Judgment and grace in the aging process

There is both judgment and grace in the aging process. The resources of Christian theology can be utilized to make aging more of a blessing than a curse. Judgment in aging is experienced as the judgment of time—little time left, loss of opportunity either to complete projects or to amend what has not been done well. The sins of the elderly are largely reactive rather than proactive The shape of guilt for the elders easily takes the form of fear of rejection and ultimate despair rather than longing for restoration and hope of forgiveness because of the cultural climate in which we are aging. To overcome this pastoral care management of resources of hope, acceptance and forgiveness are curcially important in ministry to the elders.Professor Becker is Professor of Pastoral Care at the Lutheran Theological Seminary, 2199 East Main Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43209. His article is based on a lecture presented at the American Lutheran Church Synposium on Aging, Ann Arbor, Michigan, September, 1977, entitled Theological Perspectives on Aging.