Today more and more people are asking questions about human, social, and cosmic destiny. Does the universe have a purpose? What is the point of historical existence? What happens at death? What can we hope for? Is it possible to talk meaningfully about another world? In 'Keeping Hope Alive', Dermot A. Lane addresses these and other questions. The author sets out to develop a theology of hope rooted in both human experience and the Christian tradition. In discussing Christian belief, Lane pays particular attention to the death and resurrection of Christ as both the pivotal eschatological event and the fundamental ground of Christian hope. At the same time he deals with contemporary human experience, addressing questions arising from the Marxist critique of Christianity, the nuclear threat, the ecological crisis, and the apparent emptiness of much post-modern thinking. Dermot Lane confronts difficult issues, such as death, heaven, hell, purgatory, resurrection, reincarnation, and the possibility of universal salvation, with realism and honesty. The end result is a new theological synthesis that takes account of recent developments in anthropology, feminism, and cosmology. This carefully-crafted book will be of value to all who are asking searching questions about the meaning of living and dying.