transformation of society.
Lee, S, (2026), Universities in Peripheral Vision, From ‘The Idea of a University’ in 1852 to ‘No Idea of a University’ in 2025?
On the Feast of All Saints, 1st November 2025, Pope Leo XIV will declare St John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Universal Church. He will be the 38th person to be declared a Doctor of the Church, and only the second English person to be so declared, after the Venerable Bede. In 1852, Newman gave a series of lectures in Dublin on the subject of The Idea of a University. Collected into a book of the same name in 1853, they have been frequently reprinted, and have proven to be one of the most influential and enduring texts on the subject of what a university should be. In England today, the nation is again confronting the questions of the aims, purposes and values of our university system, in the context of significant and growing dissatisfaction amongst students, staff and the general public, alongside a worsening financial crisis that threatens to undermine the viability and excellence of the sector. The latest official document to consider a way forward for higher education is the Government’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, published on 20 October. In this essay for Policy Exchange, Professor Simon Lee reflects on the history, evolution and purposes of our university system in the context of both St John Henry Newman’s Idea of a University and the White Paper. https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Universities-in-Peripheral-Vision.pdf
Snow, CP., (2021 [1969]) The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution
The notion that our society, its education system and its intellectual life, is characterised by a split between two cultures - the arts or humanities on one hand, and the sciences on the other - has a long history. But it was C. P. Snow's Rede lecture of 1959 that brought it to prominence and began a public debate that is still raging in the media today. This 50th anniversary printing of The Two Cultures and its successor piece, A Second Look (in which Snow responded to the controversy four years later) features an introduction by Stefan Collini, charting the history and context of the debate, its implications and its afterlife. The importance of science and technology in policy run largely by non-scientists, the future for education and research, and the problem of fragmentation threatening hopes for a common culture are just some of the subjects discussed.
St John Henry Newman, (1852), The Idea of there University.
Newman thought that knowledge should be pursued 'for its own sake'. But by this he did not mean pure research. For him the search for truth was part of an educational ideal which shaped the personality of the cultivated man, and was inseparable from moral and religious education. This ideal required a pastoral relationship between teacher and student, and it derived from Newman's early experience as a college tutor at Oxford. Newman thought that the personal gifts needed for research and teaching were quite different, and that research was best conducted outside universities. He also described the university as a place of 'universal knowledge', in which specialised training, though valid in itself, was subordinate to the pursuit of a broader liberal education. These ideals, later developed by other Victorian apostles of culture like Matthew Arnold, became the basis of a characteristic British belief that education should aim at producing generalists rather than narrow specialists, and that non-vocational subjects – in arts or pure science – could train the mind in ways applicable to a wide range of jobs. https://www.newmanreader.org/works/idea/
Pope Leo, (2026), Drawing New Maps of Hope, An Apostolic Letter
"I ask educational communities: disarm words, raise your eyes, and safeguard the heart. Disarm words, because education does not advance with polemics, but with meekness that knows how to listen. Raise your eyes. As God said to Abraham, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars” ( Gen 15:5): know how to ask yourselves where you are going, and why. Safeguard the heart: relationships come before opinions, people before programmes. Do not waste time and opportunities: “to quote an Augustinian expression: our present is an intuition; a time we live and must take advantage of before it slips through our fingers” [24]. In conclusion, dear brothers and sisters, I make my own the exhortation of the Apostle Paul: you must “shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life” ( Phil 2:15-16)" https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/apost_letters/documents/20251027-disegnare-nuove-mappe.html
Environmentalism
Hardin, G., (1968) Tragedy of the Common, Science. New Series. Vol 162. pp1243-1248
Ostrom, E., (1999). ‘Coping with the Tragedy of the Commons’. Annual Review of Political Science, pp. 493 - 535.
Ostrom, E., (2010). ‘Beyond markets and states: Polycentric Governance of complex economic systems.’ American Economic Review, Volume 100, pp. 1-33.
You may well have heard of the Commons. You may well have heard of the parable 'The Tragedy of the Commons' popularised by Gerratt Hardin in 1968. These Commons conversations were foundational for the environmental movement. But anyone who has read Hardin's work will have found issues with the parable in practice. Well, Elinor Ostrom brought the principle of the tragedy of the Commons together with realism, relationships and systems thinking as part of her work in economics which earned her a Nobel Prize. These papers are milestones within Ostrom's work and it are worth a read.
Pope Francis, (2015) Laudatory Si, Papal Encyclical Letter
Laudato Si’ is an encyclical of Pope Francis which focuses on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as broader questions of the relationship between God, humans, and the Earth. The encyclical’s subtitle, “Care for Our Common Home,” reinforces these key themes. Laudato Si’ is addressed to “every living person on this planet” (LS 3). Hence, it is offered as part of an ongoing dialogue within the Catholic Church and between Catholics and the wider world. "Laudato Si’" is Italian and translates as “praise be to you” and is part of a quotation from St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures” that opens the encyclical in which the saint praises God by meditating on the goodness of sun, wind, Earth, water, and other natural forces. The choice of this passage to begin Laudato Si’ is a reminder of how people of faith should not only respect the Earth but also praise and honor God through their engagement with creation.
