This book treats the last words of Jesus on the cross not as a condemnation, but as a love letter to humanity. I love the way Meacham rephrases Jesus' final words as the revelation of pure, vulnerable grace, rather than anger or disappointment. On the cross we witness our salvation unveiled, and Meacham's writing really speaks to the beauty of that in this book.

Another Meacham book for the win...Jon excellently researches and eloquently articulates his message, and important history. I always appreciate his works. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review this book!

A quick, succinct read - I appreciated reading Meacham's sermons on the Last Words of Christ. This book has already been added to our library for other patrons to enjoy.

The Hope of Glory is a thought provoking book. Jon Meacham does an excellent job explaining the seven phrases spoken by Jesus from the cross. His knowledge of history and theology brings a unique blend to this moment.

I enjoyed Meacham's intellectual look at the collection of Jesus's saying as represented in the gospels. As a world traveler I understand that there are many religious views that when boiled down to the essence express sames thing treat others as you want to be treated, and that one religion does not hold the key to everything spiritual. I found the book uplifting. It showed me that historians have as much value in religious studies as the evengelical view that all need to belong to my faith.

A wonderfully written book taking a look at the 7 phrases Jesus spoke from the cross. History lesson from the cross. I truly enjoyed this book and will be buying this one as a gift for family.

The Hope Of Glory is well written and well thought out, addressing and explaining the seven last words of Christ on the cross.

I received this book from Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Unfortunately, I can not recommend this book to Christian believers. In the prologue, the author declares his statement of faith. He does not hold to the principle tenet of Christian belief in the infallibility of the Word of God. He states very clearly that there are many ways to salvation and Bible clearly states " there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. " (Acts 4:12)
His focus is illumination, creating truth from what we see; which is problematic for conservative believers. He also writes that the final words of Jesus may not actually be spoken by Jesus. I asked then, why write the book?
I won't be recommending this book.

The hope of glory by Jon Meacham is a very deep book that looks at the seven last sayings of Jesus. I found the book to be very solid. It has helped me to grow in my faith and understanding as I study the person and work of Jesus.

The books description says:
For Jon Meacham, as for believers worldwide, the events of Good Friday and Easter reveal essential truths about Christianity. A former vestryman of Trinity Church Wall Street and St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, Meacham delves into that intersection of faith and history in this meditation on the seven phrases Jesus spoke from the cross.

Beginning with "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" and ending with "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," Meacham captures for the reader how these words epitomize Jesus's message of love, not hate; grace, not rage; and, rather than vengeance, extraordinary mercy. For each saying, Meacham composes an essay on the origins of Christianity and how Jesus's final words created a foundation for oral and written traditions that upended the very order of the world.

Writing in a tone more intimate than any of his previous works, Jon Meacham returns us to the moment that transformed Jesus from a historical figure into the proclaimed Son of God, worshiped by billions.

I highly recommend this book. Anyone who wants to study Jesus and the cross more deeply will find this book to be a very helpful tool.