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 book is to explore what these questions have to teach us, by reflecting theologically on the faith journey of people who live with dementia. It is a personal theological pilgrimage, digging down into the theological meaning of dementia itself, looking for hidden pearls of insight. But it is also an attempt to look past the details, to see the ""big picture"" of God's grace and faithfulness, embodied in the person and life of the crucified and risen Christ. It will speak not just to people who are challenged or troubled by dementia, but to anybody seeking to grapple with their faith in challenging times.
Industry Reviews
“This is a rich, pastorally sensitive, personally involved, theologically wide-ranging, creative piece of scholarship. I am not sure whether Peter Kevern has given us an academic volume which is unusually engaging and readable, or a pastoral and practical book which is unusually academically serious and careful, but either way, it is a valuable contribution.”
—Karen Kilby, Bede Professor of Catholic Theology, University of Durham
“There are three key qualities to this book. The first is that it is grounded in the intimate experience of dementia in a loved one. The text is informed by these experiences, which are handled with extraordinary sensitivity. The reader is taken into the complexity and perplexity of this disease. The second is the way in which Touching God is shaped by a generative grasp of the Christian theological tradition. There is wisdom in the exploration of agency of God in the face of human fragility. The third is the author’s ability to ask and hold difficult questions. These chapters touch life, hope, theology, belief, and the very nature of God. Read this—you will not be disappointed.”
—James Woodward, principal, Sarum College, Salisbury, United Kingdom
“Peter Kevern offers a deeply humane and theologically rich reflection on dementia, urging us to see not just decline but divine presence in the midst of forgetfulness. With wisdom, clarity, and pastoral warmth, he challenges the church to move beyond fear and towards a faith that embraces vulnerability. This book is a gift—an invitation to rethink what it means to be human, to belong, and ultimately, to touch God.”
—John Swinton, professor in practical theology and pastoral care, King’s College, University of Aberdeen
“Touching God is a theological journey into the depths of dementia in which Christ is always organically present. It not only offers a transformative vision of living and dying with dementia, it also enriches our understanding of the mystery of the incarnation.”
—Joanna Collicutt, supernumerary fellow, Harris Manchester College
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