
David Finnegan-Hosey
The intersection of faith, mental illness, and healthcare will be the subject of a talk at Washington College on Feb. 19, when 2007 graduate David Finnegan-Hosey returns to his alma mater to speak about his latest book, Grace Is a Preexisting Condition: Faith, Systems, and Mental Healthcare. Emerging from his experience of living with a diagnosis deemed as a preexisting condition by insurance companies, the book explores the theological and spiritual dimensions of our public discourse around mental healthcare and mental illness.
The free public talk at 7 p.m. in Hynson Lounge is sponsored by the Goldstein Program’s Young Alumni series.
Finnegan-Hosey, who majored in international studies with a minor in philosophy, serves as the college chaplain and director of campus ministries at Barton College in Wilson, N.C., having previously worked with campus ministries at Georgetown University, American University, and the University of Hawaii. He holds a master’s in divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary and a unit of clinical pastoral education from the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. He is certified by Mental Health First Aid USA to provide initial help to people experiencing depression, anxiety, psychosis, and substance use disorders.
In 2011, Finnegan-Hosey was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after a series of psychiatric hospitalizations. He now speaks and writes about the intersections among mental illness, mental health, and faith. He is the author of Christ on the Psych Ward (Church Publishing, 2018), and he blogs at Foolish Hosey. Profits from the pre-order of Grace is a Preexisting Condition will donated to RIP Medical Debt, which works to abolish unpaid medical debt.
About Washington College
Founded in 1782, Washington College is the tenth oldest college in the nation and the first chartered under the new Republic. It enrolls approximately 1,450 undergraduates from more than 39 states and territories and 25 nations. With an emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning in the arts and sciences, and more than 40 multidisciplinary areas of study, the College is home to nationally recognized academic centers in the environment, history, and writing. Learn more at washcoll.edu.
Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.