Hardin, G., (1968) Tragedy of the Common, Science. New Series. Vol 162. pp1243-1248
Ostrom, E., (1999). ‘Coping with the Tragedy of the Commons’. Annual Review of Political Science, pp. 493 - 535.
Ostrom, E., (2010). ‘Beyond markets and states: Polycentric Governance of complex economic systems.’ American Economic Review, Volume 100, pp. 1-33.
You may well have heard of the Commons. You may well have heard of the parable 'The Tragedy of the Commons' popularised by Gerratt Hardin in 1968. These Commons conversations were foundational for the environmental movement. But anyone who has read Hardin's work will have found issues with the parable in practice. Well, Elinor Ostrom brought the principle of the tragedy of the Commons together with realism, relationships and systems thinking as part of her work in economics which earned her a Nobel Prize. These papers are milestones within Ostrom's work and it are worth a read.
Pope Francis, (2015) Laudatory Si, Papal Encyclical Letter
Laudato Si’ is an encyclical of Pope Francis which focuses on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as broader questions of the relationship between God, humans, and the Earth. The encyclical’s subtitle, “Care for Our Common Home,” reinforces these key themes. Laudato Si’ is addressed to “every living person on this planet” (LS 3). Hence, it is offered as part of an ongoing dialogue within the Catholic Church and between Catholics and the wider world. "Laudato Si’" is Italian and translates as “praise be to you” and is part of a quotation from St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures” that opens the encyclical in which the saint praises God by meditating on the goodness of sun, wind, Earth, water, and other natural forces. The choice of this passage to begin Laudato Si’ is a reminder of how people of faith should not only respect the Earth but also praise and honor God through their engagement with creation.
Interdisciplinary Studies
Barber-Rowell, M., (2025) Curating Spaces of Hope: Transformational Leadership for Uncertain Times, SCM Press.
What might a political theology of leadership look like in uncertain times? Curating Spaces of Hope explores how individuals and communities work together to shape and contribute to society in times of pandemic, Brexit, war, and a cost of living crisis, through the exploration and development of local leadership practice underpinned by shared values. Expanding on William Temples’ three key social principles for our own times, Matthew Barber-Rowell suggests 'freedom, relationship, service, affect and authenticity' as critical values which are vital in influencing wider society in troubled times. https://www.spacesofhope.co.uk/store/p9/CuratingSpacesofHope.html
Barber-Rowell, M., (ed) (2024) Finding Radical Hope in an Election Year? Reflection from a Roundtable at Liverpool Hope University. William Temple Foundation Press. https://williamtemplefoundation.org.uk/temple-books/
This volume opens up a conversation about a new concept called Radical Hope. The conversation took place in April 2024. The concept was coined by Chair of the William Temple Foundation Prof Simon Lee in 2023 and is being developed by people associated with the William Temple Foundation. The foremost articulation of Radical Hope can be found in the ebook edited by and including a chapter by our Founder, Matthew. The ebook considers the question of what Radical Hope might be from an interdisciplinary perspective; theology, politics, education, social policy, sociology, ecology and environmentalism, anthropology, philosophy and community development. This ebook is free and it speaks to an emerging agenda which you would be welcome to join in with - if it is of interest, get it touch!
Bateson, G, (1972) Steps into an Ecology of Mind. University of Chicago Press.
Gregory Bateson was a philosopher, anthropologist, photographer, naturalist, and poet, as well as the husband and collaborator of Margaret Mead. Steps into an Ecology of Mind is a classic anthology of Bateson's major work that has emerged from his career initially in anthropology; for which he was first trained, but into psychiatry, genetics, and communication theory. He examines the nature of the mind, seeing it not as a nebulous something, somehow lodged somewhere in the body of each person, but as a network of interactions relating the individual with his society and his species and with the universe at large.
Lear, J., (2006) Radical Hope: Ethics in the face of Cultural Devastation
Shortly before he died, Plenty Coups, the last great Chief of the Crow Nation, told his story - up to a certain point. "When the buffalo went away the hearts of my people fell to the ground," he said, "and they could not lift them up again. After this nothing happened." It is precisely this point - that of a people faced with the end of their way of life - that prompts the philosophical and ethical inquiry pursued in "Radical Hope". In Jonathan Lear's view, Plenty Coups' story raises a profound ethical question that transcends his time and challenges us all: how should one face the possibility that one's culture might collapse?
Scioli, A., and van den Heuvel, S., (2025) The Oxford Compendium of Hope
Hope emerges in the space between our most significant desires and the vicissitudes that define the human condition. The challenges of a recent pandemic and renewal of ancient hostilities around the globe add to a growing list of concerns about the sustainability of life on this planet. The need for hope has never been more palpable. The Oxford Compendium of Hope is the most comprehensive collection of research and scholarship on this topic, with contributions from over 70 scholars across fourteen disciplines. The latest theoretical and empirical research in the humanities, social sciences, and medicine are included along with chapters on race, gender, and the LGBTQ+ experience, as well as migration and human rights. Additional sections address hope in economics, organizational leadership, ecology, technology, and the arts. Extracts from seminal contributions include the philosophical and theological insights of Bloch, Lynch, Marcel, and Moltmann; Cowan on the Australian dreamtime; Menninger and Hinds from psychiatry and nursing; Capps on the development of hope; and Sikkink on human rights. The fifty-six chapters are divided into twelve sections. To encourage greater interdisciplinary collaboration, the placement of adjacent chapters and sections presume fewer degrees of "epistemological distance" (i.e., common concerns and similar methodologies). The concluding chapter deals with key conceptual issues that confront serious students of hope as well as potential blind spots. Forewords for this compendium were provided by Jan Peter Balkenende, former prime minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with Kerry Kennedy, President of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-compendium-of-hope-9780197618240?q=Scioli&cc=us&lang=en#
Barber-Rowell, M., (2025) Curating Spaces of Hope: Transformational Leadership for Uncertain Times, SCM Press.
