The author examines the New Testament treatment of the resurrection and reviews the Habermas-Flew debate on the pros and cons of an actual physical resurrection of Jesus. Jack Kent offers his own psychological theories and explanations, and opposes the arguments of the theologians Kung, Spong and others. Much of his research is based upon the studies of modern psychiatry and its findings on hallucinations caused by bereavement, which the author relates movingly to the grief and bereavement experiences of people in various walks of life. This book aims to do much to explain the origin of the Resurrection myth.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)

• Alter--Rather than Abandon--Traditions 16
• Anticipate the Holidays 18
• Appreciate the Grief Styles and Decisions of Others 20
• Ask Your Church for Help 22
• Be Alert to the Culture's Obsession with Excitement 24
• Befriend Your Grief 26
• Befuddle Someone 28
• Carolize Your Season 30
• Celebrate Sensitively 34
• Consider the Needs of Everyone 36
• Create New Traditions 38
• Create Ornaments or Decorations That Symbolize Your Loved One and Eternal Life 40
• Cry If You Want To 42
• Define Your Boundaries 44
• Do What You Need to Do 46
• Donate to Your Church or a Charity in Honor of Your Loved One 48
• Don't Fast-Forward to January 5 50
• Forgive Those You Believe Are Responsible for the Death 52
• Give Your Grief Its Voice 54
• Give Yourself Permission to Say, "No, " or "I'll Pass" 56
• Guard Your Heart 58
• Invite God's Help 60
• Journal Your Grief 62
• Keep the Future in Mind 64
• Let Others In on Your Grief 66
• Make Gratitude 68
• Minimize the Seasonal Stressors 70
• Miss the Invitations to Parties and Other Social Events 72
• Nap 74
• Network with Other Grievers 76
• Nurture Yourself 78
• Observe a Quiet Holy Day 80
• Organize Your Living Environment 82
• Prepare 84
• Read 86
• Remain Open to Seasonal Surprises 88
• Remember Realistically 90
• Resist the Temptation to Make It Up to Others for What They've Been Through 92
• Rethink Your Holiday Shopping Habits 94
• Say Your Loved One's Name 96
• Toast Your Loved One 98
• Try Events 100
• Unplug the Christmas Mania 102
• Use Some of Your Seasonal Decorations 104
• Visit the Cemetery or Scattering Ground 106
• Volunteer at a Social Service Agency 108
• Vote Your Choices 110
• Watch Children 112
• Watch Out for Numbing Influences 114
• Weigh Any Criticism of Your Grief Style and Holiday Decisions 116
• Worship 118
• Write a Year-End Letter to Your Deceased Loved One 120
• "Yes" Invitations That Feel Right 122
• "Zestize" Your Season 124
• How to Pray This Holiday Season 126.

• Introduction
• Pastoral care as the ministry of lament
• Introducing mourning and lament
• Discovering death and crying out to God
• It is OK to complain to God
• Can God be trusted?
• Asking God for help
• Confidence in God
• The dawn of praise.

For pastors and congregations, caring for those who are grieving is a very important but difficult job. Gene Fowler believes that the church needs a theological understanding of bereavement that can inform the ministry of caring for grieving people. The heart of The Ministry of Lament addresses the relationship between bereavement and the Christian faith in the service of caring ministry. Throughout the book, Fowler brings the psalms of lament into dialogue with a contemporary understanding of mourning so that the entire grief process can be addressed theologically.