Introduction
The definition of
disability is an interminably enthralling theme to anyone concerned in the
study of disability. The collective definition of disability is “physical
or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities.” Bernard
Helander delineates ‘a person
who in his/her society is observed as disabled, because of a difference in
appearances and/or behaviour.’ In most instances, a person with disability, has
functional limitations and/or activity restrictions. This paper pacts with
disability theology and ethics from Indian subaltern perspective, engaging to
live out our faith in solidarity with the minority communities.
Context
of Disability
There has been an attempt
to extend disability theology to disability issues in academia for ethical
arguments from the perspective of margins. And one such attempt is healing
narratives in the Bible (New Testament). The healing narratives in gospels are
traditionally interpreted as an act of liberation. The discrimination and
marginalisation felt by majority of disabilities in all contexts led to
liberation theology and ethics. The construction is based on same scriptures,
where Jesus was not only a miracle worker but also a boundary crosser. Jesus’ ministry was involved with outcastes
of the society, sick and the rejected and at the same time he lived among
persons with disability. He struggled for Justice, reconciliation and
self-determination of the disabled. Liberation ethics says God provides
strength to struggle, grace to realize and Christ as an example of one who
struggles for humanness along with the persons with disability.
Disability Theology
Disability
theology begins with the analytical and ethical audit of body
mediated experiences of impairment (physical, intellectual, psychological, and
social) which are significant and relatively unsurprising element of human
life, and as such are worthy of theological reflection.
Simo Vehmas and Pekka Makela argue that disability is not a property of the
individual, rather it is a societal construction. Historically disability has
been interpreted with traditional dominant interpretations and constructions such
as consequence of sin, tragedy, punishment and Karma theories (cause of the
evil) in Indian scenario. In this context entire branch of theology had been
evolved and that is theodicy. Persons with disability are also created in the
image of God, so disability theology calls for a fresh understanding of the
image of God. The liberatory theology of disability includes a deliberate
recognition of the lived experience of persons with disabilities and of certain
aspects of the Church’s institutional practices and Christian theology and the
proclamation of emancipatory transformation.
Liberatory
Movements and Theological Articulations
Nancy L. Eiesland was a professor of theology at
Candler School of Theology, speaks out of her own experience with disability
and the marginalization of so many others. Her book, The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability,
examines how churches and other religious charitable institutions still assume
that disabled people should adapt to society rather than society accommodating
and including them. Nancy, in her book, focused on disability-rights movement to
identify people with disabilities as members of a socially disadvantaged and one
of the largest minority groups rather than as individuals who need to adjust.
She highlighted the hidden history of people with disabilities in Church and
society. Announcing the emancipatory presence of the disabled God, the author
maintains the vital importance of the relationship between “Christology and
social change.” Nancy contends that in the Eucharist, Christians encounter the
disabled God and may participate in new imaginations of wholeness and new
embodiments of justice. Though this book was written in the context of
Americans with disabilities, it can be used as theological framework for
liberation in any context.
The evolution of the disability rights
movement (DRM) in India spans over four epochs. Voices began demanding the
rights of people suffering from disabilities in the early 1970s. The 1980s
witnessed the consolidation of demands from various groups and their organization
under a cross-disability umbrella, representing the interests of the disabled.
Many NGOs started operating in the disability sector during this decade and
this subsequently provided further momentum to the DRM. After a series of
petitions and protests, the government passed the Persons With Disabilities
(Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995
(or PWD Act), which reserved three percent of government posts
for those in the PWD category. So the year 1995 became a benchmark year
for the DRM, which stands for the beginning of a new era altogether, in which
people suffering from disability found visibility in educational institutions
and government services. These movements in India lead to societal concerns and
manifestations of social exclusions but church India continued with charity
model, where it looked at the disability as objects but not subjects. Hardly
one could see churches observing disability Sundays, upholding the dignity of
the persons with disability.
From
Societal to Ecclesial Exclusion
The History of the
Church’ interface with disabled is unfriendly. The Church by its nature should
be in the forefront in showing positive attitudes towards disability.
Unfortunately very few churches are accessible to people with disabilities.
