“Steadfastness of hope” is perhaps the phrase easiest to underinterpret, especially if we hear it as part of the familiar triad of “faith, hope, and love.” The problem arises when hope becomes a Christian virtue in the sense that Christians are called to be optimistic, cheerful types, no matter what difficulties life hands them. The complete phrase is “steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (emphasis added), and we do not have to read far into 1 Thessalonians to know that this is a very