{"title":"This mortal life: ageing and spirituality after the Great Transition","authors":"S. Pickard","doi":"10.1080/15528030.2020.1837331","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This chapter addresses the implications for ageing and pastoral practice of the rapid increase in life expectancy that has occurred over the past 150 years; often referred to as ‘The Great Transition’. Following a discussion of this feature of human life the chapter briefly considers some theological dimensions of ageing and the purpose of life in older years. Consideration is given to the denial of death and the consequent loss of a sense of human mortality and our status as creatures. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of the dignity of persons associated with a theological understanding of human beings as bearers of the imago Dei. The pastoral implications of this affirmation show the importance of a richer understanding of the human person that transcends the biomedical paradigm.","PeriodicalId":44539,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Religion Spirituality & Aging","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8000,"publicationDate":"2020-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"3","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Religion Spirituality & Aging","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15528030.2020.1837331","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 3
Abstract
ABSTRACT This chapter addresses the implications for ageing and pastoral practice of the rapid increase in life expectancy that has occurred over the past 150 years; often referred to as ‘The Great Transition’. Following a discussion of this feature of human life the chapter briefly considers some theological dimensions of ageing and the purpose of life in older years. Consideration is given to the denial of death and the consequent loss of a sense of human mortality and our status as creatures. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of the dignity of persons associated with a theological understanding of human beings as bearers of the imago Dei. The pastoral implications of this affirmation show the importance of a richer understanding of the human person that transcends the biomedical paradigm.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Religion, Spirituality and Aging is an interdisciplinary, interfaith professional journal in which the needs, aspirations, and resources of aging constituencies come clearly into focus. Combining practical innovation and scholarly insight, the peer-reviewed journal offers timely information and probing articles on such subjects as long-term care for the aging, support systems for families of the aging, retirement, counseling, death, ethical issues, and more . Providing a crucial balance between theory and practice, the journal informs secular professionals – administrators, counselors, nurses, physicians, recreational rehabilitative therapists, and social workers – about developments in the field of Religion, Spirituality, and Aging. The journal also serves as a resource for religious professionals, such as pastors, religious educators, chaplains, and pastoral counselors who work with aging people and their families.