Rather than permitting disabled to participate in all aspects of Church and to
celebrate fullness of life along with enabled, it acted as catastrophe to
disabled due to dominant Church’ traditions. On other hand rather than
empowerment the church has more often supported the societal frameworks (NGO’s)
and attitudes that have treated people with disabilities as objects of pity and
paternalism. In all realms church is not allowing disabled in full
participation in the life of church. In Indian context, persons with
disabilities from margins, exploited, poor and women face much more
difficulties and face multi-layered oppression. This intersectionality further
diminishes space for persons with disabilities but will provide robust methodology
to theologize for their liberatory motifs. The dominant structures with their
traditional views see disabled as chastisement, fatalism, consequentialism and
tragedy. The world is dynamic in nature and all spheres of social life are
changing drastically, so as theological articulations. Liberation theologies
are too much focussed on Dalit, Women, Black, Feminism, Tribal, Mingjung, and on
Ecology, neglecting disability theology in all realms. So there is a need to
rearticulate from the perspective of disabled, and there is a need for full
branch in theologising disability from the perspective of margins. Miguel De La
Torre, opines that by
choosing a location on the margins from which to engage human action in all its
spheres such as political, economic, cultural and social gives liberation. This
method gives insights on suffering and oppression of people on the margins as
well as the associated dehumanization of the dominant culture that destabilizes
disability as something that is against God and in need of liberation. This
method also uncover and dismantles the system of domination and exploitation
that contribute greatly to the suffering of minorities.
Accessible
theological method
In relation to a
theology of disability, the measure of the usefulness of a practical
theological method is accessibility. A theological method must provide to way
access. Persons with disabilities must gain access to the social symbolic life
of the church, and the church must gain access to the social symbolic lives of
people with disabilities. The overall idea behind accessing method is for
enabling people with disabilities to participate fully in the life of the
church. This accessible method allows disabled for full recognition that not
all people have enjoyed this comfortable relationships with the church,
primarily because the church has refused to address them in ways that affirm
their dignity and self-understanding. The symbol of Jesus Christ, the disabled
God is both gift and enigma, enabling a two way access through his broken body.
Bodies
of Knowledge
Specific
stories of people with disabilities are prerequisites for a liberatory theology
of disability. The stories often leave the impression that with great personal
effort people with disabilities can overcome, physical limitations and the
societal barriers. They emphasize personal qualities as determinative of
success and failure and ignore discrimination. The narratives of Diane DeVries
and Nancy Mairs narrates their experience of painstakingly inhabiting bodies
and of disputing with society about their proper social place. In the process
they demythologize disability and refuse to acquiesce to society’s stigmatization.
The alternative knowledge they relate about their bodies and social relations
reveals full bodied resistance to the dominant stereotypes of people with
disabilities and moves us toward a liberatory theology of disabilities.
Perspectives
on living disability
Diane and Nancy symbolise
two quite different perspectives on living disability. Because of Devries
congenital disability, she has never internalized able-bodiedness as the norm
to which she should aspire. Thus she was able to see her own body as different
but not defective. Devries evaluated her body positively as compact and
streamlined her awareness of the differences between her and others did not
lead her to conclude that her body was incomplete. Mairs had lived in normal
body for twenty five years. She was not born with any congenital disease. She
experienced the diminishment of her body, which she described as her body going
away. She utilized her disability as a creative resource for articulating her disability.
Both Devries and Mairs represents the experience of people with disabilities to
the alternative perspectives embodied by people with disabilities. These bodies
of knowledge provides a primary source for the development of a liberator of
disability. These lived experiences provides an alternative understanding of
embodiment and their experiences reveal painstaking processes of putting
themselves together using whatever resources available. This alternative
understanding of embodiment suggests that embodiment is a social accomplishment
achieved through attentiveness.
Indian context is
different from any other context, where caste and class plays key role in every
aspect of life. It is impossible to understand society without these two facts.
Women in India face paramount oppression and marginalisation. The plight of the
Indian women continues to be a concern. They are thrice alienated basing on
gender, caste and class. Disability intersects in these three spheres and push
women further to the boundaries. Disability can be restricted with artificial
devices in Global North, but in Global south, economics also play vital role in
further disabling bodies. The wounded psyche of the Indian women with
disabilities traces their plight rooted in consequence of sin. Christians by
faith, have some hope in the future as their God is the disabled God with
wounded hands and legs. But in other faiths, the women is seen as perfect goddess
according to Hindu scriptures, where perfectness embodied in nook and corner in
Indian society. So, any kind of disability in women is seen as abomination in
society and other ritualistic practices, resulting in total exclusion.
