What Happens to Faith When Christians Get Dementia?
The Faith Experience and Practice of Evangelical Christians Living with Mild to Moderate Dementia
- Counseling, Grief & Mental Health
- Publisher: Pickwick Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2021
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Publisher's Description
What happens to faith when Christians get dementia? Here, the unique voices of Christians who live with this illness bring insight and prompt theological reflection on the profound questions that dementia asks of faith. Within the boundaries of a biblical agenda, these questions are explored using a model of orientation, disorientation, and reorientation (reminiscent of Brueggemann's scheme), to seek deeper understanding of faith experience and practice. Arising from the research, fresh theological insights and challenges for the church call for new, creative practices to enable the faith nurture of disciples of Jesus living with this disease. Counterintuitively, the study reveals a growing, positive experience of faith in the light of dementia highlighting the significance of Christian hope. Faith does not end with diagnosis of this illness.
Endorsements (4)
“’Tricia Williams’s probing, patient study has brought real insight and empathy to a neglected aspect of Christian spirituality and discipleship. Her findings provide new understanding of the faith of people living with dementia and a rich resource for those of us who would like to accompany them on their way. Academics, clinicians, caregivers, and pastors will all benefit from reading this book.”
“Attentiveness, integrity, rigor, and wisdom are key features of this book. Its carefully and meticulously organized chapters open up the life and faith of those living with memory change. It is written within the framework of practical theology and models good practice in qualitative research. Williams has made an important contribution to the field of dementia, faith, and pastoral care. I hope that it will be both read and acted on.”
“There is a great beauty in listening to people whose voices are often silenced or overlooked. When we come close to people living with dementia, we discover surprising things and open up new and vital possibilities. In this thoughtful and compassionate book ‘Tricia Williams helps to bring to the fore the voices of people with dementia as people reflect on and work through vital issues of faith and the impact that dementia has on this aspect of people’s lives. As we are enabled to listen carefully, so we are allowed to share in deep insights which will lead to new theological and practical possibilities.”
“Dr. Williams’s invaluable, pioneering study opens up the experience of evangelical Christians with dementia by listening with care and thought to these people, and thereby opens windows into their lives which were previously closed. This well-constructed project collects valuable experiential data and provides thoughtful and engaging reflection on the experiences of evangelical Christians with dementia, in conversation with theology and Scripture. It will inform, stimulate, and challenge churches to be better stewards of their members with dementia by advocating on their behalf. Highly recommended!”
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