Lighten Our Darkness

Book excerpt: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revised and with a Foreword by David J. Monge In this great classic, Douglas John Hall analyzes the inadequacies and dangers of the officially optimistic society of North America and its officially optimistic religion. He then appeals to the thin tradition of Luther and Kierkegaard within Christian history as a way into the darkness of our time. He eloquently appeals to this theology of the cross as not only pointing toward a new image of human nature for Christians today but also affording us a glimmer of true light. Students, laypersons, clergy, and many others will find here a gripping critique of modern Western culture and a way toward genuine Christian faith in challenging times. Mind-shaking and spirit-shaking. -- John C. Bennett One of the best and most constructive theological critiques of culture and religion to come along in a good while. -- Larry Rasmussen I believe this is an important book. I know that it is stimulating and provocative--almost maddeningly so. . . .Thoughtful Christians need to reckon with the ideas contained in this book. -- Edgar M. Carlson, The Lutheran Quarterly Douglas John Hall, one of the most respected of North American theologians, is Professor Emeritus of Theology at McGill University, Montreal. Among his many books is the trilogy Christian Theology in a North American Context, which consists of Thinking the Faith, Professing the Faith, and Confessing the Faith. His popular Why Christian? For Those on the Edge of Faith was published in 1998.