William Katerberg and Miroslav Volf

Over the last three decades a major cultural shift has taken place in the attitudes of Western societies toward the future. Optimism has given way to a sense of ambiguity; messianic and utopian modes of thought have capitulated before the drawing of apocalyptic scenarios. This shift is not just a fleeting mood...modernity's "culture of optimism," which emerged from pre-modernity's "culture of endurance," is giving way to a post-modern "culture of ambiguity." This culture of ambiguity threatens to stifle hope at…