In Becoming Friends of Time, Professor John Swinton crafts a theology of time that draws us towards a perspective where time is seen as a gift and a calling.
Prof Swinton's presentation on this topic at HammondCare's International Dementia Conference in June 2018 – in the context of dementia and aged care – was warmly received and his book is highly sought after.
In Becoming Friends of Time: Disability, timefullness, and gentle discipleship, time is not a commodity nor is time to be mastered. Time is a gift of God to humans, but is also a gift given back to God by humans.
Prof Swinton wrestles with critical questions that emerge from theological reflection on time and disability:
- rethinking doctrine for those who can never grasp Jesus with their intellects
- reimagining discipleship and vocation for those who have forgotten who Jesus is
- reconsidering salvation for those who, due to neurological damage, can be one person at one time and then be someone else in an instant.
In the end, Prof Swinton invites the reader to spend time with the experiences of people with profound neurological disability, people who can change our perceptions of time, enable us to grasp the fruitful rhythms of God's time, and help us learn to live in ways that are unimaginable within the boundaries of the time of the clock.
Product Details
- Format: Paperback
- Dimensions: 150 x 230 x 17 mm
- No. of page: 246
- Published by Baylor University Press in 2018
Endorsement
'How Swinton brings together God, time, and disability transforms the understanding not only of disability but also of church, society and ordinary life. This is a profound and moving book, both pastoral and prophetic. It takes further the insights of Jean Vanier, and above all invites us into the truth that "time is for God, God is love, time is for love."' –David Ford, Emeritus Regius Professor of Divinity, Selwyn College, University of Cambridge