Death, bereavement and the making of a good funeral for Christians – a 4 part series for Lent.
‘Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ’. In Lent, more than any other season we are reminded of our own mortality. It is an appropriate time to refresh our thinking on death. We will look at Christian hope at death.
We will reflect on the significance of the funeral ritual. Sometimes dreaded as an ordeal by mourners, we will consider how, if sensitively planned and conducted, the funeral can become an important transition to life beyond death for mourners and the person who died. We will engage with findings from recent research on what makes a good Christian funeral.
Understanding current thinking on bereavement and how that mirrors Christian theological thinking on death can equip us to find hopeful ways through grief. We will explore aspects of grief theories that may help us navigate our way through this painful experience.
These subjects touch on tender parts of our lives. Please do look after yourself. If the talks bring emotions to the surface which you need help with please do seek support from a trusted person you know or a source of support such as the free confidential Breathing Space helpline 0800 83 85 87.
The talks will be available on Youtube from 7 pm on the dates shown below.
1. What is Christian hope at death? (Monday 26th February 2024)
2. Who is a Christian funeral for? (Monday 4th March 2024)
3. What makes a good Christian funeral? (Monday 11th March 2024)
4. How can Christians find a hopeful way through grief? (Monday 18th March 2024)
Presenter: Rev Dr Jane Edwards, a BACP Accredited Counsellor and Psychotherapist with 20 years experience, curate at St Baldred’s Church, North Berwick and St Adrian’s Church, Gullane and has recently completed a PhD on ‘What makes a good funeral’ with Durham University.
Photo courtesy of Jane Edwards
