Varden depicts a world in flux: secularisation has not worked, people are turning to what they call “spirituality” which, he suggests, seems to verge on narcissism, with no cost to themselves

There is a puzzling line early on in Towards Dawn – puzzling, at least, to those of us living in Britain: “If at times, during given periods, we feel enshrouded by twilight, it is because another day is in the making.” But twilight is not, surely, about another day in the making. It’s a sign that the dark of night is on its way. Twilight, though is different in Erik Varden’s Norway home, where he serves as Bishop of Trondheim. In the testing days of winter, lack of sun means twilight lingers for hours right in the middle of the day. No wonder Varden writes of being “enshrouded”. Here, in these essays on hopefulness, he advocates for Christ as our pointer to the sun. And, like those enduring a northern winter, we have to press on, keep going. Christian hope, Varden reminds the reader, is not about expecting everything to work out all right. Not everything does. Here, Varden is an erudite pointer to the Light that shines in the darkness.

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