Water point Day Zero Cape Town (Source: City of Cape Town)
Hope as Religious Heritage

Toward Hopeful Coalitions for Sustainable Development

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58981/bluepapers.2022.1.07

Abstract

The effects of climate change can evoke fear and a sense of apocalypse. Invoking the apocalypse in discourse about the future, however, can lead to denial or fatalism. This article considers the concept of hope as an attitude and ritual practice that defies the dichotomy between secular and religious. Practicing hope, trust and empathy can stimulate dialogue and cooperation around climate change and upcoming water challenges. The article discusses a case study of a learning exchange between South Africa and the Netherlands on hope regarding climate change and water.

How to Cite

Hasselaar, J. J. (2022). Hope as Religious Heritage: Toward Hopeful Coalitions for Sustainable Development. Blue Papers, 1(1), 69–75. https://doi.org/10.58981/bluepapers.2022.1.07

Published

2022-09-01

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2022): Water & heritage for sustainable development

Section

challenges, concepts and new approaches

License

Copyright (c) 2022 Jan Jorrit Hasselaar

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Author Biography

Jan Jorrit Hasselaar, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Theologian and economist, is director of the Amsterdam Center for Religion and Sustainable Development, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is a research fellow of the University of the Western Cape (South Africa). Jan Jorrit chaired the working group “Sustainable Development” of the Dutch Council of Churches (2011– 2019). From 2009 until 2011 he served as policy advisor of a federation of trade unions. In that position he was a member of the committee on sustainability of the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (SER)

References

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