What might a political theology of leadership look like in uncertain times? Curating Spaces of Hope explores how individuals and communities work together to shape and contribute to society in times of pandemic, Brexit, war, and a cost of living crisis, through the exploration and development of local leadership practice underpinned by shared values. Expanding on William Temples’ three key social principles for our own times, Matthew Barber-Rowell suggests 'freedom, relationship, service, affect and authenticity' as critical values which are vital in influencing wider society in troubled times. https://www.spacesofhope.co.uk/store/p9/CuratingSpacesofHope.html
Barber-Rowell, M., (ed) (2024) Finding Radical Hope in an Election Year? Reflection from a Roundtable at Liverpool Hope University. William Temple Foundation Press. https://williamtemplefoundation.org.uk/temple-books/
This volume opens up a conversation about a new concept called Radical Hope. The conversation took place in April 2024. The concept was coined by Chair of the William Temple Foundation Prof Simon Lee in 2023 and is being developed by people associated with the William Temple Foundation. The foremost articulation of Radical Hope can be found in the ebook edited by and including a chapter by our Founder, Matthew. The ebook considers the question of what Radical Hope might be from an interdisciplinary perspective; theology, politics, education, social policy, sociology, ecology and environmentalism, anthropology, philosophy and community development. This ebook is free and it speaks to an emerging agenda which you would be welcome to join in with - if it is of interest, get it touch!
Bateson, G, (1972) Steps into an Ecology of Mind. University of Chicago Press.
Gregory Bateson was a philosopher, anthropologist, photographer, naturalist, and poet, as well as the husband and collaborator of Margaret Mead. Steps into an Ecology of Mind is a classic anthology of Bateson's major work that has emerged from his career initially in anthropology; for which he was first trained, but into psychiatry, genetics, and communication theory. He examines the nature of the mind, seeing it not as a nebulous something, somehow lodged somewhere in the body of each person, but as a network of interactions relating the individual with his society and his species and with the universe at large.
Lear, J., (2006) Radical Hope: Ethics in the face of Cultural Devastation
Shortly before he died, Plenty Coups, the last great Chief of the Crow Nation, told his story - up to a certain point. "When the buffalo went away the hearts of my people fell to the ground," he said, "and they could not lift them up again. After this nothing happened." It is precisely this point - that of a people faced with the end of their way of life - that prompts the philosophical and ethical inquiry pursued in "Radical Hope". In Jonathan Lear's view, Plenty Coups' story raises a profound ethical question that transcends his time and challenges us all: how should one face the possibility that one's culture might collapse?
Scioli, A., and van den Heuvel, S., (2025) The Oxford Compendium of Hope
Hope emerges in the space between our most significant desires and the vicissitudes that define the human condition. The challenges of a recent pandemic and renewal of ancient hostilities around the globe add to a growing list of concerns about the sustainability of life on this planet. The need for hope has never been more palpable. The Oxford Compendium of Hope is the most comprehensive collection of research and scholarship on this topic, with contributions from over 70 scholars across fourteen disciplines. The latest theoretical and empirical research in the humanities, social sciences, and medicine are included along with chapters on race, gender, and the LGBTQ+ experience, as well as migration and human rights. Additional sections address hope in economics, organizational leadership, ecology, technology, and the arts. Extracts from seminal contributions include the philosophical and theological insights of Bloch, Lynch, Marcel, and Moltmann; Cowan on the Australian dreamtime; Menninger and Hinds from psychiatry and nursing; Capps on the development of hope; and Sikkink on human rights. The fifty-six chapters are divided into twelve sections. To encourage greater interdisciplinary collaboration, the placement of adjacent chapters and sections presume fewer degrees of "epistemological distance" (i.e., common concerns and similar methodologies). The concluding chapter deals with key conceptual issues that confront serious students of hope as well as potential blind spots. Forewords for this compendium were provided by Jan Peter Balkenende, former prime minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with Kerry Kennedy, President of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-compendium-of-hope-9780197618240?q=Scioli&cc=us&lang=en#
Literature
Aesop (c550BC) Aesop's Fables
It is thought that Aesop was a slave who represented his masters in court and negotiations. He relied on allegorical animal stories, to convey his key points. In a series of pithy, amusing vignettes, Aesop created a vivid cast of characters to demonstrate different aspects of human nature. Here we see a wily fox outwitted by a quick-thinking cicada, a tortoise triumphing over a self-confident hare and a fable-teller named Aesop silencing those who mock him. Each jewel-like fable provides a warning about the consequences of wrongdoing, as well as offering a glimpse into the everyday lives of Ancient Greeks. All Aesop's fables, full of humour, insight and savage wit, as well as many fascinating glimpses of ordinary life. Little is known for certain about the life of Aesop (c.620-564 BC), though details of his life are scattered throughout the works of ancient Greek writers including Aristophanes, Xenophon, Aristotle and Herodotus, who give grounds for thinking that he was a slave, and Plutarch, who identifies him as an entertaining storyteller, executed by the Delphians by being thrown off a cliff.
