In a modern world increasingly characterised by despair, Christian hope offers a coherent framework of reality that challenges secular alternatives. Professor Zahl’s lecture will begin by addressing primary critiques of this theological perspective, countering arguments of naivety, quietism, and that it is concerned only with the afterlife, at the expense of the present world. It will then analyse the grammar of Christian hope, predicated on the existence of God, the goodness of Creation, and the nature of Jesus Christ, and then evaluate its implications for modern ministry. The paintings of Caspar David Friedrich will serve as a helpful visual resource for contemplation on these theological themes.