Becoming Friends of Time

"How Swinton brings together God, time, and disability transforms the understanding not only of disability but also of church, society and ordinary life. This is a profound and moving book, both pastoral and prophetic. It takes further the insights of Jean Vanier, and above all invites us into the truth that 'time is for God, God is love, time is for love.'" -- David Ford With his usual insight and wisdom Swinton has written a timely book on time and disability. Swinton's work is profoundly human and humane because it is so determinatively christological. Becoming Friends of Time is a gift for all of us who struggle to survive in a world of speed." -- Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor Emeritus of Divinity and Law, Duke Divinity School "With characteristic wisdom and grace, Swinton's book invites us to reimagine time through rediscovering the gospel and the life of Christian discipleship in all its fullness in relation to the human experience of disability. His writing is elegant and embodies the gentle, time-full cadence it speaks about, offering a host of compelling insights along the way." -- Thomas E. Reynolds, Associate Professor of Theology, Emmanuel College, University of Toronto "This book will change your view of time and what it might mean for us to live creatively and radically within the economy of God's time. Swinton proves to be a wise guide as he digs deeply and widely into the complexities of our experience. Philosophy, Spirituality, Pastoral Care and Theology are put to work within an imaginative plea for us to expand the quality of our attention and our tasks of love. These pages open up and out our lives, sympathies, convictions and vulnerabilities into a dialogue with the Christian tradition. We are gently led to reflect on how we might change our thinking in order to respond and act at every turn of the page. Your life will be enlarged through your engagement with this text." -- James Woodward This book ultimately did live up to its promise. I concur with Ford's judgement: 'This is a profound and moving book, both pastoral and prophetic.' -- Keith Straughan * Reform Magazine, June 2017 * Swinton offers us profound reflections on some foundational issues and how they are linked. I am not likely to think of any of these issues in the same way as before. There is much in this book which has relevance for our practice as ministers. -- Gertrud Sollars * The Reader, Winter 2017 *

John Swinton is Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies at the University of Aberdeen. He is the author of 'Dementia: Living in the Memories of God' for which he won the 2016 Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing

Part 1: Time and Disability 1. Thinking about Time 2. Time and Progress Part 2: Learning to Live in God's Time 3. Time and Christ 4. Becoming Friends of Time Part 3: From Inclusion to Discipleship 5. Time and Discipleship 6. Time and Vocation Part 4: Reclaiming the Heart 7. Time and Memory 8. Time and Heart Part 5: The Horror of Time 9. The Horror of Time 10. The Time Before and the Time After 11. Time and Ritual Conlusion: Being in Christ, Being in Time Appendix.: Redeeming Time