Hope That Doesn't Leave Us Behind
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“Active Hope is not wishful thinking. Active Hope is not waiting to be rescued by some savior. Active Hope is waking up to the beauty of life on whose behalf we can act.” — Joanna Macy
Some worldviews are so extreme they seem almost unbelievable—like something out of a dystopian novel. But every so often, something comes along that reminds us: some people are writing those stories into reality.
Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor recently described such a worldview in their essay titled, The Rise of End-Times Fascism. It’s a mindset held by parts of the far right, one that imagines the world is doomed—and instead of preventing collapse, it prepares to exploit it.1 In this story, the powerful escape the mess they helped create: into luxury bunkers, off-planet colonies, or privatized fortresses. The rest of us? We’re left to fend for ourselves.
At first glance, this worldview feels fringe, even absurd. But for those of us shaped by Christian stories, it also rings strangely familiar.
Many of us grew up hearing about The Rapture—the idea that the faithful will be plucked out of the world before it falls apart, leaving the rest behind. If we were really unlucky, we would have read the “Left Behind” book series, which provided content for our trauma therapy as adults. While being raptured might feel outdated or far-off to some, its emotional echo lives on. It’s the story of rescue for the Chosen and ruin for the rest—a spiritual escapism that leaves compassion behind.
When you combine this theology of escape with the political machinery of authoritarianism, you get a worldview that is both spiritually empty and dangerously seductive. It doesn’t ask people to repair the world—it asks them to retreat from it. It doesn’t cultivate responsibility—it encourages detachment. In the vacuum left behind, cruelty often finds space to grow.
But here’s where our spiritual traditions can offer something far more powerful: a counter-narrative grounded in love, responsibility, and deep hope.
Buddhist teacher, Joanna Macy, calls it Active Hope2—not the kind of hope that wishes for a miracle while the world burns, but the kind that chooses to engage. The kind that feels the grief of the world fully—and acts anyway.
Active Hope invites us to:
Acknowledge our grief for the state of the world, recognizing it as a testament to our love and care.
See with new eyes, understanding the interconnectedness of all life and the power of collective action.
Take action, committing to acts that contribute to the healing and transformation of our world.
Active Hope doesn’t deny collapse. It just doesn’t give it the final word.
It begins with honesty, with allowing ourselves to see what’s happening without numbing out or turning away. It calls us to root our hope not in guarantees, but in our capacity to show up with courage, creativity, and compassion—even when we can’t see the outcome.
That kind of hope doesn’t ask us to be saviors. It just asks us to stay present. To stay human. To stay together.
In a time when many are preparing to flee or fortify, we are called to repair and remain.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
How do you respond emotionally to the narratives of despair and division prevalent in today’s world?
In what ways can you practice Active Hope in your daily life?
What actions can you take, individually or collectively, to counteract ideologies of exclusion and promote solidarity?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for Hope that Acts
Holy One,
We confess—some days we want to give up.
It’s easier to withdraw, to grow numb, to protect only what is ours.
We see the fractures widening. We feel the ground shaking.
And we wonder what one heart, one voice, one life can do.
Remind us that despair is not our inheritance.
That you did not place us here to escape the world, but to love it.
To weep with it. To walk with it.
To build, even in the shadow of collapse.
Give us hope—not the shallow kind,
but the sturdy kind that rolls up its sleeves.
The kind that shows up with soup, or protest signs, or songs.
The kind that holds hands, tells the truth, and never lets go of what matters most.
In a world hungry for rescue,
make us bearers of hope that stays.
Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Hope as Presence
Today, practice hope not as a feeling—but as a posture. Notice where you’re tempted to withdraw: from a conversation, a headline, a hard truth. Instead of pulling away, take one breath and stay with it. Just one moment longer.
Reach out to someone today—not to solve anything, just to connect. Offer encouragement. Share your concern. Speak with tenderness.
Let hope be the way you remain present in a hurting world.
Active Hope begins this way: Not with the whole answer, but with the next faithful step.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
NEW!!! On June 4, 2025, from 7-8pm ET, join Brian McLaren, Matthew Fox, and me for an exploration of “In the Midst of Doom: Facing Our Moment and Finding Our Way” inspired by Brian’s latest book. In an age of climate crisis, political unraveling, and societal collapse, many are asking: What now? What’s worth doing when the systems around us are failing? How do we find meaning beyond hope as we’ve known it? Join us and we will explore together. Register here.
June 4, 2025, 12pm ET - Jeff Chu has written a new book on a topic close to my heart: Soil! The title is “Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand.” I am so pleased to be interviewing him. Together, we’ll explore what it means to cultivate “good soil” in our lives, our communities, and our spiritual practices. I hope you will register. Your registration includes a copy of his new book.
July 20-25, 2025 - The Art of Wilding: A 5-Day Expedition in Wyoming for Women Leaders. Click here to learn more.
August 11, 2025, 2pm ET - Dr. Andrew Root and I will be hosting a 6 part series on Spirituality in the Secular Age based on his research. The dates are August 11, 18, September 8, 15, and October 6, 13. Mark your calendars! More on this soon.
September 4, 4:30pm ET - I will be collaborating with the Anderson Forum for Progressive Theology to host a conversation with Thomas Jay Oord on Open and Relational theology. It’s a FREE event. Register here.
October 15-18, 2025 - Converging 2025: Sing Truth Conference (all musicians invited!) at Northwest Christian Church in Columbus, OH. Register here!
I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.
See also this interview on Democracy NOW with Naomi Klein.
https://www.activehope.info/the-book
. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander
1 Peter 3:15c-16 | NIV
Thank you, Cameron!
Thank you for writing in response to Naomi Klein. Have always appreciated her work - she hasn't yet written such a prayer for active hope, to my knowledge. Want to create a liturgy around this one!