For Such a Time as This
An Emergency Devotional
- Christian Living
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Published: 2025
FritzSearch.com earns a commission on purchases made through Bookshop.org links.
Publisher's Description
A guide for ordinary Christians seeking to live faithfully in extraordinary times “This is not the first end of the world. Many worlds have ended.” In an era of political polarization, eroding democratic norms, and rising authoritarianism, many Christians find themselves disoriented, wondering how their faith should inform myriad daily decisions. Drawing upon both scholarship and pastoral wisdom, theologian Hanna Reichel offers a timely resource for believers seeking spiritual grounding amid societal upheaval. For Such a Time as This provides a thoughtful framework for discernment rooted in scripture, historical wisdom, and the core commitments of Christian faith. Through meditations on scripture, reflections on historical precedents including the Confessing Church’s resistance to Nazi Germany, and portraits of inspiring figures who maintained their integrity in the face of oppression, Reichel guides readers toward their own Christian response to the present moment. Written specifically for ordinary believers, this accessible volume acknowledges that while some are called to dramatic public witness, all must face the daily challenge of living faithfully as long-established institutions and systems reveal their fragility. Neither alarmist nor complacent, Reichel reminds readers that Christians throughout history have faced the collapse of worlds they once took for granted—and have discovered unexpected liberation in the process. For anyone troubled by current political trends and searching for ways to disentangle faith in God from misplaced trust in political systems, For Such a Time as This offers both challenge and comfort. Readers will come away with practical wisdom for navigating our uncertain times, a deeper understanding of Christianity’s resources for resistance, and renewed energy for the urgent tasks that faithful discipleship demands today. “None of this is unprecedented; what is unprecedented is that today it is we who have to do the hard work of seeing idols smashed, grieving and picking up the pieces, holding them into the sun, and seeing new refractions of light in their edges.”
Endorsements (8)
“The writing in this volume is decidedly crisp. Clipped sentences. Pithy insights. No long-winded explanations. The work functions as an antidote to the paralysis and numbing desensitization that many people feel when they’ve run out of outrage. . . . There are plenty of imperatives in the book, some gentle and some forceful but always wise in nature and often accompanied with biblical insights. . . . I can imagine myself using the 45-page study guide in the back of the book as a resource for discussion groups and faith communities eager to wrestle together with what difference the cross of Christ makes for believing people. . . . For those demoralized or overwhelmed by trying to live faithfully in a volatile, divided, and pessimistic political moment, there’s no time like now for taking to heart For Such a Time as This.”
“This is the book I have been waiting for. Every page, every sentence imparts uncommon wisdom for such a time as this. Sparingly written yet conveying remarkable historical and theological depth, this is a book every Christian should read and reread, now and in the days ahead. An invaluable gift to the twenty-first-century church.”
“To live in perilous times, we all need perspective and inspiration, and Hanna Reichel offers both. For Such a Time as This is like taking a daily vitamin for our soul—every page is filled with good things to make us stronger. If we all read one entry a day and take its message to heart, together we’ll become the change we long to see in our world.”
“In times of tumult, I am often drawn to quiet, daily rhythms to help ground me. That’s why I’m thankful for Hanna Reichel’s For Such a Time as This, a devotional primed to help us keep calm when all seems like crisis. Both specific and universal, history lesson and mystical meditation, each entry is immediately relevant to our current context yet also echoes with ancient wisdom. In an era that screams for outward action, this small book draws us inward and upward to reorient and nurture our souls and refresh us for the work of righteousness.”
“Hanna Reichel has written the book many of us have been looking for: a devotional guide for addressing the challenges and tragedies of our times. Insightful, wise, and powerful, this is a must read for American clergy, individuals, academics, and congregations.”
“In any crisis it’s helpful to remember how faithful witnesses from the past navigated the crises of their time. But the art of interpreting the past for the present isn’t simple work. It takes care and discernment. For Such a Time as This reveals Hanna Reichel to be a master of the craft. This book reads like a classic for the present.”
“In these pages, Reichel makes a compelling case to pay attention. This is a task of love and resistance, of hope and protest, of dreaming and remembering, of creating space and taking space. For those drawn to such a life-affirming call, this book is for you.”
“Hanna Reichel’s For Such a Time as This is a small but mighty guide for Christians seeking to understand how to live faithfully in extraordinary times. It offers a clear-eyed, faithful witness to the challenge of authoritarianism and Christian nationalism we face right now and the resources our faith traditions have to meet this moment. Drawing from the courage and conviction of the Confessing Church in Nazi Germany, as well as a rich tradition of theological and scriptural reflection, Reichel equips us to engage the deep questions of our day with wisdom, courage, and conviction.”
See something wrong on this page? Report a problem