Where All Hope Lies: Sermons for the Liturgical Year

"Where All Hope Lies" presents fifty-six select sermons by James Van Tholen, a gifted young pastor who lost his battle with cancer in January 2001 at the age of thirty-six. Though Jim's untimely death gives a certain poignancy to this volume, these sermons are far from dark or despairing. Van Tholen's conversational style, thought-provoking insights into Scripture, and frequent interaction with such writers as Flannery O'Connor, Frederick Buechner, Kathleen Norris, and others make these sermons truly enjoyable as well as profitable to read. Through them all there runs a sense of concentrating on what really matters - trusting in God no matter what suffering or difficulties might come our way. Indeed, as demonstrated by the book's title sermon - first published in "Christianity Today" as "Surprised by Death" - more than anything, Van Tholen preached the grace and goodness of God. Including a foreword by Neal Plantinga and a closing reflection on "the man behind the sermons" by Jim's wife, Rachel, "Where All Hope Lies" offers gracious, powerful, uplifting words for believers throughout the church year.