The dread of dementia has a unique hold over us, because dementia seems to eat away at what makes us human. If we lose our capacity to remember, to think, to act, and even to speak, what is left of us? And where is the God who promised to be with us? These are profound theological questions that go beyond a need for better pastoral care or more welcoming churches: they hold up a mirror to what we really believe about human beings, about God, and about dementia itself. The purpose of this b...

This edited collection about good practice for mental health chaplains and other related professionals looks at how spirituality is viewed across mental health fields. It identifies what mental health chaplaincy is, how mental health chaplaincy interacts with other organisations like the NHS, and what good practice means with examples of positive and fulfilling experiences in mental health settings.The chapters consider some of the main issues of working with the mental health comm...

Is it possible to be both gay and Christian? This book explains, calmly and logically, that the two are not mutually exclusive. With the support of some of the finest scientific and theological minds, Dr Stuart Edser presents a compelling case for tolerance and acceptance, rejecting the traditional Christian view that gay people are either sick or sinful as a result of their sexual orientation. While shrill voices of prejudiced fundamentalism are raised from all sides of the Christian chur...

This book is an edited volume of works that have predominated over the past several decades in contemporary pastoral theology. Through the writings of nineteen leading voices in the history of pastoral care, Dykstra shows how each contributor developed a metaphor for understanding pastoral care. Such metaphors include the solicitous shepherd, the wounded healer, the intimate stranger, the midwife, and other tangible images. Through these works, the reader gains a sense of the varied identi...

For Christian education professors and students, Christian Formation provides a composite view of human development and learning from integrated theory, theology, and educational practices in the church. By design, the book integrates these elements into a cohesive foundational piece for Christian education. Contributors include:• James Estep - “Christian Anthropology: Humanity as the Imago Dei,” “Developmental Theories: Foe, Friend or Folly?” “Moral Development an...

In this accessible student's guide, an experienced professor examines the study of psychology from a distinctly Christian perspective, introducing readers to key issues such as the origins of morality, nature vs. nurture, the relationship between the mind and brain, and the concept of personal identity.Whether examining the history of psychological reflection, the legacy of the Enlightenment and Darwinism, or the development of modernist psychology, this volume will help students t...

Are humans composed of a material body and an immaterial soul? This view is commonly held by Christians, yet it has been undermined by recent developments in neuroscience. Exploring what Scripture and theology teach about issues such as being in the divine image, the importance of community, sin, free will, salvation, and the afterlife, Joel Green argues that a dualistic view of the human person is inconsistent with both science and Scripture. This wide-ranging discussion is sure ...

What preachers preach is not necessarily what hearers hear. Have you ever wondered why some hearers are affected by a sermon but not others? The issue may not necessarily be the content or delivery of the message. It may be how your hearers' brains process what you say. Modern neuroscience illuminates how our brains understand and hear sermons. Verbal stimuli can be accepted or rejected depending on the context of how they are received. The brain processes new information differently than ...

For two millennia Christians have thought about what human impairment is and how faith communities and society should respond to people with perceived impairments. But never has one volume collected the most significant Christian writings on disability. This book fills that gap.Brian Brock and John Swinton's Disability in the Christian Tradition brings together for the first time key writings by thinkers from all periods of Christian history - including Augustine, Aquinas, ...

The meaning of pastoral care in modern multicultural societies is challenged and reexamined from a pluralistic, global perspective in this book. Emmanuel Lartey stresses the importance of recognizing different cultural influences on individuals in order to effectively counsel, guide and empower them. He provides a clear and concise history of pastoral care and considers its relationship to different models of counseling and spirituality.This new edition has been updated to reflect ...

Archbishop Lazar explores the inner human suffering aspect of sin and the passions. Seeking to bring more compassion and less ideology into the Church, dispelling some of the more cruel and destructive primitive "models of reality" His Eminence calls upon us to come to terms with the realities of the human condition in a compassionate and healing way, rather than making their wounds more deep and increasing the pain.

MIDWC Book AwardAs our society becomes more socially fragmented, many Christians feel disconnected and struggle to grow spiritually. Common models of spiritual transformation are proving inadequate to address "the sanctification gap." In recent decades, however, a new paradigm of human and spiritual development has been emerging from multiple fields. It's supported by a critical mass of evidence, all pointing to what psychologists Todd W. Hall and ...