Hope Is Not Optimism

Hope and optimism are not the same thing: optimism is a prediction about outcomes, while hope is an orientation of the spirit that doesn't require a particular future to hold firm. Drawing on Havel, Rahner, Byung-Chul Han, and Ignatian spirituality, this is a reflection on hope as a deliberate choice to remain open to God's future, even in the midst of darkness and uncertainty.