THE EDITOR Sir:

Barack Obama talks a lot about hope. He claims that hope is audacious enough to believe, embraces and realise the impossible. Such hope may be seen as hope against hope, but, from Obama's perspective, it is nonetheless, hope. I call this 'Obamian' hope because of the person from whom it has emanated.

It is my considered opinion that this is consistent with biblical hope. Although Obama does not make reference to the Bible in his verbal emissions on hope, both perspectives seem to converge to the extent that one may conclude that Obama is skilfully weaving biblical hope into the tapestry of American politics. This is phenomenal.

Create the future

Obamian hope moves beyond the past and seeks to proactively conceptualise and create the future. It does not just wait for the future to come; it contributes to its shaping and coming. It pulls the future to itself and pushes itself towards the future.

Biblical hope is similar. Like Obamian hope, it speaks to the matter of the future being pulled into the present in the Kingdom of God. In a real sense, the Kingdom of God respects but moves beyond the past and, in the present, it realises the future, in a preliminary sense. Biblical hope also, in a sense, propels the one in whom it is found toward the future consummation of this kingdom. Like Obamian hope, biblical hope knows that the present is just a platform on which the future is being built and experienced. This is powerful.

In addition, Obamian hope rises above the fray of the mundane, the dehumanising, the frivolous and the conventional. It shifts from the periphery to the centre of human history. It is a hope that escapes attempts at suppression and obliteration by 'unhope' and the forces thereof. Biblical hope

Finally, Obamian hope transcends racial, social, class, sex, religious, and national barriers and considerations. Obamian hope, as I see it, does not hide its 'head' in the proverbial sand of human reality and existence; neither does it turn a blind eye to the structures and strictures that perpetuate racism, classism, sexism, denominationalism and nationalism. It faces them squarely and influences them to travel down the path of self-destruction.

Like Obamian hope, biblical hope rejects, neutralises and obliterates all such obstacles and hurdles. Moreover, biblical hope sees these negatives of human life and draws people of all races, classes, sexes, religions and nationalities to itself and its Originator.

Fundamentally, the similarities between Obamian hope and biblical hope are extraordinary, striking and intriguing. Like biblical hope, Obamian hope inspires the United States of America and the world.

I am, etc.,

EARLMONT WILLIAMS (Rev)

e-pastor@live.com

Kingston 10

Via Go-Jamaica