The
Body Politics
For persons with
disabilities, the body is the center of political struggle. In challenging
society’s stigmatization, disabilities initiated social movements that stressed
positive self-image and self-help. Disabled people highlighted their body
politics as church and society refused to allow their bodies to be warehoused
in institutions, restricted from public buildings and discriminated against all
spheres of human life. But people with disabilities able to define their
experiences in society and their orientations is most clearly epitomized in the
minority group model of social analysis. Toward a liberatory theology, this
minority group model provides a theoretical lens for understanding how such
factors as negative stereo types, prejudice, and discrimination affect the
lives of persons with disabilities. This understanding gives positive framework
for the abled to think and act from the perspective of disabled.
Carnal
Sins
It starts
with bible and theological expositions. In Christian theological articulations
and traditional interpretations, there is a need to re-evaluate, revisit and
reread scriptures from disabled perspectives. Texts of terror in the bible and
their views are dominant from traditional and cultural point of view. In
Christian tradition sin opens up space for grace and inclusion. In disabling
this dominant traditional theology and to make disabilities to struggle for
full bodied participation in Gods community we need liberatory theology and new
hermeneutical keys.
Disabling
Theology
In Christian traditional
view, disabilities always denotes unusual relationships with God and with the
community. In Hebrew Scriptures moral impurity and physical disability is a
common theme (Leviticus 21:17-23). This text speaks ineligibility to serve before
God. New Testament also draws same parallel link between sin and disability
(Luke 5:18-26). From NT point of view the relationship between sin and
impairment is both supported and contradicted by Jesus. Another view of
Biblical translation is virtual suffering “Thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:7-10)
by as orated by St. Paul. The themes in the bible demonstrates the theological
obstacles encountered by people with disabilities who seek inclusion and
justice within the Christian community. It cannot be denied that the biblical
record and Christian theology have often been dangerous for persons with
disabilities. The interpretations of biblical passages and Christian theologies
continue to reinforce negative stereotypes support social and environmental
segregation and mask the lived realities of people with disabilities. For the
Christian church to stop doing harm and energize their efforts to be a body of
justice, critical and careful attention must be given to a theology of
disability as an established feature of the systematic theological enterprise. A
theology of disability must be made a visible, integral and ordinary part of
the Christian life. As long as disability is addressed in terms of the themes
of sin- disability or traditional disability modes it will be seen primarily as
a fate to be avoided a tragedy to be explained or a cause to be championed
rather than an ordinary life to be lived.
The
Disabled God
The foundation of Christian theology is the
resurrection of Jesus Christ where Jesus broke the silence of the rabbinic
traditions and himself posed as the Messiah by fulfilling the prophecies. Yet
seldom is the resurrected Christ recognized as a deity whose hands, feet and
side bear the marks of profound physical impairment. Nancy made an icebreaking
theology by interpreting Jesus as disabled God, the In other words, “the
resurrected Christ of Christian tradition is a disabled God.” Nancy, suggests
that the resurrected Christ represents “a human-God, who not only knows
injustice and experiences the possibility of human life, but also reconceives
perfection as unself-pitying, painstaking survival.” The image of disabled God is
an image for liberation for disability point of view. This is the crux of the
disability theology which further laid path to disability ethics. This theology
of liberation emerged from the context of common labour for justice and
corporate reflection on symbol. It is just a beginning and an invitation to
emancipatory transformation for both people with disabilities and others who
care. Liberatory theology of disability is the work of the bodily figuration of
knowledge.
Incarnating Liberation
In exploring the relationship
between physical embodiment and religious symbols, two fundamental insights
must be acknowledged. All human beings are embodied. People with disabilities
have struggled that embodiment includes physical ability as well. By focussing
on the physical status of individuals people with disabilities have questioned
the use of ‘normal’ bodies as the basis for scholarly study of religion or
practice of religious rituals. Second, religious symbols point individuals
beyond their ordinary lives. Religious symbols not only prescribe or reproduce
social status but they also transform it. The power of symbols and myths is in
the motive force. Symbols create normative standards for human interaction.
