Theologies of Hope Amid America’s Violent Tendencies
Exploring Spiritual Perspectives, Cognitive Dissonance, and Thinking Errors in Shaping Our Views
Anchor Scripture verse: 1 Peter 1:3
Introduction
In my last post, I wrote about how change is hard. It has been a hard couple of years as a therapist and trained pastor. I field so many questions about how things are going to go, why people are doing what they do and how do we move forward. I don’t have all or really, any of the answers. I was talking to my wife this morning about my work as a clinician and as a clinician, I am very outcome oriented and objective in my approach. I try very hard to steer clear of opinions, rather leaning into objective data as I can consume it and use it in the office.
One thing that I feel fairly clear on is that things will be okay, whatever that means. As a student of history, this is not the worst it has been nor is it the best it has ever been. It certainly is weird and unsettling, but I have hope that we will get to the other side. This is not a pollyannish, naive viewpoint. Like much of my thought, it is based in sound philosophical and theological views and backed by scripture, which at the end of the day backs all the work I do.
Today, I want to talk about hope—how it can be a spiritual habit, a way of seeing the world through faith, and how having personal opinions can sometimes make us feel confused or lead to mistaken beliefs.
Theologies of Hope: Definitions and Key Concepts
Jurgen Moltmann came up with an idea called the theology of hope. In simple terms, this means that hope for the future is the most important part of Christian beliefs. Instead of starting with the story of how the world was created, Moltmann begins with Jesus rising from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). Rather than viewing future events in the Bible as things that will only happen someday, Moltmann sees them as events that are already beginning to happen now and continue unfolding. This way of thinking helps people find hope for today and tomorrow. God is working in our world now.
During times of crisis, the idea of the theology of hope offers a framework for finding meaning and perseverance. When I reflect on the many spiritual traditions I have studied or teach in my world religions class, I find that hope is not a passive wish but an active orientation that empowers individuals and communities to endure hardship, resist despair, and pursue justice even when outcomes are uncertain. This active hope, this process of becoming, is distinguished from mere optimism, and is particularly vital in times marked by violence and uncertainty; it provides a counter-narrative to fear and cynicism, encouraging engagement with the present while holding onto the possibility of transformation.
America’s Recent Violent Tendencies
Stating that current events in America are unprecedented overlooks the nation’s longstanding history of violence. Throughout its development, the country has experienced conflicts such as wars for independence, disputes over human ownership, struggles regarding labour and civil rights, and, more recently, ideological clashes. These recurring episodes demonstrate a pattern of unrest in American society.
Each one of these eras has had significant impacts on our identity and our emotional wellbeing. Yet, what feels distinctly different in our current era is the immediacy and intensity with which we witness and process this violence—fueled by a constant stream of media coverage and amplified through social platforms, our collective exposure is unrelenting. This pervasive awareness shapes not only our emotional responses but also our public discourse, deepening existing divisions and fueling polarization. As each new incident sends an emotional load through our communities, it becomes increasingly challenging to separate fact from emotion, and to engage in dialogue that seeks understanding rather than escalation. In this environment, theologies of hope and their call to active engagement with suffering, rather than resignation or denial, remain vital for charting a path forward that acknowledges pain without succumbing to despair.
Cognitive Dissonance and Thinking Errors: How We Process Violence
In counseling and psychology, we learn about and then teach our clients how to deal with cognitive distortions. Left unchecked, these distortions can exacerbate our feelings of panic, fear, depression and anxiety.
“When one’s held beliefs or morals clash with reality, this produces a sense of mental discord in us called cognitive dissonance.” Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon where individuals hold conflicting beliefs or attitudes simultaneously. This internal conflict creates discomfort, prompting individuals to seek ways to reduce the dissonance. I tend to work a lot with this concept in the areas of spiritual abuse and domestic violence among others. Cognitive dissonance plays a significant role in understanding violent behavior, particularly in contexts like domestic violence and intergroup conflict.
Going along with cognitive dissonance are thinking errors and this where many clinicians apply a technique known as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT to confront thinking errors. Common thinking errors, also known as cognitive distortions, include all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization, filtering out the positive, mind-reading, and catastrophizing. These errors can lead to negative emotions and impact mental health by creating a distorted view of reality. As mentioned earlier in this post, a constant feed in our pockets can significantly alter our view of reality, especially as our media is often fed to us via an algorithm that knows our preferences. With these distortions, we can get brainwashing and radicalization. It is radicalization, not necessarily the players who promote it that is the problem in our country today. These errors cloud our judgment and hinder constructive dialogue by invoking a fear response and confirmation bias as one side verses the other fall in line with their thinking, creating polarization and rigid thinking.
Theologies of Hope as a Counter to Despair and Error
Anger is sometimes seen as a necessary emotion in the struggle for hope. It can motivate action and prevent complacency, provided it is directed towards righteous causes rather than personal grievances. Anger however is like a fire that eventually consumes everything in its path, including the one exhibiting the anger. I remember one time when I was in college and I was spelunking with a church member and he took me through what he called a popcorn cave, a small tube in the cave with small pieces of rock on the floor and ceiling. The tube was about wide enough for my shoulders and hips and got narrower as you passed through it. I got halfway through and got stuck. In frustration, I started to struggle with my movements when my friend told me to back out, that I was going to get hurt. He taught me that you must remain calm in situations like this or you will make things worse. That lesson has stuck with me to this day and is a reminder of how we must approach the situation we as American Christians face today. We must remain calm with hope in our hearts that everything will be ok, whatever ok means.
Theologies of hope emphasize the importance of maintaining a hopeful outlook, especially in challenging times. As previously noted, they suggest that hope is not merely a passive expectation but an active engagement with the present and future. This perspective encourages individuals to work towards positive outcomes while avoiding the extremes of presumption and despair.
As communities of faith, we play a crucial role in promoting healing and reconciliation by providing support, fostering unity, and addressing conflicts through spiritual guidance. They create environments where individuals can find purpose, build meaningful relationships, and experience collective healing, which is essential for personal and community growth.
Practical Steps for Individuals and Communities
As individuals and congregations, we collectively need to address cognitive dissonance and thinking errors in ourselves from our pulpits and in our daily lives. We must foster hope through spiritual practices of hope, dialogue, and activism. As we begin to reclaim the public square for the mission that Jesus challenged to, and we maintain a posture that reflects the faith of Jesus, we can begin to build bridges between divide groups.
We must take intentional and practical steps towards hope and peace. This requires intentionality and humility; we must first recognize our own blind spots and tendencies toward distorted thinking, then actively seek out perspectives that challenge us to grow. This work is not done in isolation—by engaging in honest, compassionate conversations within our communities, we foster resilience and model the kind of hope that propels change. When we prioritize empathy, stay anchored in our spiritual convictions, and remain open to transformation (Romans 12:2), we can begin to heal the wounds caused by violence and division, creating space for authentic connection and the possibility of a more hopeful collective future.
Conclusion
To close, navigating America’s violent tendencies and the resulting cognitive dissonance requires both a theological and practical embrace of hope. By grounding ourselves in theologies of hope, recognizing and challenging thinking errors, and engaging in compassionate, resilient community practices, we can move beyond despair and polarization. Ultimately, it is through active hope, humility, and a commitment to spiritual growth that individuals and communities can foster healing, unity, and meaningful transformation in uncertain times.
Let us pray:
Loving and sustaining God, in times of darkness and uncertainty, We turn to You for hope. You are the source of all hope and the light that shines in the darkness. Fill our hearts with hope, Lord, and help us trust in Your guidance, even when we cannot see the way. Renew our faith and grant us the strength to persevere through the challenges we face. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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