Dante, A (1308-1321) The Divine Comedy
Divina Commedia is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun c. 1308 and completed c. 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of the greatest works of Western literature. The poem's imaginative vision of the afterlife is representative of the medieval worldview as it existed in the Western Church by the 14th century. It helped establish the Tuscan language, in which it is written, as the standardised Italian language. It is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The poem explores the condition of the soul following death and portrays a vision of divine justice, in which individuals receive appropriate punishment or reward based on their actions. It describes Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. Allegorically, the poem represents the soul's journey towards God, beginning with the recognition and rejection of sin (Inferno), followed by the penitent Christian life (Purgatorio), which is then followed by the soul's ascent to God (Paradiso). Dante draws on medieval Catholic theology and philosophy, especially Thomistic philosophy derived from the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas.
Kafka, F., (1926) The Castle
The Castle (Das Schloß [das ˈʃlɔs]) is the last novel by Franz Kafka, first published in 1926. In it, a protagonist known only as "K." arrives in a village and struggles to gain access to the mysterious authorities who govern it from a castle supposedly owned by Graf Westwest. Kafka died before he could finish the work and the novel was posthumously published against his wishes. Dark and at times surreal, The Castle is often understood to be about alienation, unresponsive bureaucracy, the frustration of trying to conduct business with non-transparent, seemingly arbitrary controlling systems, and the futile pursuit of an unobtainable goal.
Lewis, CS., (1944) The Inner Ring
Lewis’s 1944 Memorial Lecture to King’s College London was titled The Inner Ring. In it, Lewis talked about the natural human desire to belong and to feel special within a group. He talked of the ‘Inner Ring’, the exclusive group – different for every person – to which people want to belong. In his lecture he described two types of Inner Ring. The first is an Inner Ring made up of those who are ‘sound craftsmen’. It is the inner ring of professionals, who allow only those of the highest professional quality to enter. These groups include all those who make the grade. They are, in the sense that we use today in modern leadership, ‘inclusive’ groups. The other ‘Inner Rings’ are rings of exclusivity. They are rings that exclude others because, by excluding others, they make their members feel superior. You have probably come across them in your life – at school, in clubs, in your social life. Sadly, you may have come across them in your professional life too. For Lewis, these exclusive Inner Ring were morally dangerous. Why? Because they offer you the chance to feel superior to others and to look down on them. In fact, even more so, they require you to look down on those on in the group. The very nature of these Inner Rings is that you must exclude others to make the group special. He also warned the listeners against chasing these exclusive Inner Rings. The price of joining is often, in small steps, rejection of the values you hold.
Snow, CP., (1940-1970) Strangers and Brothers
Strangers and Brothers is a series of novels by C. P. Snow, published between 1940 and 1970. They deal with – among other things – questions of political and personal integrity, and the mechanics of exercising power. All eleven novels in the series are narrated by the character Lewis Eliot. The series follows his life and career from humble beginnings in an English provincial town, to reasonably successful London lawyer, to Cambridge don, to wartime service in Whitehall, to senior civil servant and finally retirement.
Aesop (c550BC) Aesop's Fables
It is thought that Aesop was a slave who represented his masters in court and negotiations. He relied on allegorical animal stories, to convey his key points. In a series of pithy, amusing vignettes, Aesop created a vivid cast of characters to demonstrate different aspects of human nature. Here we see a wily fox outwitted by a quick-thinking cicada, a tortoise triumphing over a self-confident hare and a fable-teller named Aesop silencing those who mock him. Each jewel-like fable provides a warning about the consequences of wrongdoing, as well as offering a glimpse into the everyday lives of Ancient Greeks. All Aesop's fables, full of humour, insight and savage wit, as well as many fascinating glimpses of ordinary life. Little is known for certain about the life of Aesop (c.620-564 BC), though details of his life are scattered throughout the works of ancient Greek writers including Aristophanes, Xenophon, Aristotle and Herodotus, who give grounds for thinking that he was a slave, and Plutarch, who identifies him as an entertaining storyteller, executed by the Delphians by being thrown off a cliff.
Dante, A (1308-1321) The Divine Comedy
Divina Commedia is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun c. 1308 and completed c. 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of the greatest works of Western literature. The poem's imaginative vision of the afterlife is representative of the medieval worldview as it existed in the Western Church by the 14th century. It helped establish the Tuscan language, in which it is written, as the standardised Italian language. It is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The poem explores the condition of the soul following death and portrays a vision of divine justice, in which individuals receive appropriate punishment or reward based on their actions. It describes Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. Allegorically, the poem represents the soul's journey towards God, beginning with the recognition and rejection of sin (Inferno), followed by the penitent Christian life (Purgatorio), which is then followed by the soul's ascent to God (Paradiso). Dante draws on medieval Catholic theology and philosophy, especially Thomistic philosophy derived from the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas.