Here Nancy was talking about symbols that are empowering which are vital for
any marginalised group. She argues that the symbols are crucial for
emancipatory transformation to disability. The importance of
visibility in the stigmatization of people with disabilities and discourse
about disability suggests that a liberatory theology of disability must create
new images of wholeness as well as new discourses. A reconception of the symbol
of Jesus Christ as disabled God, is developed here as a contextualized
Christology. It is contextualized in that the disabled God emerges in the
particular context in which people with disabilities and others who care find
themselves as they try to live out their faith and to fulfil their calling to
live ordinary lives of worth and dignity. Christian theology is rooted in the
incarnation of God and resurrection of the God. Christian theology seeks Jesus
bleeding on the cross rather than laughing Jesus. Resurrection gives hope to the hopeless
portraying that there is life after death. Hope theologians like Jorgen
Moltmann, opines that hope is not of other world, but it should manifest in the
midst of brokenness. For example: Rich man and Lazar story delineates that
there will be peace only after death (Luke 16:19-31). Moral theologians and
ethicists, should bring hope as hope promises transformation of structures.
Theological
Implications of the Disabled God
The Symbol of Jesus
Christ, the disabled God has transformative power. This revelation of God
disorders the social symbolic order and God appears in the most unexpected
bodies. The disabled God does not engage in a battle for dominance or create a
new normative power, but God is present in social symbolic order at the margins
with disabilities that instigates transformation from the decentred position. The
resurrected Jesus Christ in presenting impaired hands and feet alters the taboo
of physical avoidance of disability and calls for followers to recognize their
connection and equality at the point of Christ’s physical impairment. Thus the
Church which depends for its existence on the disabled God, must live out
liberating action in the world. The church finds its identity as the body of
Christ only by being a community of faith and witness a coalition of struggle
and justice and a fellowship of hope. This theology and it mission necessitates
that people with disabilities be included into all realms of life.
Persons with Disabilities in India
Samuel George expresses
his living experience from Indian context. He was marginalised both from church
and society. Church used to ask him, to have faith for his healing from Polio.
So, no faith, no healing. Since there was no healing, there was a shift in
people’s attitudes, now thorn in the flesh replaced faith. People advised
virtuous suffering God has given you. So you have to bear. Society and church
stepped back in giving life partner. This kind of marginalisation touches on
various aspects of disability such as religio- cultural, soico-political,
emotional, spiritual and theological.
According to 2001 census 2.19 crore persons are with disability.
Disabilities are segregated physically, psychologically and socially. Enabled
often maintain distance and presence of disabled is uncomfortable. People from
dominant communities try their best to restrict the opportunities of the
handicapped. Their economic security is often threatened by the frequent
refusals of work opportunities in many areas of employment. This segregation
and non-acceptance in society further cripples the status of disability.
In Indian
scenario medical rehabilitation has now been replaced by an emphasis on social
rehabilitation. There has been an increasing recognition of abilities of
persons with disabilities and emphasis on mainstreaming them in the society
based on their capabilities. It is noted that the social attitudes of the
enabled are known to affect the social integration of disabled people. Will of
God and Karma theories are much prevalent in pluralistic context of India. The
dominant religious ideologies lay their understanding of disabilities as
misdeeds in his/her previous life. This
is the condition of the disabled in India avoided by the society and sanctioned
by the religion. The need of the hour is social integration of the disabled into
the mainstream of the society. Though Acts related to disability in India is
present, the severity of the problem is so high that there is much to be done
for the transformation of disabled.
Theological
Responsibility
Humanity is created in
God’s image. Disabled from their lived experience, opines that disability is to
see it as one among many ways to live. In this understanding notion of being
‘normal’ could be viewed as oppressive. In his understanding persons with
disabilities may be understood as one minority group among many minority groups.
This notion challenges the traditional theological interpretation of
disability. Even in ecclesial context also there has been a change in the
attitude. Disabilities are not objects of pity and charity but equal partners
in the mission of God in the realization of the kingdom of God. In the light of
the New Testament, persons with disabilities point of great weakness can
ultimately become their great strength. Such is the journey and mystery of the
cross. Churches in India have to take a pro-disability stand. Church has to
shift from advocacy to more pragmatic and practical stand. She has to create a
barrier free environment for the social, theological and spiritual integration
of the disabled.
Analyses from Old
Testament and New Testament
Jewish people look at the five books of
the Old Testament to give answers to all life concerns. When we look at the Old
Testament it portrays disability in different ways as per the different context
mentioned. Some holds it as a mark of impurity or a mark that disqualifies one
from the temple service (Leviticus 21:18-21). 2 Samuel 5:9 also talks about
prohibitions of the blind and the lame into the house of the Lord. Some
portrayed blind people as groping (Isaiah 59:10, Deuteronomy 28:29), other
point out that God can cause people to be blind (Exodus 4:11), other suggest
that God punishes sinners by blinding them or their animals (Zephaniah 1:17;
Zachariah 12:4). While some portion in Old Testament talks about the
compassionate of God towards disabilities (Isaiah 35:5; 42:7; 42:16; 42:18-19).
