Addiction and Pastoral Care bookcover

Addiction and Pastoral Care

John Swinton 

(Foreword by)
4.9/5.0
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Description

A timely resource treating addiction holistically as both a spiritual and a pathological condition

Substance addictions present a unique set of challenges for pastoral care. In this book Sonia Waters weaves together personal stories, research, and theological reflection to offer helpful tools for ministers, counselors, chaplains, and anyone else called to care pastorally for those struggling with addiction.

Waters uses the story of the Gerasene demoniac in Mark's Gospel to reframe addiction as a "soul-sickness" that arises from a legion of individual and social vulnerabilities. She includes pastoral reflections on oppression, the War on Drugs, trauma, guilt, discipleship, and identity. The final chapters focus on practical-care skills that address the challenges of recovery, especially ambivalence and resistance to change.

Product Details

PublisherWilliam B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Publish DateFebruary 05, 2019
Pages240
LanguageEnglish
TypeBook iconPaperback / softback
EAN/UPC9780802875686
Dimensions8.9 X 5.9 X 0.7 inches | 0.8 pounds

About the Author

Sonia E. Waters (1972-2023) was associate professor of pastoral theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. An Episcopal priest, she served as a volunteer chaplain at a local treatment center and was involved in recovery activities in the Princeton area.
John Swinton is professor of practical theology and pastoral care at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and founding director of Aberdeen's Centre for Spirituality, Health, and Disability. He worked as a nurse for sixteen years within the fields of mental health and learning disabilities and later also as a community mental health chaplain.

Reviews

Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore
--Vanderbilt University
"Simply put, this is the best book out there for any health professional or individual who wants to understand the spiritual and political complexities of addiction."

Carrie Doehring
--Iliff School of Theology, Denver
"Given the prevalence of struggles with addictive substances among persons and families, religious leaders and chaplains will find Waters's book extraordinarily helpful in understanding the neurological, medical, relational, cultural, and theological dimensions of substance use disorders."

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