A Timeless God? A Rejoinder to van Holten and Walton

Authors

  • John Swinton University of Aberdeen

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.40527

Keywords:

Timelessness, Memory, Dementia

Abstract

In this article John Swinton responds to the arguments detailed by Wilko van Holten2 and Martin Walton3 regarding the theology of the “Timelessness of God” and its relationship to disability and dementia (see ‘A Critical Appraisal of John Swinton’s Theology of Time and Memory’ https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.40137). Swinton acknowledges the value of van Holten and Walton’s critique but points out that, by ignoring the genre of his work – pastoral theology – they have misunderstood critical aspects and failed to acknowledge important issues around the relationship between concepts and practice. The Response acknowledges that the argument for the timelessness of God is complex and problematic but argues that reflection on this requires practical exploration as well as theoretical conjecture. Swinton offers insights into how the reflection on the nature of God’s involvement with time, properly construed, can throw important practical and theological light on to the lives of people with dementia and people with brain injuries.

Author Biography

  • John Swinton, University of Aberdeen

    John Swinton is a Scottish theologian.He is the Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies at the School of Divinity, History, and Philosophy, University of Aberdeen. John is founder of the university's Centre for Spirituality. John is an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland and Master of Christ’s College, the university's theological college. Swinton is a major figure in the development of disability theology. In 2016 he was awarded the Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing for his book Dementia: Living in the Memories of God.

References

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Published

2020-10-06

How to Cite

Swinton, J. (2020). A Timeless God? A Rejoinder to van Holten and Walton. Health and Social Care Chaplaincy, 8(1), 103-115. https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.40527