A Biblically Compassionate Perspective on Suicide

This book deals with a very difficult aspect of life, namely, death by suicide. It describes the problem of suicide as a reality situated at the point where religion, justice, medicine and social mores meet. Suicide challenges traditional values in all of these areas and with the tremendous amount of negative attention given to it, greiving family members are largely left to their own resources. This book approaches suicide through the framework of the story of Jacob in the Hebrew Scriptures (Genesis 32:22-31). The story of Jacob is full of moral ambiguity and causes us to ponder ambiguity and complexity in all of life. It is also a story that captures the graciousness of the Divine, especially where there is some grayness and a shadow side. Jacob is a wounded trickster, but he also receives a blessing. Caregivers of those bereaved by suicide tread upon morally gray areas and need to become comfortable with the art of holding ambiguity. Readers of this book will hopefully develop compassion towards the complexity of suicide and learn to walk without judgement alongside those who are bereaved by suicide.