The God of Hope and the End of the World

Do we live in a world that makes sense, not just now, but totally and
forever? If, as scientists now predict, the universe is going to end in
collapse or decay, can it really be a divine creation? Is there a
credible hope of a destiny beyond death? In this engaging and
intellectually scrupulous book, a leading scientist-theologian draws on
ideas from science, scripture, and theology to address these important
questions. John Polkinghorne carefully builds a structure of the hope of
the life to come that involves both continuity and discontinuity with
life in this world―enough continuity so that it is we ourselves who
shall live again in that future world and enough discontinuity to ensure
that the second story is not just a repetition of the first.
Polkinghorne develops his argument in three sections. In the first,
he considers the role of contemporary scientific insights and cultural
expectations. In the second, he gives a careful account of the various
testimonies of hope to be found in the Bible and assesses the
credibility of belief in Jesus’ resurrection. In the final section he
critically analyzes and defends the Christian hope of the life of the
new creation.

"This is a delightful, enlightening and edifying book written for
thoughtful Christians whose faith requires an intelligent defense as
their intelligence yearns for the comforts of faith."

"An admirable book."-Alan G. Padgett, Theology Today; "The God of Hope
and the End of the World is both challenging and comforting. It is an
excellent work, providing gallons of fuel for debates or personal
pondering about the probable or possible shapes of the life of the world
to come."-John Omicinski, America; "Thoughtful Christians will find
much to praise in this modern Aquinas."-Booklist; "This is a delightful,
enlightening and edifying book written for thoughtful Christians whose
faith requires an intelligent defense as their intelligence yearns for
the comforts of faith."-Wayne A. Hoist, Catholic New Times