Hope is like magic, in that it rearranges our epistemological perception of what is real and what is possible. It makes the impossible appear possible. But Dr. Nagib posits that hope is more than magic. Hope is the inner voice that whispers (or shouts) that anything is possible, even in the face of a seemingly hopeless situation.
Once again, the Bible and science agree. It is the cycle Jesus succinctly summarized in Matthew 10:8–freely we receive, so much so, that out of gratitude we are inspired to freely give.
“A more generous world is a better world.” That was one of the premises of the Science of Generosity Initiative that Christian Smith led at the University of Notre Dame.
I’m grateful for gratitude because, when we practice it, life is better. Paul reminds us, in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, that even when life is hard, we’d do well to “be thankful [grateful] in all circumstances” (NLT). I’m grateful for gratitude because it leads to praising life and to praising God for life.
Founded by Dr. Robert Enright, a researcher who has been studying forgiveness since 1985, the International Forgiveness Institute seeks to help people leverage Dr. Enright’s forgiveness process model in their own context.
This short video about the research by Amrisha Vaish on children, groups, and forgiveness may provide clues on how we can bridge some of what divides us.