Kafka, F., (1926) The Castle
The Castle (Das Schloß [das ˈʃlɔs]) is the last novel by Franz Kafka, first published in 1926. In it, a protagonist known only as "K." arrives in a village and struggles to gain access to the mysterious authorities who govern it from a castle supposedly owned by Graf Westwest. Kafka died before he could finish the work and the novel was posthumously published against his wishes. Dark and at times surreal, The Castle is often understood to be about alienation, unresponsive bureaucracy, the frustration of trying to conduct business with non-transparent, seemingly arbitrary controlling systems, and the futile pursuit of an unobtainable goal.
Lewis, CS., (1944) The Inner Ring
Lewis’s 1944 Memorial Lecture to King’s College London was titled The Inner Ring. In it, Lewis talked about the natural human desire to belong and to feel special within a group. He talked of the ‘Inner Ring’, the exclusive group – different for every person – to which people want to belong. In his lecture he described two types of Inner Ring. The first is an Inner Ring made up of those who are ‘sound craftsmen’. It is the inner ring of professionals, who allow only those of the highest professional quality to enter. These groups include all those who make the grade. They are, in the sense that we use today in modern leadership, ‘inclusive’ groups. The other ‘Inner Rings’ are rings of exclusivity. They are rings that exclude others because, by excluding others, they make their members feel superior. You have probably come across them in your life – at school, in clubs, in your social life. Sadly, you may have come across them in your professional life too. For Lewis, these exclusive Inner Ring were morally dangerous. Why? Because they offer you the chance to feel superior to others and to look down on them. In fact, even more so, they require you to look down on those on in the group. The very nature of these Inner Rings is that you must exclude others to make the group special. He also warned the listeners against chasing these exclusive Inner Rings. The price of joining is often, in small steps, rejection of the values you hold.
Snow, CP., (1940-1970) Strangers and Brothers
Strangers and Brothers is a series of novels by C. P. Snow, published between 1940 and 1970. They deal with – among other things – questions of political and personal integrity, and the mechanics of exercising power. All eleven novels in the series are narrated by the character Lewis Eliot. The series follows his life and career from humble beginnings in an English provincial town, to reasonably successful London lawyer, to Cambridge don, to wartime service in Whitehall, to senior civil servant and finally retirement.
Mysticism
A Carthusian Monk (1375-1400) The Cloud of Unknowing and other Works
Contains The Cloud of Unknowing, The Mystical Theology of Saint Denis, The Book of Privy Counselling, and An Epistle on Prayer. Against a tradition of devotional writings which focussed on knowing God through Christ's Passion and his humanity, these texts describe a transcendent God who exists beyond human knowledge and human language. These four texts are at the heart of medival mystical theology in their call for contemplation, calm, and above all, love, as the way to understand the Divine.
McGinn, B., (2006) The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism
This clear and comprehensive anthology, culled from the vast corpus of Christian mystical literature by the renowned theologian and historian Bernard McGinn, presents nearly one hundred selections, from the writings of Origen of Alexandria in the third century to the work of twentieth-century mystics such as Thomas Merton. Uniquely organized by subject rather than by author, The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism explores how human life is transformed through the search for direct contact with God. Part one examines the preparation for encountering God through biblical interpretation and prayer; the second part focuses on the mystics actual encounters with God; and part three addresses the implications of the mystical life, showing how mystics have been received over time, and how they practice their faith through private contemplation and public actions.
A Carthusian Monk (1375-1400) The Cloud of Unknowing and other Works
Contains The Cloud of Unknowing, The Mystical Theology of Saint Denis, The Book of Privy Counselling, and An Epistle on Prayer. Against a tradition of devotional writings which focussed on knowing God through Christ's Passion and his humanity, these texts describe a transcendent God who exists beyond human knowledge and human language. These four texts are at the heart of medival mystical theology in their call for contemplation, calm, and above all, love, as the way to understand the Divine.
McGinn, B., (2006) The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism
This clear and comprehensive anthology, culled from the vast corpus of Christian mystical literature by the renowned theologian and historian Bernard McGinn, presents nearly one hundred selections, from the writings of Origen of Alexandria in the third century to the work of twentieth-century mystics such as Thomas Merton. Uniquely organized by subject rather than by author, The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism explores how human life is transformed through the search for direct contact with God. Part one examines the preparation for encountering God through biblical interpretation and prayer; the second part focuses on the mystics actual encounters with God; and part three addresses the implications of the mystical life, showing how mystics have been received over time, and how they practice their faith through private contemplation and public actions.
Political Science
Gramsci, A., (1971) Selections from the Prison Notebooks
Selections from the Prison Notebooks written between 1929–1935 and published in English in 1971 is a foundational text of 20th-century political theory, written while imprisoned by Mussolini’s fascist regime. It introduces crucial theories on cultural hegemony, intellectuals, and political strategy, arguing that ruling classes maintain power not just through force, but by shaping cultural norms and consent, shifting focus from pure economics to culture and politics.
Habermas, J., (2005). ‘Equal Treatment of Cultures and the limits of Post-modern Liberalism’. Journal of Political Philosophy, 13(1), pp. 1-28.
Habermas, J., (2008a). ‘Notes on Post-Secular Society’. New Perspectives Quarterly, 25(4), pp. 17-29.
