THE CHALLENGE OF CARING
Bible-related Reflections
By Alexine Crawford. BRF. 171 pages. £7.99
ISBN: 978 1 841 017 488
A more accurate title for the book would be ‘Reflections on Caring’.
It is not about the challenge of caring itself, but stories drawn from the author’s experiences, which she links to biblical stories. She writes honestly and compassionately about some of the negative aspects of caring for an elderly parent, and most of the stories are helpful and encouraging. It is a great pity, therefore, that her chapter on independence reveals a shocking, infantilising view of older people, and a misapprehension of how God views independence.