title: Deliberating death.
abstract: Utilizing a particular case study of a woman attempting to come to terms with her death, this article explores the difficult metaphors of death present within the Christian tradition. Tracing a Christian understanding of death back to the work of Augustine, the case study is utilized to highlight the difficulties presented by past and present theology embracing ideas of punishment within death. Following the trajectory of the case study, alternative understandings of death present in recent Christian theology and within Native American spirituality are presented in an attempt to find room for a fuller meaning of death post-reconciliation, but premortem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Florida, 3219 Turlington Hall, P.O. Box 117330, Gainesville, FL 32611-7330, USA. scott.landes@ufl.edu
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Landes
mesh_terms: D001293:Attitude to Death; D002410:Catholicism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010327:Pastoral Care; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D029181:Spirituality