Hops and Hope: Book and Discussion Group

Join us each month as we read a book on faith, justice and what it means to find hope in Christ amid a messy and complex world. Each month we will read a book and will gather at a local brewery to discuss and explore how the words we read impact the lives we live. All are welcome to join, whether you finish the book or not.  Meetings are usually the last Monday each month -  locations and books will be posted here.  Contact Deacon Savannah for more information.

January - March 2025

The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe by Richard Rohr

NEXT meeting Monday, January 27th, 6:00 - 7:30pm in the Library at Immanuel

For the next few months we will be discussing The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe by Richard Rohr. Jerry Fig will be leading the discussion on this book for January, February and March and will send out discussion questions in advance to help provide opportunities for reflection. The first gathering for this book will be on January 27th from 6-7:30pm in the ILC Library and we will be reading/discussing Chapter 1-5. You are invited to bring along snacks or beverages to share (beer, wine, or non-alcoholic options welcome).  As always, you are more than welcome to join, whether you’ve read the book or not!

In his decades as a globally recognized teacher, Richard Rohr has helped millions realize what is at stake in matters of faith and spirituality. Yet Rohr has never written on the most perennially talked about topic in Christianity: Jesus. Most know who Jesus was, but who was Christ? Is the word simply Jesus's last name? Too often, Rohr writes, our understandings have been limited by culture, religious debate, and the human tendency to put ourselves at the center.

Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God's constant, unfolding work in the world. "God loves things by becoming them," he writes, and Jesus's life was meant to declare that humanity has never been separate from God--except by its own negative choice. When we recover this fundamental truth, faith becomes less about proving Jesus was God, and more about learning to recognize the Creator's presence all around us, and in everyone we meet.

Thought-provoking, practical, and full of deep hope and vision, The Universal Christ is a landmark book from one of our most beloved spiritual writers, and an invitation to contemplate how God liberates and loves all that is.

Podcast Option: https://cac.org/podcast/another-name-for-every-thing/
This podcast is hosted by Richard Rohr and explores the world through the lens of the “Universal Christ.” The first season discusses the book and later seasons connect to themes brought up in the book. 

Ordering Books

Savannah will be ordering a copy of each for the Immanuel library if you’d like to borrow it, or if you prefer to buy a copy of your own, here are a couple links that help you support local bookstores through your purchase. If you’re looking to support a Native owned bookstore, Birchbark Books in Minneapolis is a great option!

• Bookshop - online book retailer with lots of inventory, and you choose the bookstore that will be supported through your purchase  
• Book Store Link - helps you order directly from local bookstores (can either have them delivered or picked up)
• Take a look at a list of some possible books, but there are many more options out there!

Some ideas for topics include (but aren’t limited to):

• Racial Justice / Womanist or Black Theology
• Liberation Theology
• Mujerista Theology
• Native/Indigenous Theology
• Immigration and Welcoming the Stranger
• Asian Theology
• Interfaith / Global Perspectives
• Faith and Sexuality
• Environmental Theology
• Women’s Rights / Feminist Theologies
• Food or Economic Justice
• Theology and Mental Health

Questions?

Please contact Deacon Savanah Olaphson, savannah@immanuel.us