Books by John Swinton

My Theology:The world's leading Christian thinkers explain some of the principal tenets of their theological beliefs.'Why does someone find a great peace when I simply hold their hand?' 'Would Jesus really reject someone from heaven because he wasn't able to proclaim his name?' 'What does it mean to know God without words?'John Swinton's early years working as a nurse among people with intellectual disabilities presented him with profound questions that sowed the seeds for his future life as one of the most important figures in the development of disability theology and the relationship between spirituality and health.Here, he explores the nature of faithfulness and discipleship in relation to disability and mental health, and asks exactly what kind of community the Church should be, in both theory and in practice.

By listening carefully to the lived experiences of people with severe mental health problems, Finding Jesus in the Storm will open up new understandings and perspectives that challenge current assumptions and draws out fresh perspectives for care, healing, recovery and community.

Practical Theology and Qualitative Research examines methodologies of the social sciences and questions how they can enable the task of theological reflection. Practical theology is a growing discipline in its own right, and the authors offer the latest thinking in this area; of how to use theological learning in practical situations.

In Resurrecting the Person, John Swinton argues that while mental illnesses are often biological and genetic in origin, the real handicap experienced by individuals is imposed by the types of reactions, values, and attitudes which are typical of contemporary western society. In other words, how a mental illness is experienced has much to do with how it is socially constructed. How will the church react to this suggestion? Swinton suggests that the key to the effective pastoral care of individuals with severe mental illness lies not only within the realms of psychiatry, therapy, and pharmacological intervention, but in the rehumanization which is borne within the relationship of friendship.

Offering compassionate and carefully considered theological and pastoral responses to dementia and forgetfulness, John Swinton redefines dementia in light of the transformative counter story that is the gospel.

In Becoming Friends of Time, John Swinton crafts a theology of time that draws us toward a perspective wherein time is a gift and a calling. 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. 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, 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.

A person's sense of spirituality informs his or her awareness of self and of the society around them, and is intrinsic to their mental well-being. In this balanced and thoughtful book John Swinton explores the connections between mental health or illness and spirituality and draws on these to provide practical guidance for people working in the mental health field. He analyses a range of models of mental health care provision that will enable carers to increase their awareness of aspects of spirituality in their caring strategies.Using a critical evidence-based and interdisciplinary approach to contemporary mental health practice, Swinton explores the therapeutic significance of spirituality from the perspectives of both carers and service-users, looking at mental health problems such as psychotic disorder and depression, Alzheimer's disease and bipolar disorder. He also provides a critical review of existing literature in the field to place spirituality in contemporary theory and practice.