Embodied Hope

Embodied Hope explores implications of an embodied theology of hope for preachers' ability to nurture imaginative abundance and purposeful hope-filled action in the most chaotic of times. Embodied hope is grounded in a theological anthropology that foregrounds humanity's inherent identity as imago Dei and capacity to live as a nondistorting nondestructive reflection of God's presence in the earth. The conceptual metaphor embodied Hope represents that which creates within each of us yearning for wholeness and well-being, the always-speaking voice of God's Spirit assuring us of God's power, faithfulness, and redemptive presence and calling us toward loving, just, and restorative action in our world today. Humans possess the capacity to imagine and live toward a qualitatively better state of existence for all creation, but overwhelmed by the despairing realities of life, we often feel despondent and drained of imaginative potential. Preaching amplifies the voice of Hope, bearing witness and inviting us to imagine the possibility and efficacy of a new reality grounded in Jesus's gospel proclamation. Embodied Hope invites us to stand at the intersection of Hope and despair as we explore the contours and possibilities of living with Hope in times such as the present.

Veronice Miles is Associate Professor of Preaching at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. She earned her PhD in homiletics and religious education from Emory University. She is an ordained Baptist minister.