THEL613 - Grief and Loss

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit provides students with knowledge of grief and loss theory and enhances their skills for ministry to the bereaved. It will engender appreciation of the unique experience and expression of grief and mourning with regard to the personal, family, social and cultural context. A range of historical and current perspectives in the literature specific to grief and loss theory and their implications for ministry will be considered. The Christian tradition on eschatology will be examined in the light of biblical theology, modern hermeneutical considerations and the approaches of several contemporary theologians. The needs of individuals at different stages of the lifespan, as well as different cultural groups, and the context of their specific bereavement experiences will be examined. The unit will also address the importance of self-awareness and ethical practice in relation to the practice of ministry.