AbstractWhy are many churches in Africa inaccessible to persons with disability? This question has informed missiological qualitative research on the accessibility for persons with disability in churches in Ghana. Swinton (2002:29) coins the phrase the “‘forgotten dimension’ of spirituality”, which depicts the way persons with disability have been neglected in the ministry of many churches. Research in Ghana has proven that accessibility for persons with disability in churches is an afterthought reflecting exclusion from youth ministry as well. This article proposes to address the issue of inclusion/exclusion from a missio Dei perspective, challenging youth ministries to take deliberate steps to include persons with disability in their praxis.

AbstractEven though the digital church has been in existence for some time, it was mainly a transmission of onsite church services and programmes in the online space. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its demands for a global shutdown to mitigate and contain the disease moved almost all social activities including church services to the online space. It is evident that persons with disability experience extreme exclusion from the church’s theology, praxes, and ethos. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is replicated in the virtual space. Research proves that persons with disability were not considered in the migration of churches to the virtual space; hence, digital accessibility is minimal or non-existent during and after the COVID-19 era. Contribution:  This article explores the various transformational stages of both the church and media while further exploring possible ways by which the virtual church may grant accessibility to persons with disability.

AbstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Persons with disability in Ghana experience stigmatization, marginalization and exclusion from society; this accounts for their lack of participation in society, equitable access to the Christian life and theological education. By means of a qualitative approach, this study sought to investigate equity and access for persons with disability [blind persons, Deaf persons and persons with physical disability] in theological education in Ghana. The aim was to explore and realistically evaluate the cultural dimension of the stigmatization and exclusion they experience. In my endeavour to do so, a missiological approach to culture from a social constructionist perspective was employed to explore and to some extent realistically evaluate [context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations] the social and theological factors that influence equal accessibility to theological education for persons with disability. The use of stigmatization and inculturation theology as a conceptual framework showed that the Ghanaian culture and traditional belief system has indeed influenced the interpretations and constructions of disability in the Ghanaian Christian context. The dialogue between the Ghanaian culture/traditional belief system and Christianity is a reflection of sociological-anthropological inculturation theology, which is an aspect of contextualization. The stigmatization and exclusion of persons with disability from theological education in Ghana was explored from a perspective that takes into account perceptions (worldview and meanings) of disability in the Ghanaian culture and also considers how these influence equal accessibility for persons with disability in theological education. Hence, contextualization is a relevant and appropriate way of making sense of the disability situation in Ghanaian Christianity and theological education. It was found that Ghanaian Christians construct disability as a curse and as being unacceptable in a similar manner as it is constructed in the Ghanaian culture itself. Consequently, constant pressure is exerted on persons with disability to be healed by means of exorcism, or through faith healing. However, if healing does not occur, the person is accused of lacking faith and the situation is compounded even further. It was therefore established that the churches and theological institutions need to realistically engage in dialogue from a disability theology and a theological hermeneutic of disability (Reynolds, 2008:34-35) perspective in order to integrate, include and embody persons with disability in their ministries and activities. The Ghanaian culture and Bible were thus proposed as two interventions, among others, for equal accessibility for persons with disability in theological education. Although the Ghanaian culture has negatively influenced stigmatization and the exclusion of persons with disability from society at large, and theological education in particular, I suggest that the same culture can also be viewed as an intervening resource. In the final chapter, I list a number of recommendations as ways forward to resolve/address this issue. In addition, I propose that Ghanaian churches and theological institutions as instruments involved in God’s mission have the task of ensuring equal accessibility for persons with disability in theological education. To conclude, from a missio Dei dimension, Ghanaian churches and theological institutions as instruments involved in the mission of God need to be all-inclusive in all their ministries and activities without any form of discrimination, stigmatization or exclusion. Hence, it is only when persons with disability are ensured equal access to churches and theological institutions in Ghana, that they can reflect their true involvement in the missio Dei.

