John Swinton, professor of practical theology and pastoral care at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, headlines the 2012 Palmer Lecture on Thursday, January 12, at 7:30 p.m. in First Free Methodist Church, adjacent to the SPU campus. He will talk about “learning to know God through the lives of people with profound cognitive and intellectual disabilities.” The event is free and wheelchair accessible.
Professor Swinton is the founding director of the Centre for Spirituality, Health, and Disability at the University of Aberdeen. Previously, he worked as a nurse for 16 years, specializing in the areas of psychiatry and learning disability. He also spent a number of years working in the field of hospital chaplaincy.
Among Swinton’s many writings are Resurrecting the Person: Friendship and the Care of People with Mental Health Problems (2000); Living Well and Dying Faithfully: Christian Practices for End-of-Life Care (2009); and Disability in the Christian Tradition (2012).
Swinton will also give a lecture on Tuesday, January 10, 7-9 p.m. in Otto Miller Hall, room 127. The lecture, “Meeting the Spiritual Needs of Persons and Families Facing Developmental Disabilities," is hosted by the School of Psychology, Family, and Community as part of their Initiative for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The lecture is free and open to the public, and is especially for families, friends, caregivers, clinicians, pastors, and others providing spiritual care to those with disabilities.
Posted: Tuesday, January 10, 2012