A Practical Theology of Dementia
I preach a God who remembers. When memory fades, our worth does not, because each of us is held in the memory of God. The risen Christ still bore his wounds and was not quite the same, yet he was fully himself. So, too, are our elders and loved ones living with dementia: changed, but never less.
Recognition, like at Emmaus, comes through communion: through presence, shared meals, song, and the courage to keep visiting. My preaching makes room for holy lament, honors the stories of those who can no longer tell their own, and calls congregations to re-member one another, putting each other back together in community. Shaped by the Black church, disability theology, and my own journey caring for my parents, this is a ministry of resurrection found in the valley of dry bones.
God will re-member us. Our calling is to re-member one another.
Caregiver Resources
We want to help you help your loved one. Here is a dementia resource list that we continue to add to:
Practical Theology of DEMENTIA
At end of my 2nd year in seminary at YDS, I discovered theologian John Swinton’s work: Dementia: Living in the Memories of God. It was there where I first read about this practical theology born out of disability theology and caring for those experiencing dementia. At once, his work highlighted true connections between what I had just survived and what I was coming to believe.
Watching my mother’s Alzheimer’s progress was difficult to process in light of the deep Christian faith tradition that we both shared. I had questions, I wanted to predict the future, but mostly I wanted to know how to minister to us both during this journey. I not only recommend the book, but I also encourage you to consider how many different ways God embraces our vulnerability and dependence on each other and on the Spirit of God. The biggest take away is that God will always hold you in God’s memory because that is who God is. Stay tuned for more revelations and ideas in conference with Swinton’s work.
