Choose hope, not cynicism.

Choose hope, not cynicism. That was the challenge from Jim Wallis on the Justice Now tour [22-27 November]. 

The American theologian and best-selling author, described by the media as ‘Barak Obama’s spiritual advisor’ summed up the British media as cynical; he’d a had interviews from the press, TV and radio, talking about consumerism, poverty and injustice following the launch of his new book Rediscovering Values (Hodder and Stoughton). 

 “Their response to me is “you are right Jim, but there is nothing we can do. We are just hurtling towards destruction, it will never change,” said Mr Wallis. 

“There are two types of people – the Saints and the Cynics - who see the world realistically. The difference is that the Saints make a choice to act in hope and the Cynics give you reasons for never acting. Cynicism is a buffer against commitment. 

“Hope is not a feeling, or a mood, or being a cup half-full person. It is the decision you make and it comes from this thing we call faith. Hebrews said faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. My best paraphrase of that text is this: Hope is believing despite the evidence and watching the evidence change. Faith prompts hope; that causes action, and makes change.”

The Justice Now tour, organised by partners Hope Together, Spring Harvest, Bible Society, Chapel St and Hodder and Stoughton, inspired those gathered to pursue justice in our world and be change makers. The tour visited Swindon, Nottingham and London. 

Roy Crowne said: "Jim Wallis rightly makes a big thing about this word hope. The time is now to choose to live in hope and share that hope with others. We live in a world where hope is scarce and we need to be people of hope who join together as Church to transform our communities."

Read more about the Justice Now Tour

View the video of Jim Wallis at our Hope Forum