“Our present-day crisis of faith is a crisis of Christian hope.”
Those are the words of Pope Benedict XVI in Spe Salvi (In Hope We are Saved). Although written several years before the 2025 Year of Hope, this 2007 encyclical explores Christian hope, its relationship to faith and to suffering, and its foundational nature to our happiness and salvation.
We hope you join us at our timely session, which is [date] from [time] in the [location]. Brothers [leader names] will lead our discussion on Spe Salvi, In Hope We are Saved, with key points from that encyclical, the Scriptures below, and a related personal witness.
Note: We recommend the group leaders read Spe Salvi and choose 8-12 key points or sentences that jump out at them, to help lay the groundwork for the discussion and recap Spe Salvi at a high level.
Also, one of the leaders is encouraged to share a personal witness of a time when they felt discouraged, and the role that their Christian hope played in that situation.Readings
- Romans 8: 19-28 Creation is broken because of sin, but we remain in prayerful Hope…
- Jeremiah 29: 11-14 …God hears and answers those prayers…
- Psalm 139: 7-12 ….no matter where we are
Discussion Questions
- Do you feel truly “transformed” by hope in your Christian life? How so?
- When have you had the opportunity to be part of something bigger than yourself, to join with others, perhaps to bring hope into their suffering? How did you approach this? How did you feel?
- Have you had a crisis in your life where you didn’t want to hang in there anymore? Where was your faith and your hope in those situations? Was it centered on God & the eternal, or did you just “hope” it would go away?
- In your daily life, what is the foundation of your hope? How does it help you? Do you think about it often?
We HOPE to see you there – come, and bring a friend!
God bless.
07122025