Stations of the Heart: Parting With a Son

Seven days into the new year and just finished my first book. It was Stations of the Heart: Parting With a Son by Richard Lischer (professor of homiletics at Duke Divinity School), which is an account of the final ninety-five days of his son's life having being diagnosed with terminal cancer. A strange book perhaps to start the year with. I read it because death and dying shaped 2013 in a particular way and my life as a minister is never far from being with someone who is approaching death or grieving the loss of a loved one. I read it because I'm wanting to read theological memoir more and more ... Hannah's Child by Stanley Hauerwas, The Pastor by Eugene Peterson, Untying the Knots by Paul Vallely (his biography of the Pope Francis) and Kathryn Spinks' The Miracle, The Message and the Story (her biography of Jean Vanier). Stations of the Heart lays bare the journey of both father and son (and family) towards death and grief. It is though a profoundly faith-full book, as Adam (Richard's son) is a witness of dying well, if dying too soon for a life so young.

Comments

[Jason Goroncy]

Thanks, Andy, for the heads up on this very timely book. There's lots about Lischer's work to appreciate.