Abstract
In a global society where an estimated 5.8 billion people associate with a religious group, examining death and dying experiences cannot be complete without considering religious approaches to these topics (Pew Research Center, 2012). Death and Religion in a Changing World, an edited book by Kathleen Garces-Foley, provides the opportunity to engage with religious studies and history experts. COVID-19 disrupted cultural norms and affected how people mourn; there are details in the book about the impact of COVID-19 on death, dying, and mourning, such as discussing adaptations of funeral practices and rituals. The four dimensions of education about death, dying, and bereavement (cognitive/intellectual, affective, behavioral, and valuational) are illustrated throughout the book (Corr et al., 2019). Knowledge about death and dying is more than cognitive aspects, and a strength of this book is the personal narratives included in the chapters.
The chapters in Part I, Religious Approaches to Death, do an exceptional job of scaffolding information about various religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Sikhism. As I read the chapters in Part I, I became a traveler on a journey experiencing a landscape of knowledge through a personalized and descriptive lens of the authors. I appreciate the vulnerability of the authors who shared about the death of family members. Even in chapters where authors did not share lived experiences, there were stories that fostered connections for the reader. For instance, in Chapter 3, “Death and Dying in Buddhist Cultures,” Karma Lekshe Tsomo introduces the story of someone from a noble family who died, describing a gathering of people, such as guests who frequented the hotel owned by the noble family, family, and local community members. I could picture myself present at that moment as the author describes the weather, the crowd, the clothing, and the sounds of chanting and instruments.
Part I ends with Chapter 8, “The Whole Damn State Is a Site!” In Chapter 8, Dennis Kelley not only analyzes the death and burial practices of Californian Indigenous communities but also dispels myths about Indigenous people and highlights the Spanish mission system and the impact of colonization, which is critical history. Since this chapter had a unique organization from the previous chapters, Chapter 8 worked well as the last chapter of Part I.
Part II, Death and Dying in Contemporary Societies, focuses on hospice, ethical issues at the end of life, funeral practices in the U.S., spontaneous shrines and public memorialization, and religion and grief. In Chapter 9, Lucy Bregman undertakes an issue not always discussed when information is written about hospice---the reality that everyone does not encounter a natural death. She acknowledges and brings to light these issues when she shares, “Moreover, advocates for Hospice in the United States often relied on the imagery of natural death” (p. 214). Some literature about hospice and death and dying can present death as a fairy tale with a happy dying and death ending. Therefore, Lucy Bregman’s discussions on these limits resonated with me. Hospice is a wonderful philosophy. But the reality is there are different dying trajectories — acknowledging all the realities of death is essential.
While death, to some degree, can be classified as universal, there are nuances to death and dying that are unique to one’s beliefs and values. These valuational topics are certainly complex with shades of gray. In Chapter 10, “Dying Well, Dying Badly: Ethical Issues at the End of Life,” Courtney S. Campbell explores the ethics of constructing “death” to include discussing the story of Jahi McMath, who was declared dead in California but considered alive in New Jersey. After reading this chapter, readers will ponder, “What is death?” Chapter 10 does not shy away from discussing ethical issues surrounding death and dying. He gives readers the information to ponder about the right to die, ethical issues in organ donation, the removal of medical treatment, and what is considered a dignified death. One observation of Part II is that a reader unfamiliar with ethical issues at the end of life might find it helpful to read Chapter 10 before Chapter 9, “Hospice: The Search for Better Dying.”
Cultural practices can evolve and are not static, and funeral practices are changing and fluid. In Chapter 11, “Changing Funeral Practices in the United States,” Kathleen Garces-Foley examines traditional, modern, and postmodern funeral practices, as conceptualized by Tony Walters. Society never remains the same, and change is inevitable. These tensions are intriguing, and the author delivers insights into these dynamics. As a content warning, the narrative describing a funeral in Chapter 11 was of a person who died by suicide. In the next edition, it might be helpful for the editor to consider writing a brief content warning at the start of the chapter.
The book ends with a focus on religion in grief, effectively coming full circle by linking religion to grief. In Chapter 13, “Religion and Grief,” Dennis Klass infuses a cultural lens by showing there is more than one way of knowing and experiencing grief, ending the chapter by affirming “the lines between the deceased, the ancestors, the saints, the gods or God, are blurred,” in many cultures (p. 323). I believe it is essential for these topics to utilize a culturally dynamic view of exploration.
I appreciated the editor updating Death and Religion in a Changing World because religion, for some people, is interwoven into their experiences with death, dying, and grief. The book will resonate with a broad audience, including folks who do not know about these topics. Another strength is current background knowledge about religion is not required to become fully engaged with the chapters. The stories in the various book chapters connect readers to the focus areas in meaningful ways; we cannot seek to make meaning of these topics without narratives. The book is so much more than facts and definitions of religious beliefs. It reflects the editor’s perspective, “….but these stories are not just ways to begin book chapters — they get to the very heart of how we remember and commend our dead” (p. 5). This book certainly captures this vision of the editor. While death, dying, and grief experiences are complex and multifaceted, Kathleen Garces-Foley’s organization of the chapters creates a well-crafted book that everyone should consider adding to their reading list.