When Memory Fades, Does Identity Remain? (Part 1)
By Adj A/Prof (Dr) Kenny Tan, Chief Executive Officer and Ms Ho Yin Yin, Senior Manager & Senior Chaplain, St Luke’s ElderCare
This article delves into the theological implications of dementia, asserting that human identity is eternally grounded in being made in God’s image and known by Him, rather than in memory or cognitive ability.
Dementia is one of the most challenging conditions that a person or family can face—not just because of memory loss, but because it raises unsettling questions about identity. When a loved one begins to forget familiar names, faces, and even their own story, caregivers often wonder: Are they still the same person? Who are they, really, if they can no longer remember who they are?
These are not just emotional questions—they are deeply theological ones. What makes us us? Is our identity tied to our memories, or is it grounded in something deeper, something that cannot fade?
Dementia may cloud a person’s memory, but it cannot erase the image of God within them.
These questions go to the heart of how we understand personhood. In a world that values intelligence, productivity, and independence, dementia seems to strip these things away. But the Christian understanding of what it means to be human is not built on memory or mental ability—it is built on something deeper and more permanent: the truth that every person is made in the image of God.
The Bible declares in Genesis 1:26–27 that all human beings—regardless of age, ability, or condition—are created in the Imago Dei, the image of God. This means that their worth is not earned by what they can do, remember, or contribute. Their value is given by God Himself, written into their very being. Dementia may cloud a person’s memory, but it cannot erase the image of God within them.
Even when memory and cognition fade, a person remains fully known, fully loved, and fully human in the eyes of their Creator.
But how can someone be fully human if they can no longer remember who they are? This is where Scripture offers profound comfort. In Galatians 4:9, Paul reminds the church that their primary identity is not in knowing God, but in being known by God: “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God…” Even when memory and cognition fade, a person remains fully known, fully loved, and fully human in the eyes of their Creator.
Throughout Scripture, we see God’s tender love for those who are weak, forgotten, or vulnerable. The psalmist declares in Psalm 103:14, “For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” God’s love is not dependent on our strength or understanding, but on His unwavering faithfulness.
When memory fades, identity remains—not because of what we remember, but because of who remembers us.
For the church, this truth has practical implications. It means we treat people with dementia not as former members of the community, but as full participants in the family of God. It means we offer pastoral care that focuses on presence, dignity, and belonging. Familiar hymns, Scripture passages, or simply a gentle hand of comfort can serve as reminders of God’s steadfast love.
When memory fades, identity remains—not because of what we remember, but because of who remembers us. Dementia may erase personal stories, but it cannot erase the divine image imprinted on every person.
In a world that forgets the vulnerable, the church proclaims this enduring truth: You are known. You are loved. You are still you—before God, and before His people.