Habermas, J., (2008b). ‘Religion in the Public Sphere: Cognitive Presuppositions for the 'Public Use of Reason' by Religious and Secular Citizens’. In: Between naturalism and Religion: Philosophical Essays. London: Routledge, pp. 114- 147
One of the key ideas within Spaces of Hope is that we should each, from our own belief base and worldview, be able to contribute fully to the debates about the kind of society we want how we might achieve that. People will be familiar with language of the secular which posits that these debates should take place in terms of publicly acceptable reason and language that is accessible to all. This is premised on the idea that religion is a purely private affair and any religious ideas offered into the public sphere should be translated into language none religious terms before being shared. This sense was offered a distinctive challenge in the early 2000s by secular theorist Juergen Habermas. He set out an argument that in fact Religious voices were spilling over into the public sphere and they should be heard and engaged with on equal terms with non-religious voices. This idea has gained traction in recent years.
Putnam, R., (2000) Bowling Alone
Robert D. Putnam made a seemingly simple observation: once we bowled in leagues, usually after work; but no longer. This seemingly small phenomenon symbolized a significant social change that became the basis of the acclaimed bestseller, Bowling Alone, which The Washington Post called "a very important book" and Putnam, "the de Tocqueville of our generation." Bowling Alone surveyed in detail Americans' changing behavior over the decades, showing how we had become increasingly disconnected from family, friends, neighbors, and social structures, whether it's with the PTA, church, clubs, political parties, or bowling leagues. In the revised edition of his classic work, Putnam shows how our shrinking access to the "social capital" that is the reward of communal activity and community sharing still poses a serious threat to our civic and personal health, and how these consequences have a new resonance for our divided country today. At the time of its publication, Putnam's groundbreaking work showed how social bonds are the most powerful predictor of life satisfaction, and how the loss of social capital is felt in critical ways, acting as a strong predictor of crime rates and other measures of neighbourhood quality of life, and affecting our health in other ways. While the ways in which we connect, or become disconnected, have changed over the decades, his central argument remains as powerful and urgent as ever: mending our frayed social capital is key to preserving the very fabric of our society.
Putnam. R., and Campbell, D., (2010) American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us. Simon and Schuster
American Grace is a major achievement, a groundbreaking examination of religion in America. Unique among nations, America is deeply religious, religiously diverse, and remarkably tolerant. But in recent decades the nation's religious landscape has been reshaped. America has experienced three seismic shocks, say Robert Putnam and David Campbell. In the 1960s, religious observance plummeted. Then in the 1970s and 1980s, a conservative reaction produced the rise of evangelicalism and the Religious Right. Since the 1990s, however, young people, turned off by that linkage between faith and conservative politics, have abandoned organised religion. The result has been a growing polarisation - the ranks of religious conservatives and secular liberals have swelled, leaving a dwindling group of religious moderates in between. At the same time, personal interfaith ties are strengthening. Interfaith marriage has increased while religious identities have become more fluid. Putnam and Campbell show how this denser web of personal ties brings surprising interfaith tolerance, notwithstanding the so-called culture wars. American Grace promises to be the most important book in decades about American religious life.
Gramsci, A., (1971) Selections from the Prison Notebooks
Selections from the Prison Notebooks written between 1929–1935 and published in English in 1971 is a foundational text of 20th-century political theory, written while imprisoned by Mussolini’s fascist regime. It introduces crucial theories on cultural hegemony, intellectuals, and political strategy, arguing that ruling classes maintain power not just through force, but by shaping cultural norms and consent, shifting focus from pure economics to culture and politics.
Habermas, J., (2005). ‘Equal Treatment of Cultures and the limits of Post-modern Liberalism’. Journal of Political Philosophy, 13(1), pp. 1-28.
Habermas, J., (2008a). ‘Notes on Post-Secular Society’. New Perspectives Quarterly, 25(4), pp. 17-29.
Habermas, J., (2008b). ‘Religion in the Public Sphere: Cognitive Presuppositions for the 'Public Use of Reason' by Religious and Secular Citizens’. In: Between naturalism and Religion: Philosophical Essays. London: Routledge, pp. 114- 147
One of the key ideas within Spaces of Hope is that we should each, from our own belief base and worldview, be able to contribute fully to the debates about the kind of society we want how we might achieve that. People will be familiar with language of the secular which posits that these debates should take place in terms of publicly acceptable reason and language that is accessible to all. This is premised on the idea that religion is a purely private affair and any religious ideas offered into the public sphere should be translated into language none religious terms before being shared. This sense was offered a distinctive challenge in the early 2000s by secular theorist Juergen Habermas. He set out an argument that in fact Religious voices were spilling over into the public sphere and they should be heard and engaged with on equal terms with non-religious voices. This idea has gained traction in recent years.
Putnam, R., (2000) Bowling Alone
Robert D. Putnam made a seemingly simple observation: once we bowled in leagues, usually after work; but no longer. This seemingly small phenomenon symbolized a significant social change that became the basis of the acclaimed bestseller, Bowling Alone, which The Washington Post called "a very important book" and Putnam, "the de Tocqueville of our generation." Bowling Alone surveyed in detail Americans' changing behavior over the decades, showing how we had become increasingly disconnected from family, friends, neighbors, and social structures, whether it's with the PTA, church, clubs, political parties, or bowling leagues. In the revised edition of his classic work, Putnam shows how our shrinking access to the "social capital" that is the reward of communal activity and community sharing still poses a serious threat to our civic and personal health, and how these consequences have a new resonance for our divided country today. At the time of its publication, Putnam's groundbreaking work showed how social bonds are the most powerful predictor of life satisfaction, and how the loss of social capital is felt in critical ways, acting as a strong predictor of crime rates and other measures of neighbourhood quality of life, and affecting our health in other ways. While the ways in which we connect, or become disconnected, have changed over the decades, his central argument remains as powerful and urgent as ever: mending our frayed social capital is key to preserving the very fabric of our society.
