Approaching the End A Theological Exploration

David Albert Jones considers two basic questions: how can we live well in the face of death? and when, if ever, is it legitimate deliberately to bring human life to an end? He focuses upon the distinct theological approaches to death shown by four outstanding Christian thinkers: Ambrose of Milan, Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, and Karl Rahner. Jones's aim is not primarily to make a contribution to the history of theology, but rather, through engagement with the thought of theologians of the past, to reflect on some of the practical and existential issues that the approach of death presents for all of us.

David Albert Jones is Academic Director, St Mary's College Twickenham.

List of Abbreviations	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
The Need for a Theological Approach to Death	p. 9
Death, grieving, and killing	p. 9
The contribution of theology	p. 15
The method of the present study	p. 22
In Every Way a Good Thing: Death in the Thought, of Ambrose of Milan	p. 24
Background to the thought of Ambrose of Milan	p. 24
Three deaths	p. 27
Death as bonum	p. 31
Freeing the soul from the body	p. 32
Ambrose's achievement	p. 35
Not Good for Anyone: Death in the Thought of Augustine of Hippo	p. 37
Background to the thought of Augustine of Hippo	p. 37
Three deaths	p. 39
Death as malum	p. 43
Platonism	p. 45
The fall from Eden and the Platonic fall myth	p. 49
An Illuminating Comparison: Augustine and Ambrose on the Theology of Death	p. 56
Striking parallels	p. 57
Paul through the eyes of Ambrose and Augustine	p. 59
Virginity and mortification	p. 63
Suicide and martyrdom	p. 68
Fear of death, grief, and care for the dead	p. 72
Things left unsaid	p. 86
In One Way Natural, in Another Unnatural: Death in the Thought of Thomas Aquinas	p. 90
Background to the thought of Thomas Aquinas	p. 90
Soul and body	p. 94
The separated soul	p. 106
Is death natural?	p. 110
Homicide and suicide	p. 118
Mortal fear	p. 129
Hope of heaven and care for the dead	p. 134
Both Something Suffered and a Human Act: Death in the Thought of Karl Rahner	p. 144
Background to the thought of Karl Rahner	p. 144
An event concerning the human being as a whole	p. 149
The consequence of sin	p. 154
Dying with Christ	p. 157
Martyrdom	p. 161
Lexicons and other influences	p. 165
The development of Rahner's thought	p. 169
Ambrose redivivus?	p. 173
Death as a human act	p. 177
The liberty of the sick	p. 181
The modern problematic	p. 184
Final Reflections	p. 187
Reviewing the central argument	p. 187
Good grief	p. 190
Fearful hope	p. 195
Killing	p. 198
Suicide and martyrdom	p. 201
Assisted suicide and euthanasia	p. 205
Law and public policy	p. 209
Withholding and withdrawing treatment	p. 212
Sustaining the unconscious	p. 215
Making a good death	p. 219
Bibliography	p. 222
Index	p. 239
Scriptural Index	p. 242
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Approaching the End A Theological Exploration of Death and Dying

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