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One of the hallmarks of contemporary culture is its attitude toward aging and the elderly. Youth and productivity are celebrated in today's society, while the elderly are increasingly marginalized. This not only poses difficulties for old people but is also a loss for the young and middle-agers, who could learn much from the elderly, including what it means to grow old (and die) in Christ.
"Growing Old in Christ" presents the first serious theological reflection ever on what it means to grow old, particularly in our culture and particularly as a Christian. In a full-orbed discussion of the subject, eighteen first-rate Christian thinkers survey biblical and historical perspectives on aging, look at aging in the modern world, and describe the Christian practice of growing old. Along the way they address many timely issues, including the medicalization of aging, the debate over physician-assisted suicide, and the importance of friendships both among the elderly and between the elderly and the young.
Weighty enough to instruct theologians, ethicists, and professional caregivers yet accessible enough for pastors and general readers, this book will benefit anyone seeking faith-based insight into growing old.
CONTRIBUTORS: David Aers
David Cloutier
Rowan A. Greer
Stanley Hauerwas
Judith C. Hays
Richard B. Hays
Shaun C. Henson
L. Gregory Jones
Susan Pendleton Jones
Patricia Beattie Jung
D. Stephen Long
M. Therese Lysaught
David Matzko McCarthy
Keith G. Meador
Charles Pinches
Joel James Shuman
Carole Bailey Stoneking
Laura Yordy
| Introduction | p. vii |
| Biblical and Historical Perspectives on Aging | |
| The Christian Practice of Growing Old: The Witness of Scripture | p. 3 |
| Special Gift and Special Burden: Views of Old Age in the Early Church | p. 19 |
| The Christian Practice of Growing Old in the Middle Ages | p. 38 |
| Critical Perspectives on Modern Problems of Aging | |
| Modernity: The Social Construction of Aging | p. 63 |
| Growing Old in a Therapeutic Culture | p. 90 |
| Differences among the Elderly: Who Is on the Road to Bremen? | p. 112 |
| The Language of Death: Theology and Economics in Conflict | p. 129 |
| The Last Gift: The Elderly, the Church, and the Gift of a Good Death | p. 151 |
| The Christian Practice of Growing Old | |
| Captured in Time: Friendship and Aging | p. 169 |
| Worship, the Eucharist, Baptism, and Aging | p. 185 |
| The Virtues of Aging | p. 202 |
| Generational Conflict: Continuity and Change | p. 226 |
| The Pressures to Die: Reconceiving the Shape of Christian Life in the Face of Physician-Assisted Suicide | p. 247 |
| Memory, Funerals, and the Communion of Saints: Growing Old and Practices of Remembering | p. 267 |
| Contributors | p. 302 |
| Index | p. 304 |
| Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780802846075
ISBN-10: 0802846076
Audience:
Tertiary; University or College
Format:
Not Supplied By Publisher
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 320
Published: June 2003
Dimensions (cm): 22.9 x 15.9
x 2.2
Weight (kg): 0.476
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