Death is something that unites all people. We all encounter its effects at some point, and yet is something we are reluctant to discuss openly. With an emphasis on pastoral care, Eryl Davies looks through the biblical lens at this great taboo, confronting big questions about death, dying and grief.
Dr Davies lovingly and accessibly opens up for us the endless breadth and complexity of the pastoral issues surrounding death and dying, and constantly leads us to Christ our death conquering Saviour. The wisdom in these pages is biblical, gritty, real, and tested.
-- Tom Brand (Ministry Director, Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches)... a comprehensive and compelling read from start to finish. Eryl Davies gives a personal pastoral perspective to difficult issues such as suicide and terminal illness in a profoundly Scriptural manner. This is an excellent handbook for pastors.
-- Calum I Macleod (Minister, Ferintosh & Resolis Free Church, Scotland )... a gem of a book that will equip and strengthen the most overwhelmed Pastor, in the privilege of this work. Driven by scripture and utilising many years of pastoral experience, what Eryl Davies has written is wise, sensitive and practical.
-- Philip Swann (Pastor, Llanelli Free Evangelical Church & Lecturer in Pastoral Theology, Evangelical Movement of Wales Training Course)... meticulously researched, biblically faithful, pastorally wise and full of humanity. Written by a seasoned Pastor/Theologian, this distilled wisdom will help church leaders and congregations think through caring for those who mourn.
-- Paul Levy (Minister, International Presbyterian Church, Ealing, London)The author is passionate about pastoral care, and his years of ministry put him in an excellent position to offer wise counsel to pastors, chaplains, and church leaders as they come alongside those who walk in the shadow of death. Pastors will find his chapter on preaching funeral services especially helpful.
-- Charles M. Wingard (Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Dean of Students, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi)Although written primarily for Christians, Pastors and Elders, this book can be recommended to all, including non-Christians who want to learn more about the alternative to the prevailing secular view.
-- Professor John Alcolado (Executive Dean, Chester Medical School, University of Chester, UK)He speaks from the perspective of an experienced pastor as he wisely addresses practical issues of caring for those who are dying and their families. Perhaps the most profitable aspect of reading this book for me personally is the reminder that it is a privilege to be invited into people's lives during these most difficult and significant seasons of life and death.
-- Jim Newheiser (Director of the Christian Counseling Program and Associate Professor of Counseling and Practical Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, North Carolina)I am grateful to Dr Davies for helping us think through these issues in the light of Scripture. Written with his usual clarity, attention to detail, and pastoral warmth, this is a book that should be in every pastor and elder's library.
-- Jonathan Thomas (Pastor, Cornerstone Church, Abergavenny, Wales; author, 'Intentional Interruptions: Learning to be Interrupted the Way God Intended')