Despair & Consolation - A Conversation with Andy Root

In this conversation, fellow theologian and sports commentator Andy Root returns to the show to talk about his latest book Evangelism in an Age of Despair—the title of a book that, for an Ellulian like me who is looking for hope in a world filled with despair, raises my eyebrows and gets me to lean in. My guess is that hearing this title will have a similar effect for a lot of people tuned into Personalist Manifesto(s).

The other thing I should mention is that Andy and I recorded this conversation December 12, 2025 at 1:30pm Pacific time. It is important to mention that date and time because it proves—or at the very least implies—that Andy and I have prophetic giftings when it comes to the National Hockey League. Because, when Andy asks me at the start of our conversation if I think former Canucks defencemen Quinn Hughes will be traded, I confirm my suspicion, with some reasons given for that intuition, as does Andy.

And for those of you how follow hockey, you will know that shortly after this ‘prophetic word’ from Andy and I Quinn Hughes was indeed traded… within hours… to the Minnesota Wild… Andy’s hometown hockey team. So, you know, maybe if this whole theology thing doesn’t work for us, maybe we have promising careers in hockey predictions ahead of us.Whether that’s actually true or not is beside the point, though.

The real point of our conversation is less about hockey trades and more about finding some consolation, and some hope, in world overrun by despair.

Bio

Andrew Root is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary, USA. He writes and researches in areas of theology, ministry, culture and younger generations. His most recent books are Evangelism in an Age of Despair (Baker, 2025), The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticisms (Baker, 2023), Churches and the Crisis of Decline (Baker, 2022), The Congregation in a Secular Age (Baker, 2021), The End of Youth Ministry? (Baker, 2020), The Pastor in a Secular Age: Ministry to People Who No Longer Need God (Baker, 2019), Faith Formation in a Secular Age (Baker, 2017), and Exploding Stars, Dead Dinosaurs, and Zombies: Youth Ministry in the Age of Science (Fortress Press, 2018).

Links

• Evangelism in an Age of Despair (book): https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781540968715_evangelism-in-an-age-of-despair
• Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ministry-in-a-secular-age-featuring-dr-andrew-root/id1462822741
• Website: https://www.andrewroot.org/
• Twitter: https://x.com/rootandrewFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrew.root/