Compassionate towards blind person and other disabilities is also expected to
upright believer (Leviticus 19:14; Deuteronomy 27:18).
New Testament is emphasis mostly by
dominant Christian because of Jesus teaching and promises, thought it have some
similar understanding regarding blindness yet, it also introduces some
different ideas. In Jesus’ ministry Jesus heal a good number of blind people
(Matthew 9:27-28, 12:22, 15:30-31, 20:30 and 21:14, Mark 10:46-52; 10:52). In
John 9 Jesus affirmed the blind man that it is not his sinned or his parents’
sin that he is blind, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him?
Luke 14:14 mention blind people’s economic status and suggest investing them to
a feast because they cannot repay you.
Constructing
Theology for Disability
Hendriks-R
denotes that the attitude of people towards disabilities is greatly influenced
by the cultural pattern that pervades our societies since time immemorial which
Hendrik-R calls it as ‘the paradigm of the straight’. The able bodies are
considered straight and normal those who don’t come under this category are
marginalized in the society. The able bodied makes the social morns and
regulations for our societies, as they were consider better, stronger and
superior than those who are physically and mentally challenged, they are the
one who govern, make decision on other’s behalf especially for disabilities.
The voice of disabilities are unheard, their experience, aspiration or needs
are seldom counted in decision making process. The theological communities are
called to address this injustice issues and offer an alternative culture, a
paradigm which favours, love, accept every group of people. Our theological
thinking has its influenced from the church, which mostly has no liberative
message, disable people are condemned as sinful, those who deserved to be
looked down and marginalized. In this light, John 9:1-12 offer a different eyes
to look at disable which is liberating and reoriented of theological understanding
towards disable people; it demands justice for people who are marginalized for
who they are. Jesus was calling his disciples then and now, including the
churches and theological communities of today to start reconstructing a more
equal, and disable loving society and church for all, a space for disabilities
to grow among the communities. In the Old Testament, theological language are
being used to identify God’s power manifesting towards dominant group which
needs reinterpretation, because it doesn’t tally with the experience of people
with disabilities. The power used inside the churches and societies has often
marginalized, even excluded the disable bodied persons, in such society and
church there is need for of an alternative theology. Jesus suffering in the
cross, in a manner in which he manifested his power is a new and liberating
way, by such act Jesus challenged the abusive power and offered new liberating
way and also shows his disciples in particular and the world in general that
power we received from God is not meant to be misused for dominating purpose,
rather for the service and empowerment for all people. Theological term such as
King, Mighty and powerful God needs reinterpretation for this purpose. We need
to rediscover the relevant ones and make use of them in constructing a more
relevant theology relating the disability.
Theological Methodology
To construct a theological reflection for
disabilities one need to pick up a suitable methodology. All theologies are
contextual; there are no fixed truths and propositions. Theology is faith
articulated from a context, our experience influences our theological thinking,
so the experience of the disable like the experience of the women or Dalits,
Tribals should generate a theology of a new genre. Abraham is of the view that
the community to whom it addressed should be the first act of our theology,
theological reflection is only a second act. So disable theology should start
from a struggling community of the disabled; their struggle for the right to
exist, for equality and against all cultural and prejudices and stigma, without
this community our theology is only a construct in concept. Contextualization
is an authentic process of perceiving how God present with people with
disabilities and unmasking the ways in which theological inquiry has further
instituted able-bodied experience as the theological norm. In disable theology
Jesus Christ can be seen metaphorically as ‘Disable God’, because Jesus Christ
is that of disabled God. While Jesus was presenting his impaired hands and feet
to his startled friends, the resurrected Jesus is revealed as the disable God
and this challenged not only the stereotyped stigmatization of the disable
person, but it is an empowering and liberating way of doing theology. It is
liberating as it clearly recognized the limits of the bodies and an acceptance
of the limits as the truth of being human.
The Issue of
Perfection
Perfection is human construct, which is
stigmatizing and oppressive to many who doesn’t come under the constructed norm
of perfection. K.C Abraham pointed out the problems related with the so called
perfect body. He says that the ideas of perfection and beauty are passed down
by our culture which is already imprinted in out psyche and sanctioned tend to
preclude any form of disability. There is no ‘beauty’ in the disabled.