AbstractIn Ghana, disability is socio-culturally constructed as a curse or punishment from the gods or ancestors due to some abomination committed by either the person living with disability, a relative or an ancestor. “Asaase Yaa” (Mother Earth) is perceived as a goddess in the culture and traditional belief system (Boamah, 2015). If children (citizens) are supposed to cater for their mother, what then are their responsibilities towards “Asaase Yaa”? Most rivers are perceived as gods/goddesses who may inflict disability as a punishment. The UN Sustainable Development Goal #6 focuses on clean water and sanitation. It indicates that women and girls are affected most as they are usually responsible for water collection. The current condition of water bodies in Ghana is quite worrying as the pollution levels are very high. This paper presents a theological and socio-cultural reflection on water related taboos and their effects on women, disability, and sanitation in Ghana.

AbstractIn a post-apartheid South Africa, the value of reflective memories and their impact on community history gives credibility to their relationship with personal struggles such as disability, be it physical or political. Shaped by South African Indian heritage, an isolated individualised case of a second-generation descendant’s ability–disability experience is researched and narrated in this article. The respondent, Dr Kasturi Varley is a woman of the South African Indian community, who was born almost 101 years after the first shipload of Indian indentured labourers arrived in the then Colony of Natal. Her memories shed light on a unique Indo-African-European experience. Her indentured paternal grandfather arrived in the African continent in August 1900. Her reflective memories and shared experiences of various episodes of the ability–disability paradigm add to the body of knowledge of the Indian indentured labour system that already exists and partially fills up the prevalent gaps in the research on this topic. Her story is unique in that she worked wheelchair-bound at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria and subsequently settled in the United Kingdom. This study applied a qualitative research methodology. Contribution: This article provides insight on reflective memories within the domain of social memory and contributes to an understanding of the historiography of the descendants of Indian indentured labourers in South Africa. In 2020, this community commemorated the 160th anniversary of the arrival of the labourers to the Colony of Natal.

AbstractThis paper is focused on child theology in the African context with particular reference to children with a disability. It attempts to answer three major questions: What is the African perception of children with disability? What does the Bible say about disability? How can the church in Africa bring children with disability into the centre of her ministry? To answer these questions this paper discusses the African worldview on children with disability, the common types of child disability in Africa, the Bible and disability and concludes with a discussion on the approaches to child theology and disability in Africa.

AbstractBackground: Southern African scholars and activists working in disability studies have argued that ubuntu or unhu is a part of their world view. Objectives: Thinking seriously about ubuntu, as a shared collective humanness or social ethics, means to examine how Africans have framed a struggle for this shared humanity in terms of decolonisation and activism. Method: Three examples of applications of ubuntu are given, with two mainly linked to making explicit umaka. Firstly, ubuntu is linked to making visible the invisible inequalities for a common humanity in South Africa. Secondly, it becomes correlated to the expression of environmental justice in West and East African countries. Results: An African model of disability that encapsulates ubuntu is correlated to how Africans have illustrated a social ethics of a common humanity in their grassroots struggles against oppression and disablement in the 20th century. Ubuntu also locates disability politically within the wider environment and practices of sustainability which are now important to the post-2105 agenda, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the (UN) Sustainable Development Goals linked to climate change. Conclusion: A different kind of political action linked to social justice seems to be evolving in line with ubuntu. This has implications for the future of disability studies.

AbstractThere has been a growing awareness that persons with disabilities invite the Church to explore anew the understanding of the Gospel and the nature of the Church. This interim statement, drafted with participation from the Faith and Order Commission, offers pointers and insights on major theological themes. It is hoped that it will also help the churches address inclusion, active participation and full involvement in the spiritual and social life of the church in particular and society in general.

AbstractCalled to Be a Church of All and for All

AbstractThere is increasing research on the inclusion and exclusion of people with disabilities in African spaces, which are perpetuated by religious and cultural fear. Decision to shun or embrace people is defined by the politics of the body and influenced by the religion and culture of fear. In politics of the body, women are discriminated against because their bodies are often controlled and put under surveillance. Women with disabilities experience this discrimination more than their able-bodied counterparts and men with disabilities. Written from the perspective of the ethic of ubuntu, this article examines the fear of disability among the Ndebele of Matetsi in Zimbabwe, as well as how the politics of the body are used by women with disabilities to denounce this fear. These women described how they used (in childhood) and (adulthood) and still use their bodies to call for inclusion in their communities. The article employs findings from the politics of the body emerging from the narratives of women with disabilities to propose an African women’s theology of disability. Contribution: The article problematises fear of disability as a cause of discrimination and exclusion of differently abled people particularly women with. It therefore proposes an African women’s theology of disability that is informed by the interdisciplinary approach of Ubuntu promoting the inclusion of all people including women with disabilities into the web of life.