Putnam. R., and Campbell, D., (2010) American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us. Simon and Schuster
American Grace is a major achievement, a groundbreaking examination of religion in America. Unique among nations, America is deeply religious, religiously diverse, and remarkably tolerant. But in recent decades the nation's religious landscape has been reshaped. America has experienced three seismic shocks, say Robert Putnam and David Campbell. In the 1960s, religious observance plummeted. Then in the 1970s and 1980s, a conservative reaction produced the rise of evangelicalism and the Religious Right. Since the 1990s, however, young people, turned off by that linkage between faith and conservative politics, have abandoned organised religion. The result has been a growing polarisation - the ranks of religious conservatives and secular liberals have swelled, leaving a dwindling group of religious moderates in between. At the same time, personal interfaith ties are strengthening. Interfaith marriage has increased while religious identities have become more fluid. Putnam and Campbell show how this denser web of personal ties brings surprising interfaith tolerance, notwithstanding the so-called culture wars. American Grace promises to be the most important book in decades about American religious life.
Psychotherapy
Frankl, V, (2006 [1946]) Mans Search for Meaning, Vienna, Austria.
Frankl identifies three psychological reactions experienced by all inmates to one degree or another: 1) Shock during the initial admission phase to the camp, 2) Apathy after becoming accustomed to camp existence, in which the inmate values only that which helps himself and his friends survive, and 3) Reactions of depersonalisation, moral deformity, bitterness, and disillusionment if he survives and is liberated. Frankl concludes that the meaning of life is found in every moment of living; life never ceases to have meaning, even in suffering and death. In a group therapy session during a mass fast inflicted on the camp's inmates trying to protect an anonymous fellow inmate from fatal retribution by authorities, Frankl offered the thought that for everyone in a dire condition there is someone looking down, a friend, family member, or even God, who would expect not to be disappointed. Frankl concludes from his experience that a prisoner's psychological reactions are not solely the result of the conditions of his life, but also from the freedom of choice he always has even in severe suffering. The inner hold a prisoner has on his spiritual self relies on having a hope in the future, and that once a prisoner loses that hope, he is doomed.
Frankl, V, (2006 [1946]) Mans Search for Meaning, Vienna, Austria.
Frankl identifies three psychological reactions experienced by all inmates to one degree or another: 1) Shock during the initial admission phase to the camp, 2) Apathy after becoming accustomed to camp existence, in which the inmate values only that which helps himself and his friends survive, and 3) Reactions of depersonalisation, moral deformity, bitterness, and disillusionment if he survives and is liberated. Frankl concludes that the meaning of life is found in every moment of living; life never ceases to have meaning, even in suffering and death. In a group therapy session during a mass fast inflicted on the camp's inmates trying to protect an anonymous fellow inmate from fatal retribution by authorities, Frankl offered the thought that for everyone in a dire condition there is someone looking down, a friend, family member, or even God, who would expect not to be disappointed. Frankl concludes from his experience that a prisoner's psychological reactions are not solely the result of the conditions of his life, but also from the freedom of choice he always has even in severe suffering. The inner hold a prisoner has on his spiritual self relies on having a hope in the future, and that once a prisoner loses that hope, he is doomed.
Policy Response
Marmot, M., What are Marmot Places? (2024)
More than 50 local authorities are known as ‘Marmot Places’ including: a sixth of English local authorities; the Gwent region in Wales and all of Scotland. ‘Marmot’ has become the byword for action to improve health equity. Places have been leading the charge in developing this action. The UCL Institute of Health Equity (IHE), headed up by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, works with Marmot Places to reduce health inequalities by improving the social determinants of health (SDH) – the living, learning and working condition for local residents. https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-reports/what-is-a-marmot-place/see-the-information.pdf
Rosling, H, Rosling, A., Rosling, O., (2018), Factfulness: Ten Reasons we are wrong about the world - and why things are better than you think. Sceptre.
What do you use to inform your view of life? Do the news headlines shape your sense of hope? Conversely are you suspicious of the MSM? Are you looking for data driven approaches which can guide your understanding of the world, not as a replacement for your worldviews, but as a contextual aid for them? This is the kind of resource that Hans Rosling pioneered and set out in Factfulness and it is the kind of work that the GapMinder Institute do today. This book is a great guild to how to look at the world differently, and to keep it the crises we face in context.
Marmot, M., What are Marmot Places? (2024)
More than 50 local authorities are known as ‘Marmot Places’ including: a sixth of English local authorities; the Gwent region in Wales and all of Scotland. ‘Marmot’ has become the byword for action to improve health equity. Places have been leading the charge in developing this action. The UCL Institute of Health Equity (IHE), headed up by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, works with Marmot Places to reduce health inequalities by improving the social determinants of health (SDH) – the living, learning and working condition for local residents. https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-reports/what-is-a-marmot-place/see-the-information.pdf
Rosling, H, Rosling, A., Rosling, O., (2018), Factfulness: Ten Reasons we are wrong about the world - and why things are better than you think. Sceptre.