Perfection is measured by physical and mental endowments that are rarely found
in the experiences of the disabled. So any form of disability makes a person
less than human. When God created the world God said, ‘good’ and not ‘perfect.’
Cowan opined that good means something that ‘suits my purpose’; perfection is
determined by people’s values. So the perception differs from one another,
physical perfection may differ radically from one another, the value one hold
should not be used to devalue the other physical difference. The society has
contracted norm, structure to judge beauty and perfection. Such structure is
bias, the 1960’s slogan- ‘Black is beautiful’ for self-affirmation challenged
such norm and structure. The child born with physical and mental disabilities
is not born handicapped, simple disabled, but the society and people around
him/her teach them that s/he is handicapped.
Imago Die
The life of Disability brings certain challenges
to our understanding of human nature. Our theology is anthropocentric,
discussion on imago dei try to
explain human uniqueness, which has its influenced from the western
philosophical tradition, both Greek as well as enlightenment philosophy. Such
ideas distinguishes human from other creatures as well as disabled who have no
linguistic ability. When we look at creation account in Genesis, God said, ‘Let
us make humankind in our image according to our likeness…. So God created
humankinds in God’s image, God created them, male and female, he created them’
(Genesis 1:26-27). The image of God has been interpreted differently throughout
Christian doctrines and theology, and those doctrines don’t take into account
the experience of disability, particularly person born with impairments. Cowan
opined that, ‘the liberatory theology of disability must insist that the only
condition for the presence of the image of God must be human life itself. Where
there is human life, there too is the image of God, though it may be yet to be
repealed and comprehended.’ The liberating theology of disability will be the
view which sees the symbol ‘image of God’ as reflecting and being reflected in
human life in relationship. A relationship where human being are meant to live
in harmonious community, where there is quality relationship, reflecting the
nature of the Triune God which is mutuality and love. Human relationship of
exploitations, self-defeating attachments failed to reflect the true
relationship of God. Imago dei, thus should have self-transcending life in
relationship with others, with the wholly others we called God, and with all
those different others who need our help and whose help we also need in order
to be what God intends us to be.
The Concept of Sin
A biblical insight that has influenced our
theology is the affirmation that human nature is sinful. Some have interpreted
as hubris to understand the nature of
sin, some interpreted it as ‘missing the mark’. How does Christian
understanding of sin affects the life of the disabilities is a crucial
question. A dominant Christian understanding is of the view that disabilities
are the consequences of sin. Majority of Christian still believe and condemned
it as sin and the work of demons, a curse to family and punishment from God.
This wrong understanding has cause exclusion of people with disabilities from
active involvement in spiritual, social and developing life of the church. Sin
here becomes the disruption of relationship. Eiesland comes up with two
concepts to provide discussion on the specific violence committed to the
disabled. First, the concept of ‘stigma’ and second the ‘minority-group model’.
To which she says that stigma are social constructed relationship. History
shows that stigma was imposed on individuals in the form of physical marking or
branding to disgrace them. And in modern society stigma arises through social
processes of communication whereby individuals are marked or isolated because
of a quality they possess or because of something discrediting known about
them. Stigma is based on interpersonal relationship rather than a psychological
reaction to events. The minority-group model is articulated by psychological. This
model arises due to the negative attitudes shown by that majority who are physically
able, similar to the problem faced by the racial and religious unprivileged
minority people. The solution for this problem is by creating an environment
that respect everyone including the unprivileged.
Jesus and
Disability
Jesus challenges the way in which society
discriminate and condemned the disabilities. Jesus love for disabled people can
be seen in various biblical texts. Jesus ministry involve healing, he went
around restoring people to health. John 5: 1-15, the man who lay by the pool of
Bethesda waited for 38 years before Jesus made him walk again. And also in John
9:1-6 the man waited all his life to see and Jesus made it possible. Jesus
confronted the religious language of his time, culture and used blindness as a
symbol for the spiritual inability to ‘see’ his identity as the Messiah (John
9:39; Isaiah 42:16-19), Jesus also declares that the purpose of his coming to
earth is to let ‘those who do not see may see’, which literally means those
whose physical eyes are not functional, Jesus came to cure them. Jesus never
makes connection between disabilities and sin, when the leper cried out to
Jesus, he cried out for healing and not for forgiving his sin. He didn’t
consider himself as a sinner (Matthew 8:14). Two blind men asked Jesus for sight,
but not forgiveness for their sin (Matthew 9:27-31). Jesus rather attacked
those who made the disables person as sinners, by accepting them, healing them,
protecting them, caring them. Jesus broke the barrier of separation between the
disabled and able in all walks of life. Jesus also gave himself so that all
people will live. Jesus death can be seen from three interlocking perspective.
