What is Disability Theology?
onight’s episode of AlphaNerds will answer the question, “What is Disability Theology?” Sara Martin, 21, is set to be in the graduating class of 2023 of the St. Paul School of Theology in Oklahoma City. Martin is going to open the discussion around Disability Theology at 9 pm Central February 12, 2020. From Sara Martin: Within the scope of the Christian tradition, theologians have addressed the theological question, “What does it mean to be human?” Unfortunately, the experiences of persons with disabilities are often excluded from conversations about the human condition and set aside as “special cases.” As we consider what Disability theology is, its function and its history, I offer this definition by John Swinton. Swinton states, “Disability theology is the attempt by disabled and non-disabled Christians to understand and interpret the gospel of Jesus Christ, God, and humanity against the backdrop of the historical and contemporary experiences of people with disabilities.” Disability Theology invites thinkers to consider what scripture records about the experiences of persons with [a] disability, often through a normative perspective and provokes theological reflection as we consider the meaning of the text. Disability Theology encompasses not only a broad spectrum of disabling conditions but various methodologies that offer a lens into the experiences of persons with disabilities. Disability Theology began to gain traction in the last twenty-nine years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. During the Civil Rights Movement, many minority groups begin to mobilize and lobby for the expansion of human rights. While theologians throughout human history have tried to address the experiences of PWDs, the definition of disability and the social perception of disabling conditions has continued to evolve. As Disability Theology began to evolve, we note a shift from disempowerment thought to empowerment thought. Out of contemporary Disability Theology, we see models such as the social model, the identity model, and the human rights model which are concerned more with empowering PWDs. These three models address the social implications of disabilities, including positive self-identity (Identify Model), encouraging PWDs to be involved in lobbying for legislative advancements (Human Rights Model), and society being disabling rather than the disability itself (Social Model). I consider Disability Theology has a whole to be positive, allowing conversations about the experiences of PWDs, inviting us to become more aware of PWDs in the church. Some pros including addressing ableism, advocating for accessibility, and building an inclusive community. Some cons are the lack of theologians who are PWDS having a voice, the perpetuation of ableism within religious studies, and the reality that some models always aren’t helpful for PWDs.
