In today’s episode, our speakers explore this question: In a world with so much pain, is it naïve to have hope? And where can we find hope when circumstances are out of our control?

You’ll hear from Esau McCaulley, a New Testament scholar at Wheaton College, and Gary Saul Morson, a Russian literature scholar at Northwestern. In this discussion moderated by The Gospel Coalition editor-in-chief and Northwestern alumnus Collin Hansen, the speakers explore theological and Russian literary perspectives on hope, where they find hope based on their worldviews, and what it means for us to live hopeful lives today.

This forum was held at Northwestern in May 2025. Thank you to the student planning team for making this event possible.

Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

Session 27: Clean Hypnotic States, Congruence, and Comedy