First, his own intention, Jesus is love, came from God to the world,
voluntarily and sacrificially die to take away the sins of the world and to
give eternal life to all. Second, because of his self-identification with God,
he was plotted to death. Third, the healing miracles of Jesus triggered this
conspiracy to kill Jesus. In the healing of the paralysis, Jesus already knew
his life was in danger; still he carried out the task of healing. He healed the
blind and raise Lazarus to life. Jesus voluntary and loving God revealing acts
of restoring physical life to people with disability and to a dead person ended
up sacrificing his own life. Thus, Jesus
the life-giver, suffers for people with disability.
Responsibility of
the Church- The Church as Herald
The Church as Herald Proclaims the Good
News of salvation, commissioned to advocate and act as mouthpiece that through
her the world in darkness might be illumined. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus Proclaim
about the light of the world. And this light includes everyone, the lowly, and
the needy as well. If the commandment is to fulfil the great commission to
person we know in Mark 16:15, then we cannot overlook this segment of society.
This proclamation brings hope, joy and liberation not only to few selected but
also to those marginalized in the society.
The Church as a
Servant
The church as a Herald is also willing to
serve. As a servant the church is not only a messenger but a worker, an agent
to bring God’s healing in the world. The church becomes the salt of the earth,
integrating with the world and reconciling differences. God strength is made
perfect in our weaknesses (1 Cor. 12:9). God expects the Church not only to be
compassionate people but to be people of power, and to empower others those who
are in need. The attitude of the Church towards disabilities is that the
disability in a person is not just but part of who the person is, for that
particular person has a unique gifts and church should help to become
productive member of the family, church, community and society.
Church Advocacy
for Change and Empowerment
The
Church should follow the example of Christ the Good shepherd who seeks out to
people who have disabilities and together determined their needs. By doing so
the church is able to use their fullest potential according to what they can
truly function. The church of advocacy is expected to lead. Churches involve in
advocacy services should be committed to the goals and program. Church puts
their hand in the wound of those who are hurting. By taking part in advocacy,
churches become the witness, advocates and catalysts for change and
empowerment. Advocacy awareness also provides opportunity for the church to
widen their understanding about disabilities; help to recognize their gifts,
the church becomes more welcoming community. When the church acts as an
advocacy, the church is ‘building community’, because the church shares the
care and strives to help ‘neighbour in need.’
Some Ethical
Concerns
The disable are denied their basic human
rights and they are excluded from society. Justice is always understood as
balancing the rights of different groups, prophets brings to our awareness the
concept of compassionate love as integral to justice. The test of justice is
how society treats the most vulnerable sections, where they are not asking for
charity but demand in their own way, justice and participation.
Participatory Structure
Justice is possible only when there is
participatory structure for the weak. In the area of education, health, housing
and other basic areas of life, the state and community should include structure
which support disable people to participate fully in the life of society. The
state and community should take responsibility in providing such structure.
Power
Power is a category that shapes our
ethics. There are two contrasting images given in New Testament: Demon and
Servant. Jesus in Mark 6:7-13 gives his disciple a commission to proclaim good
news to the poor, to heal the sick and to cast out demons. The command to cast
out demons is problematic to us. When we look at the account where Jesus cast
out demons, we see demons possessing uncontrollable power; they go destroying
themselves, others and the environment. Abraham says that demons are with us,
especially when we use self-oriented power. When power is used to abuse or gain
control others and nature, which can end up as destructive force. Power should
rather be used to heal, to build up the other.
Conclusion
Due to our belief or negligence and
attitudes towards people with disabilities, they are often been ignored and
suppressed throughout their whole life. Discrimination, denial, exclusion at
homes, churches, and society is also rooted in the wrong understanding of God’s
creation which perpetuates people to treat them as impure, sinner and
imperfect. The whole bible itself comes from able point of views. Our church
and society is dominated by the able bodied people, our decision lies at the
power of dominant people who are able. Various attempts have been made to
realize the diversity of God’s creation, to construct theology from disability
point of view, to make our church disable people friendly, there is a need for
all to partake in this journey to make the world a better place for all people
irrespective of the difference we have.
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