What do you use to inform your view of life? Do the news headlines shape your sense of hope? Conversely are you suspicious of the MSM? Are you looking for data driven approaches which can guide your understanding of the world, not as a replacement for your worldviews, but as a contextual aid for them? This is the kind of resource that Hans Rosling pioneered and set out in Factfulness and it is the kind of work that the GapMinder Institute do today. This book is a great guild to how to look at the world differently, and to keep it the crises we face in context.
Theology
Caputo. J.D., (2020) In search of Radical Theology: Expositions, Explorations, Exhortations. Fordham University Press, New York
John Caputo is a Catholic philosopher. His recent work on Radical Theology opens up fundamental challenge to conceptions of God in society today. Caputo challenges the framing of God that is offered by faith based organisations as they stand, and suggests that 'that' God is dead. Instead Caputo offers a deep challenge to return to the roots of understandings of God and to the theology that informs our perspectives on God in the world. As a result the discipline of Radical Theology and those who acknowledge Caputo's leadership role in this, is of interest to Spaces of Hope. There is a huge amount that religion and belief in God can do to contribute to and indeed transform society in the 21st Century, but the challenge that is recognised win Radical Theology is that the institutions that hold the religion that has been present since the Reformation are in need of radical reform. This book is a good place to begin.
Halik, T., (2024) The Afternoon of Christianity, The Courage to Change
Tomáš Halìk provides a poignant reflection on Christianity's crisis of faith while offering a vision of the self-reflection, love, and growth necessary for the church to overcome and build a deeper and more mature faith. In a world transformed by secularization and globalization, torn by stark political and social distrust, and ravaged by war and pandemic, Christians are facing a crisis of faith. In The Afternoon of Christianity, Tomáš Halìk reflects on past and present challenges confronting Christian faith, drawing together strands from the Bible, historic Christian theology, philosophy, psychology, and classic literature. In the process, he reveals the current crisis as a crossroads: one road leads toward division and irrelevance, while the other provides the opportunity to develop a deeper, more credible, and mature form of church, theology, and spirituality-an afternoon epoch of Christianity.
Temple, W., (1942, 1956 and 1976). Christianity and Social Order. London: Penguin.
Christianity and Social Order is the foremost publication by Archbishop William Temple (1881-1944). This book is a relatively thin volume. The original 1942 release ran to 90 pages. The later editions (1956 and 1976) included updated preface and foreword materials. Temple's work was public theology. It also spoke clearly to the role of citizens in shaping society, their motivations, and the interdisciplinary nature of the task at hand. Temple's work had a direct influence on the post world war two welfare state in Great Britain. It also offers the most succinct expression of Temple’s approach to leadership through his life. CSO as it is know within the Temple Tradition provides inspiration for interdisciplinary projects in the 21st Century, such as Spaces of Hope.
Caputo. J.D., (2020) In search of Radical Theology: Expositions, Explorations, Exhortations. Fordham University Press, New York
John Caputo is a Catholic philosopher. His recent work on Radical Theology opens up fundamental challenge to conceptions of God in society today. Caputo challenges the framing of God that is offered by faith based organisations as they stand, and suggests that 'that' God is dead. Instead Caputo offers a deep challenge to return to the roots of understandings of God and to the theology that informs our perspectives on God in the world. As a result the discipline of Radical Theology and those who acknowledge Caputo's leadership role in this, is of interest to Spaces of Hope. There is a huge amount that religion and belief in God can do to contribute to and indeed transform society in the 21st Century, but the challenge that is recognised win Radical Theology is that the institutions that hold the religion that has been present since the Reformation are in need of radical reform. This book is a good place to begin.
Halik, T., (2024) The Afternoon of Christianity, The Courage to Change
Tomáš Halìk provides a poignant reflection on Christianity's crisis of faith while offering a vision of the self-reflection, love, and growth necessary for the church to overcome and build a deeper and more mature faith. In a world transformed by secularization and globalization, torn by stark political and social distrust, and ravaged by war and pandemic, Christians are facing a crisis of faith. In The Afternoon of Christianity, Tomáš Halìk reflects on past and present challenges confronting Christian faith, drawing together strands from the Bible, historic Christian theology, philosophy, psychology, and classic literature. In the process, he reveals the current crisis as a crossroads: one road leads toward division and irrelevance, while the other provides the opportunity to develop a deeper, more credible, and mature form of church, theology, and spirituality-an afternoon epoch of Christianity.
Temple, W., (1942, 1956 and 1976). Christianity and Social Order. London: Penguin.
Christianity and Social Order is the foremost publication by Archbishop William Temple (1881-1944). This book is a relatively thin volume. The original 1942 release ran to 90 pages. The later editions (1956 and 1976) included updated preface and foreword materials. Temple's work was public theology. It also spoke clearly to the role of citizens in shaping society, their motivations, and the interdisciplinary nature of the task at hand. Temple's work had a direct influence on the post world war two welfare state in Great Britain. It also offers the most succinct expression of Temple’s approach to leadership through his life. CSO as it is know within the Temple Tradition provides inspiration for interdisciplinary projects in the 21st Century, such as Spaces of Hope.