AbstractThe purity ideology is used to inform the cultural and religious constructions of women’s sexuality. The ideology is further used to discriminate against the female body and disabled body, limiting the participation of both abled and disabled women in cultural and religious spaces. This article, written from a feminist disability theology perspective, highlights the emerging politics of sexuality on the ability-disability divide between women, and the purity myth ideology that further excludes women from cultural and religious spaces. It argues that the purity ideology is a myth that should unite women in resisting oppressive and patriarchal constructions of sexuality regardless of ability and disability. In conclusion, feminist disability theology is applied to discuss how sexuality that subjects women to the purity myth has negative implications for the pastoral care ministry.

AbstractThe COVID-19 restrictions that require the lockdown of public and economic activities heighten the levels of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities. As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the globe, particularly in Africa, women and girls with disabilities become vulnerable to sexual and gender-based violence, highlighting that the home is no longer a safe space for the vulnerable. The restrictions have eroded the community structures that are promoted by Ubuntu to protect vulnerable community members from violence and different forms of abuse. This article grapples with the question of African women’s theology of disability and Ubuntu in the context of COVID-19. It seeks to address the vulnerability of women and girls with disabilities to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in private homes. The question, therefore, that this article seeks to answer is how African women’s theology of disability informed by Ubuntu can curb the violence and abuses perpetrated on women and girls with disabilities in the context of COVID-19.

AbstractThis publication fills a unique gap in the theological and religious engagement with the issue of human disability in South Africa. Combining the contributions of scholars, practitioners and people living with disabilities, it stands out for the way in which it promotes an interdisciplinary debate on disability and human dignity from a theological point of departure and interest. The end result is a collective effort with a critical approach to the role of religion (and the Christian faith tradition in particular) in the social and life worlds of people living with disabilities. A forceful argument is thus constructed about ways in which religion and the Christian faith tradition should change their own discourses, practices and ideological presuppositions regarding the issue of human disability.- Cobus van Wyngaard, Department of Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology, University of South Africa

AbstractReligion is enormously important for many disabled people, their families, and communities, especially in the Global South, but it is not given a great deal of attention. This chapter is a collaboration between religious studies scholars from different faith traditions (Christian and Muslim) and an atheist disability studies scholar. We explore the central role of religion in many disabled people’s lives, and we suggest that a new theology taking clearer account of disability may be productive in understanding the central role of faith in people’s lives. We acknowledge the historical and contemporary nexus between religion and oppression but suggest that there are far more productive ways of engaging with religion than seeing it unidimensionally and solely as an instrument of oppression.

AbstractSelected proverbs relating to disability from sub-Saharan African countries are presented as texts that can be deciphered for larger frames of reference of personhood and cosmogony. Fifty-five proverbs were collected in the course of ethnographic fieldwork and from literature searches. Existential insecurity is identified as a frame that refers to a characteristic of personhood, derived from proverbs that include the implications of laughing at a disabled person. A sense of integrity is identified as another characteristic of personhood. A search for the function of disability-related proverbs leads to a greater understanding of the expectation of acceptance-as-is, an acceptance of limitations and an understanding of disability vis-a-vis a creator and the act of creating. Brief suggestions are given to apply insights into cultural sensitivity in special education and rehabilitation work.

AbstractEn Afrique occidentale, comme partout ailleurs, le handicap est présent. Les représentations sociales du handicap marquent profondément les comportements et entretiennent les mécanismes de l’exclusion des personnes victimes. Ces représentations sociales du handicap relèvent, certes, d’un particularisme culturel, mais semblent ancrées dans des invariants, tel le rejet de l’altérité. Elles ne laissent pas la place à un travail d’ajustement, d’acceptabilité, de participation sociale.

