God and Chronic Illness

Entering into suffering with compassion, clarity, and hope.

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How do we love well and hold onto hope when the uncertainties of sickness make us feel we have no solutions or struggle to see God’s presence in the pain?

If you care for someone who lives with chronic illness, or support those caregivers in turn, then you’re familiar with these questions. And you know as well as anyone: chronic illness doesn’t follow tidy timelines, and it doesn’t offer easy answers.

God and Chronic Illness was designed to equip you with language, theology, and practical tools for walking with others in their health struggles and to help you draw near to God in the long, unglamorous road of chronic illness. Throughout the course you'll hear firsthand from those in the medical field, as well as those who are navigating day-do-day challenges, inviting you into a deeper and wider understanding of diverse experiences outside your own. Along the way, this course offers spiritual grounding so you can enter into suffering without fear, listen deeply, love wisely, and encounter God even in these painful, uncertain places.

What You'll Learn

  • A theology of chronic illness—and what it means for faith, presence, and care.
  • Strategies for developing resilience, compassion, and effective care as you walk alongside others through suffering.
  • Practical, Scripture-grounded skills for offering meaningful support to those living with illness, and their caregivers.
  • How to name and explore your own faithful questions in the face of pain and uncertainty.
  • How to rest in God’s presence and timing, deepening your capacity for hope in the midst of uncertainty, even when healing isn’t linear or guaranteed.
  • Why listening is a posture, not just a skill—and how to cultivate it deeply.
  • How to honor and understand the lived experiences of those managing illness day after day.

About this Course

  • Modules

8

  • Learning Elements

60

  • Videos

13

  • Practices & Activities

16

  • Time

6 hours, 30 minutes

  • Price

$55

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Here's What's Inside...

In this module you will:

  • Develop a definition of the fullness of life for engaging with chronic illness.
  • Examine your faithful questions about this topic.
  • Set goals for your course experience.

In this module you will:

  • Understand theological and historical influences on how we think about chronic illness.
  • Rest in God’s presence even as you consider theological perspectives.
  • Apply a theological lens to a real-life situation.

In this module you will:

  • Build your understanding of theological perspectives around chronic illness.
  • Grow trust through examining scripture.
  • Develop a sound framework for considering the essential questions of this topic.

In this module you will:

  • Learn about Alzheimer’s disease as an example of a common chronic illness.
  • Develop your capacity for uncertainty.
  • Apply your learning to a situation in your context.

In this module you will:

  • Consider the experiences of those who provide clinical care.
  • Develop empathy and compassion.
  • Consider ways to build your care skills.

In this module you will:

  • Understand the connections and systems related to chronic illness.
  • Develop a posture of listening.
  • Create a plan for taking your learning into your world.
You'll Learn How to Cultivate Community
An older woman stretches out her hand toward the camera while standing on a beach, with the ocean and sky in the background.

Caregiving is a core human activity. It’s so much more than a job that needs to be performed; it is a life-giving relationship, one that strengthens a community from the inside out through sheer presence, listening, and dependence on God’s buoying presence. Let’s strengthen our practical skills, our resilience, and our capacity for loving care together.

What to Expect

  • Lifetime access to the course materials, including a comprehensive course handbook.
  • A FREE account inside the Faith+Lead Learning Lab, a private online learning community where you can connect with other learners and leaders walking through this course.
  • If you're already a Faith+Lead member, click here to access this course—it's included in your membership at no additional cost: https://lab.faithlead.org/courses/god-and-chronic-illness/

Ready to Enroll?

Enroll in this one on-demand course today or unlock free access to this and all on-demand courses plus more with Faith+Lead Membership →

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Access to this on-demand course

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Access to an online supportive community

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Access to 20+ on-demand courses

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Access to all workshops and their recordings

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Access to member-only live Q&A monthly interviews

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Access to monthly group coaching

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Looking for just in-time training resources?

Use this on-demand course as a complementary ready-made resource for small groups, Bible studies, discipleship growth, and equipping lay leaders in your specific ministry setting.

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Meet Your Instructor

  • The Rev. Dr. Ridgeway Addison

    Senior Learning Designer, Humana and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Georgetown University, School of Nursing

    Ridgeway Addison is the senior learning designer at Humana and an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University’s School of Nursing. He served as a protestant chaplain at Georgetown University from 2000-2012. He is a graduate of the Catholic University of America, where he obtained his Ph.D. in Religious Studies.

    As a digital learning consultant for 2U/edX, he co-led learning design and stakeholder management for partner programs in business, communications, finance, engineering, entrepreneurship, and data analysis. He designed and led over 300 training and professional development events for VIP educational clients and cross-functional client-facing team members.

    At Georgetown University, he works closely with student life and academic services departments and student groups to integrate spirituality into campus-wide support services. He served as chaplain and pedagogical consultant to medical school and nursing faculty and students during clinical training and professional development programs. He enjoys middle-distance running, tennis, black coffee, time in nature on his own and with family and friends.

Connect as you learn

Connect inside the Faith+Lead Learning Lab

Learning happens best when you do it together with folks who are on the same journey as you are.

That's why our private social network, the Faith+Lead Learning Lab, hosts conversations about course content with other learners, instructors, TAs, and community leaders.

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Study together with a small group or congregation

Want to bring God and Chronic Illness to your Bible study, small group, or even your entire congregation?

Choose "Enroll a Group" at checkout and select how many people you'd like to provide access to the course. You can go through the course together in-person, watch lessons together via Zoom, or even create a private group in the Learning Lab where participants can connect asynchronously.

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