About the Book:
“This is not the first end of the world. Many worlds have ended.”
In an era of political polarization, eroding democratic norms, and rising authoritarianism, many Christians find themselves disoriented, wondering how their faith should inform myriad daily decisions. Drawing upon both scholarship and pastoral wisdom, theologian Hanna Reichel offers a timely resource for believers seeking spiritual grounding amid societal upheaval.
For Such a Time as This provides a thoughtful framework for discernment rooted in scripture, historical wisdom, and the core commitments of Christian faith. Through meditations on scripture, reflections on historical precedents including the Confessing Church’s resistance to Nazi Germany, and portraits of inspiring figures who maintained their integrity in the face of oppression, Reichel guides readers toward their own Christian response to the present moment.
Written specifically for ordinary believers, this accessible volume acknowledges that while some are called to dramatic public witness, all must face the daily challenge of living faithfully as long-established institutions and systems reveal their fragility. Neither alarmist nor complacent, Reichel reminds readers that Christians throughout history have faced the collapse of worlds they once took for granted—and have discovered unexpected liberation in the process.
For anyone troubled by current political trends and searching for ways to disentangle faith in God from misplaced trust in political systems, For Such a Time as This offers both challenge and comfort. Readers will come away with practical wisdom for navigating our uncertain times, a deeper understanding of Christianity’s resources for resistance, and renewed energy for the urgent tasks that faithful discipleship demands today.
“None of this is unprecedented; what is unprecedented is that today it is we who have to do the hard work of seeing idols smashed, grieving and picking up the pieces, holding them into the sun, and seeing new refractions of light in their edges.”
My Review:
This is a powerful book and a very important one for what Christians are currently experiencing in the USA. Reichel reports on the way Christians responded during the beginnings of the rule of Hitler and draws parallels to the current era. She helps us see the different attitudes and challenges us to think through our own possible godly actions. For someone like me who tends to remain silent, she challenges, “Indifference is consent to what is happening.” (69)
The format is somewhat devotional in style with readings organized in four sections, following the liturgy format. She includes a few thoughtful questions at the end of each reading but do not ignore the latter 35 pages or so that form a study guide to the book. I'd put a bookmark there and also go through those comments and questions along with the earlier devotions.
If you had time to study only one book in your discipleship group this year, this should be the book. It is essential material for Christians who are looking for insight on how to live in such a time as this. (6)
My rating: 5/5 stars.
About the Author:
(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)
1 comment:
I eagerly purchased this devotional, dull of hope, but was profoundly disappointed, and even quite disturbed. The references to fascism and nazi germany are abundant. There are numerous parallels drawn and the phrase "never again means for anyone" appears multiple times, but apparently doesn't apply to a people being actively exterminated and ethnically cleansed.
There is not one allusio to the destruction in gaza, not one parallel drawn of the thousands that exist to the behavior of the nazi regime. Dr Reichel is a brilliant person, and therefore fully understands that fascism never flows from one person, yet the obvious insinuation is that it's all about trump.
There is no mention of the genocide that actually began under the previous administration. An administration, that vetoed four attempts to stop the genocide by the way.
It's remarkable that Dr. Reichel sees no comparison worthy of making, when acclaimed genocide and holocaust, historians such as Amos Goldberg, Ilan Pappe, Raz Segal and perhaps most importantly, Omer Bartov have made those connections and expounded upon them numerous times.
Bartov-s 2023 book ( published before october) draws distinct comparisons between the development of the mentality in the IDF and that of the SS. He began warning israeli officials of this increasingly disturbing phenomenon in the laye 80s, and in his brilliant book "Gwnocide, thw Holocause amd Israel-Palestine" first person histories in times of crisis', he sets a course that begins with the 1904 german genocide in Namibia, up through the present, drawing terrifying parallels that pointed ro 1 eventuality- genocide against palestinians.
Again, this brilliant scholar wrote this before october, 2023... yet here we have Dr Reichel seeming to focus solely on domestic oppression while entirely ignoring the genocide that preceded it.
When the american people turned a blind eye to genocide, because it didn't affect them personally perhaps, they gave a green light to authoritarianism, telegraphing, that there would be no solidarity, only self interest.
Unfortunately, a book like this is like a book about christian nationalism that doesn't cover christian zionism, it is concerned with domestic issues and ignores the natural outcropping of those ideals and the destruction they wreak on the world.
In claiming to address horrific times " such as these" while failing to even mention the greatest atrocity in the world today, this book is in a very real way, complicit in that genocide, by failing to acknowledge it's existence.
As bad as they are, all of the oppressive actions tallied together here in the united states represent a minute fraction of the evil being exported to palestine. Failure to even acknowledge through a vague reference these atrocities
Is to distract from them snd to be complicit in their perpetuation.
Rev Korte UCC
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