AbstractDisabled children and young people in African countries are some of the most disadvantaged on our planet. Disability Africa exists to improve outcomes for disabled children by providing community-based services and building more inclusive communities.

Abstract“I have cerebral palsy spastic quadriplegia, meaning all of my limbs are severely affected by my cerebral. However, I am not defined by my cerebral palsy. There's much more to me than my cerebral palsy,” Julius Van Der Wat, a member of the Dutch Reformed Church in Pretoria, South Africa, told a recent churches’ disability conference in South Africa.

AbstractSamson Waweru, a visually impaired Kenyan, holds the position of executive director at the Kenya Society for the Blind. In this capacity, he is responsible for executing a comprehensive mandate aimed at assisting blind and visually impaired individuals in Kenya. His focus encompasses areas such as prevention, education, rehabilitation, employment, and overall welfare. Beyond his professional duties, Samson also serves as the vice-chair of the St Cosmas and Damianos Cathedral in Nairobi, showcasing his dedication to both his professional and spiritual obligations.

AbstractDigital justice for Kenyan Samson Waweru is clear, as he believes there should be equal access to both cyber and print information for those who have disabilities and those who do not. When using a computer, he says in a video interview with World Council of Churches (WCC) programme executive Joy Eva Bohol that it applies to social media platforms and access to them.

AbstractThe World Council of Churches (WCC) Communication has published new internal guidelines to ensure inclusive and accessible communication. In the recent past, WCC communication has been stepping up efforts to have a more inclusive and accessible communication. One example is that the development of the new WCC website took into consideration accessibility needs of persons with disabilities. Another example: the WCC has been testing sign language interpreta-tion in webinars. In 2021, the communication team explored even more ways to ensure our communication work is inclusive and maintains high accessibility as we prepare for the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe—and beyond. All this necessitated the need to have guidelines for inclusive and accessible communication.

AbstractEkisa Ministries supports children with disabilities so they can thrive in families and communities.

AbstractBackground: There is not a lot in the literature on disability in Nigeria concerning the role that religion, culture and beliefs play in sustaining discriminatory practices against persons with disabilities. Objectives: Many of these practices are exclusionary in nature and unfair. They are either embedded in or sustained by religion, culture and beliefs about disability and persons with disabilities. Methods: Drawing on various resources and research on disability, this paper looks at these practices in respect of these sustaining factors. Some of the discriminatory practices that constitute the main focus of the paper are the trafficking and killing of people with mental illness, oculocutaneous albinism and angular kyphosis, raping of women with mental illness and the employment of children with disabilities for alms-begging. Results: The examination of these practices lends some significant weight and substance to the social model of disability, which construes disability in the context of oppression and the failure of social environments and structures to adjust to the needs and aspirations of people with disabilities. Conclusion: Given the unfairness and wrongness of these practices they ought to be deplored. Moreover, the Nigerian government needs to push through legislation that targets cultural and religious practices which are discriminatory against persons with disabilities as well as undertake effective and appropriate measures aimed at protecting and advancing the interests of persons with disabilities.

Abstract"Interpreting Disability is an exploration of the relationship between Christian churches and persons with disabilities, drawing on personal stories of the lives of the two authors and other members of the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (EDAN). Written for lay readers, the book acknowledges the great challenge of communicating human experience across differences in culture and language, as well as across varying degrees of physical and mental ability. Ultimately, the authors raise the theological question of what it is that all human beings have in common."--BOOK JACKET

AbstractOur ignorance of the truth can wreak terrible havoc in people’s lives and in communities. Without a solid biblical understanding of disability, how can church leaders combat harmful attitudes and beliefs both within the church and the community to which they minister? Without a basic understanding of common disabilities, how can churches equip those with a disability and encourage greater inclusion in church and community life? This comprehensive guide to disability and the church will give theology students, pastors and church leaders the introduction they need to effectively minister in their churches and communities. Focused on the African context, but with lessons and information that are useful in many regions, this book is a valuable resource to help churches and practitioners grow in maturity and effectiveness.

