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Throughout the book, Wirzba develops multiple stories demonstrating that hope is a way of being and living in love. He recounts the hopelessness his parents felt struggling to survive World War II and its aftermath, demonstrating through stories how the care of each other and a sense of belonging are crucial for people to be hopeful. “Optimism isn’t enough. People need to know they are cherished and that their homes, neighborhoods, and lands are being cared for,” he says.

�¾���������’s book emphasizes the healing of communities, landscapes and people as central elements in a hopeful life – important parts of his everyday work at Duke as the research director of climate and sustainability and the Gilbert T. Rowe Distinguished Professor of Christian Theology.   

A faculty member in the Duke Divinity School, research and teaching interests are at the intersections of theology, philosophy, ecology, and agrarian and environmental studies. In his latest book, Wirzba has braided together his multidisciplinary interests – with the book title inspired by a poem of his friend, author Wendell Berry.

“Optimism isn’t enough. People need to know they are cherished and that their homes, neighborhoods, and lands are being cared for.”

Norman Wirzba

Wirzba grew up in Alberta, Canada, where he watched his World War II veteran grandfather work out his love for the family farm. “He believed his farm was the most beautiful place on Earth. He never wanted to stray too far from it. It took care of him, so he wanted to take care of it,” Wirzba said.

Living with compassion and care are not easy, which is why Wirzba stresses the need for confession and forgiveness. He tells the story of a family that gave up industrial methods of farming that were poisoning the land and water. The family switched to regenerative agricultural practices that restored biodiversity and returned the land to health. He also describes how reparations will play a crucial role in addressing the theft of indigenous lands.

Wirzba said he believes that a hope-inspiring politics depends on naming and correcting past wrongs. Turning to the brutalizing history of apartheid in South Africa, he shows how practices of truth-telling, reconciliation and reparations are central to a society’s ability to heal and to hope again. “It isn’t enough to say sorry. People must also learn to ‘do sorry,’” Wirzba says. 

At the book launch event, �¾���������’s campuswide colleagues offered interdisciplinary takes on the book and how it related to their scholarship ranging from geology to policy.

“I can’t remember the last time I felt so moved by a book,” said faculty member Polly Ha, who joined Wirzba and faculty members Brian McAdoo, Abdullah Antepli and Kenan Institute Director David Toole for a panel discussion. “Wirzba helped me to see far beyond mere crisis management. The resonant hope he writes about through mutual attunement is so life-giving. It inspired me to better cherish all that I love.”

Antepli mentioned the book is an “invitation to a struggle.”

Yes, the struggle is real, Wirzba said. While there is no magic bullet or formula for hope, he says there are ways of living and being in hope.

“Improvisation is important. If the choice is reading an essay or cooking and eating a meal together, choose the meal, I tell my students. You don’t know where it will lead,” he said.

“It’s also important to learn how to listen. We hardly have time to be with each other and share in each other’s joys and struggles,” Wirzba said.

The author said in a world full of poorly made “junk,” there is little trace of love or cherishing. Wirzba emphasizes love must extend to all parts of our world – watersheds, neighborhoods, schools, hospitals: the places, things and people in our lives. Hope depends on a collective commitment to care for our world, he says.

“It is hard to learn to love properly. That’s why I end the book with: This is a hope without perfection. We have to help each other through pain and struggle,” Wirzba says.

To address the loss of hope in a time of crisis, Wirzba said we must join with others to act on the things we love.

“What we need are lots of community conversations and commitments. Why do you care about climate change? What do you love and want to see? From those conversations, the creativity we need to address some of the world’s challenges will emerge.”

The ultimate expression of hope, Wirzba has dedicated his ninth book to the future: his granddaughter Lila.

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