Faced with multiple existential threats in the coming decades, professor of religion Timothy Beal reflects on the possibility of human extinction and what hope might look like within that context. Timothy challenges the notion of perpetual optimism, advocating instead for a deeper, more grounded form of hope. Through insights from indigenous spirituality and palliative care principles, he explores how communities can confront grief, engage in meaningful action, and rediscover their earthly connection in the face of an uncertain future.

Following the interview Tim and Nick discuss their growing concerns about the state of the world, how that’s impacting them emotionally, and how they understand hope.

Interview starts at 18m 24s

BOOKS

When Time Is Short: Finding Our Way in the Anthropocene

The Rise and Fall of the Bible: The Unexpected History of an Accidental Book

The Book of Revelation: A Biography

Biblical Literacy: The Essential Bible Stories Everyone Needs to Know

BOOKS MENTIONED

Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds

Overshoot: The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change

The Body of God: An Ecological Theology

Being Mortal: Illness, Medicine and What Matters in the End

QUOTES

“I think we need to compost Christian tradition in order to let a kind of earth creatureliness emerge from it in a more profound, greener way.”

“What’s different about the sixth extinction – about the one that we’re in – is that it’s the first that is human-caused.”

“I think we need to compost Christian tradition in order to let a kind of earth creatureliness emerge from it in a more profound, greener way.”“We need to extract more and more [because] there’s not enough locally. And so we go and we extract life and labour and land and so on from around the world to continue to drive this religion of human exceptionalism.”

“I think that we can draw some design cues from palliative care for finding hope on what might be a finite human future.”