I grew up in the former GDR, in Eisenach, where my parents worked in the Lutheran Church.

My initial training in the field of social education took place after moving to Switzerland in 1984. I began studying theology in Basel in 1989 and also spent two semesters in Marburg and one in Bern. Together with my husband, Rev. Dr. Dan Holder, we worked in the Swiss Reformed Church in Muhen/AG for eleven years. In 2009, we took up a second pastorate in Riehen/Basel. Since 2010, my husband and I are also responsible for the «Evangelisches Studienhaus Riehen/Basel», where students are encouraged to regularly discuss theology and Christian spirituality together.

In 2006, I was able to study for a semester in Oxford and began to research the work and spirituality of the Palliative Care pioneer Cicely Saunders. In 2012, I graduated with my MAS in Pastoral Care at the University of Bern.

Having met Prof. John Swinton through work in the area of our common interest for people with special needs, I was thankful to be able to take up doctoral studies under his supervision at the University of Aberdeen. I completed my dissertation and was awarded a PhD in 2022.

My area of research is primarily in the field of Pastoral Care, Spiritual Care and Palliative Care. In this context, I am currently researching the concept of the English mystic Julian of Norwich and would like to study her understanding of God in relation to questions surrounding Palliative Care and Spiritual Care. Together with Prof. John Swinton, a further research interest is to draw attention to the theological implications of Cicely Saunder’s spirituality in a jointly planned publication. This is intended to emphasize the relevance of her Christian attitude towards people and their lives for developing the vision and praxis of Palliative Care.

Books (selection)

• Cicely Saunders (2009, 2018), Leben und Sterben, translated and introduced by Martina Holder-Franz, Zürich, TVZ
• Martina Holder-Franz (2012), «...dass du bis zuletzt leben kannst.» Spiritualität und Spiritual Care bei Cicely Saunders, Zürich, TVZ
• Cicely Saunders (2015), Der Horizont ist nur die Grenze unserer Sicht, translated and introduced by Martina Holder-Franz, Zürich, TVZ
• Martina Holder-Franz und Maria Zinsstag (2021), In Beziehung sein. Palliative Care und christliche Verantwortung, Zürich, TVZ

Articles

• Martina Holder-Franz (2007), Arguing about genetics and disability, in: Theology, Disability and the New Genetics, John Swinton and Brian Brock (eds.), London
• Martina Holder-Franz (2014), Cicely Saunders und die Bedeutung von Spiritualität für die moderne Hospizbewegung, in: N. Feinendegen, G. Höver, A. Schaeffer, K. Westerhorstmann (eds.), Menschliche Würde und Spiritualität in der Begleitung am Lebensende. Impulse aus Theorie und Praxis, Würzburg
• Martina Holder-Franz (2017/10), Cicely Saunders – Pionierin der Hospizbe-wegung und der Spiritual Care, in: Pastorale Theologie, Monatsschrift für Wissenschaft und Praxis, Göttingen
• Martina Holder-Franz (2019), Cicely Saunders, Von Spiritual Pain zu Spiritual Care, in: Spiritual Care im globalisierten Gesundheitsweisen, Simon Peng Keller und David Neuhold (eds.), Darmstadt
• Martina Holder-Franz (2022), Cicely Saunders – Inspiration für die Zukunft, in: Jahresheft Praxis Palliative Care. Worauf es ankommt im Leben und im Sterben, Hannover
• Martina Holder-Franz (2023), Trosterfahrungen am Lebensende, in: Nova Cura, Bern
• Martina Holder-Franz (2024), C. Saunders und Verbindungen zu Victor E. Frankl, in: SGLE. In der letzten Lebensphase, Wädenswil