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Crucial conversations about mental health and mental health care, from a faith perspective.
List of contents
Gratitude
Introduction: Starting with Grace
PART 1 / Beginnings
1. What’s Pre-existing, and What Isn’t 2. Insurance and Assurance 3. Forgive Us Our Debts
PART 2 / Systems 4. Mental Illness Isn’t Violence (But Our Systems Sure Are Sick) 5. There (But) for the Grace of God
PART 3 / Care 6. Care, Context, and the Common Good 7. Sharing Stories to Change the World
Conclusion: And Grace Will Lead Us Home Resources for Action, Advocacy, and Care
About the author
DAVID FINNEGAN-HOSEY is the College Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministries at Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina. He is the author of
Christ on the Psych Ward. In 2011, David was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after a series of psychiatric hospitalizations. He now speaks and writes about the intersections among mental illness, mental health, and faith. David lives in Wilson with his wife, Leigh, and their dog, Penny Lane.
Summary
Crucial conversations about mental health and mental healthcare, from a faith perspective.
Emerging from David Finnegan-Hosey’s personal experience of living with a diagnosis deemed a “preexisting condition” by insurance companies, Grace is a Pre-existing Condition explores the theological and spiritual dimensions of our public discourse around mental healthcare and mental illness and finds there the transformative reality of grace.
The author's insights will be of benefit to anyone concerned about creating a more just healthcare system, but particularly those who struggle with–and care for those who struggle with–mental health. Though focusing on mental health, including preexisting conditions and medical debt, his observations are equally applicable to people dealing with a variety of physical and chronic illnesses. While intentionally approaching the subject through the lens of Christian theology, this book is a contribution to a broader conversation about healthcare policy; a conversation which is likely to be in the spotlight in future political debates. Combining the accessibility of personal narrative with issues receiving attention on the national scale, Grace Is a Pre-existing Condition can begin vital and creative dialogues at a crucial time for the church and the country.
