In [[Christian]] thought, hope is one of the three divine [[virtue]]s identified by [[St Paul]] (along with [[faith]] and [[love]]). It should be noted that the original [[Greek]] word used by Paul can be translated both as "hope" and "expectation". Hope as a virtue means something stronger than a simple desire that something will happen: it also requires confidence or faith that it will come to pass (consider the phrase "sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life" from the funeral [[liturgy]]). | In [[Christian]] thought, hope is one of the three divine [[virtue]]s identified by [[St Paul]] (along with [[faith]] and [[love]]). It should be noted that the original [[Greek]] word used by Paul can be translated both as "hope" and "expectation". Hope as a virtue means something stronger than a simple desire that something will happen: it also requires confidence or faith that it will come to pass (consider the phrase "sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life" from the funeral [[liturgy]]). |