AbstractNotre ignorance de la vérité peut causer de terribles ravages dans la vie des gens et dans les communautés. Sans une connaissance biblique approfondie du handicap, comment les responsables d'églises peuvent-ils lutter contre les attitudes et les croyances préjudiciables aussi bien au sein de l'Église que de la communauté dans laquelle ils exercent leur ministère ? Sans une compréhension de base des handicaps courants, comment les Églises peuvent-elles accompagner les personnes handicapées et encourager leur inclusion dans la vie de l'Église et de la communauté ? Ce guide complet sur le handicap et l'Église donnera aux étudiants en théologie, aux pasteurs et aux dirigeants d'églises l'initiation dont ils ont besoin pour exercer efficacement leur ministère dans leur église et leur communauté. Axé sur le contexte africain, mais contenant des explications et des informations également utiles dans bien d'autres régions, cet ouvrage est une ressource précieuse pour aider les Églises et les professionnels à grandir en maturité et en efficacité.

AbstractNigerian communities and the society at large are filled with diverse kinds of people who are hurting, such as the poor, the sick, the captives, the oppressed, and particularly, those with disabilities. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are people with special needs. Although the church is saddled with the task of the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20; Mk 16:15–18) and the ministry to the disabled is very much included in this task, not too many people (Christians and the church included) are interested in considering ministering to these persons. Most times PWDs are neglected or isolated, likely because of ignorance, forgetfulness, the difficulties encountered by some individuals or persons ministering to them, or the differing perceptions towards PWDs in the African communities. Therefore, there was a keen interest to carry out a study on perception of pastors towards the ministry to PWDs. The study employed a descriptive survey research method. Postgraduate students of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, were used as the subjects of the study. A questionnaire was designed and used to collate data. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for descriptive statistics of frequencies and simple percentages. The findings from this research have proven that remnants of African worldviews on and attitude towards disability have a very minimal or almost insignificant affect on Pastors ministering to PWDs. African worldviews on disability are gradually fading away. Notwithstanding, the attitude of people towards PWDs in the church and society is still poor and not encouraging. Therefore, there is an increasing need for pastors and churches to improve on their ministerial responsibilities towards PWDs, and in situations where the ministry to PWDs has not received attention, concerted efforts should be pulled together to ensure that PWDs are reached for Christ and also impacted positively.

AbstractDisability, Society and Theology: Voices from Africa is the result of a workshop which brought together African theologians, persons with disabilities and disability expertise in the Region to prepare resource materials to enrich the disability study process in the context of the Africa region. The book is in six parts and includes contributions from scholars across the continent. The parts are: Disability Theology: Issue to Debate; The Able Disabled and the Disabled Church: The Church�s Response to Disability; Disability and Society; Disability Theology: Some Interfaces; Disability and Caregiving; and Disability in the African Experience.

AbstractA keynote address delivered at the Conference on World Mission and Evangelism, Come Holy Spirit: Heal and Reconcile, Called by Christ to be Reconciling and Healing Communities. Athens, Greece, May 11, 2005. This presentation is made within the overall theme of the Conference on World Mission and Evangelism, which is "Called in Christ to be reconciling and healing communities." The emphasis of the plenary is on "community" and the way community life may or may not have healing and reconciling quality and effect. I have attempted to explore this in the light of persons with disabilities in the contemporary church and society

AbstractDisability Theology from Asia: A Resource Book for Theological and Religious Studies

AbstractSince the late 1960s, disability issues have been on the agenda of the World Council of Churches. Emerging from its Faith Order Commission as a theological examination of disability in light of the compassion of Christ, the various forms of action have raised the conscience of member communions and the WCC organization. The ministry has taken many forms depending on financial and other resources. Its most recent forum, EDAN (Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network) has held consultations around the globe and has developed an interim theological statement „A Church of All and For All.”

AbstractThis article investigates whether and how Christian organizations respond to the practical needs of students with disabilities in one of the constituent colleges of the University of Malawi. First, the article identifies the practical needs of the students with disabilities. Second, the article investigates whether and how the Christian organizations respond to the practical needs of such students in the campus. Located within the interpretative paradigm, the article adopted qualitative methodology to investigate the issues at hand using semi-structured interviews with the leaders of the Christian organizations on the campus and focus group interviews with the students with disabilities. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The key findings have revealed that the practical needs of students with disabilities are spiritual needs, support, accommodation and participation, academic needs, and association and interaction. It was further revealed that although the students with disabilities were included in some of the large Christian organizations, some of their needs were not responded to. These key findings are discussed to inform any changes that the religious organizations working on campus might make in response to the practical needs of students with disabilities, bearing in mind that Jesus ministered to people with disabilities as well. The change may also enhance their spiritual growth and, in turn, testify to what God has done for them through such Christian organizations; it may also enable them to help others, too.

AbstractThis research uses Contextual Bible Studies as the main approach in searching for ways in which the Bible may be used as a resource to contribute to a holistic education for people with disabilities (PWDs). It explores the situation of PWDs in the DRC and demonstrates how the image of PWDs has been negatively portrayed, and how PWDs’ situation has been perceived as a misfortune. Consequently, the socio-cultural concept of disability has influenced the biblical interpretation of disability making PWDs seem to be “lesser human beings”. Therefore, the use of three biblical texts, which are Exodus 4, 1-17; 2 Corinthians 12, 1-10 and Acts 3, 1-11, in this study serves to re-read the Bible in a constructive way from the disability perspective. Each Bible study has its main focus related to the question of this study mentioned above: the first biblical text, Exodus 4, 1-17 is designed for IMAN’ENDA members with the aim of helping PWDs to discover their real identity in the light of Bible study. The core verse of this study is verse 10, in which I focused on, “How God views disability”. The second text, 2 Corinthians 12, 1-10, is designed for PWDs as well as for ablebodied people in order to understand suffering as another way of discovering oneself. The main focus of this Bible study is on v. 9, in which I dealt with “Power through weak body”. The third biblical text is Acts 3, 1-11, and is designed for church leaders from the Presbyterian Church in Kinshasa with the aim of helping church leaders to widen their understanding of healing for better integration of and support for PWDs in society. The text focuses on healing that I referred to as “Holistic Healing”. The study also offers a theological reflection on disability in the Bible. This is based, on the one hand, on findings from Bible studies with PWDs and Presbyterian Church leaders and lecturers; and, on the other hand, on interviews conducted with Protestant Church leaders and religion lecturers, and Catholic high school pupils. These investigations were conducted in order to develop a holistic educational programme for PWDs in the DRC, which is proposed as a programme in Social Transformation.

AbstractThis paper is an attempt to construct a Theology of Disability. The paper argues that disability has never been accepted by Jewish culture and many African cultures because it is associated with curses from the ancestors. The paper argues that the writing of the Old Testament (OT) and some parts of the New Testament (NT) were also influenced by the Jewish culture of the time which stigmatized disabled people. The healing of disabled people by Jesus was a way of helping them from stigmatization. Disabled people in both the OT and NT were always helped by being healed so that they should not be stigmatized. This paper argues that the healing or restoration of disabled people was a way of showing that disability was not an acceptable state of life in both the OT and NT. However, this paper argues that the acceptance of disabled people started with Jesus Christ himself when he still remained the Saviour even after his crucifixion when his body was marred by the injuries inflicted on him. The universalization of Christianity by Paul is one pointer to the inclusive nature of the Christian religion which accepts people in their condition without changing them.

AbstractThroughout the pages of the Bible, one encounters references to disabilities, impairments, and blemishes of all sorts affecting human beings. In the Hebrew Bible as well as the New Testament, disability is equated with disease and illness. It is observable that some biblical passages have created a negative impression concerning disability and have undesirable consequences in the way people with disabilities (PWD) have and are being treated throughout the world. In the Bible, disability has been associated with sin, punishment for wrongdoing and an expression of God's wrath against the victims or their parents. However, Jesus offers a new paradigm and a new perspective on disability. Throughout his ministry, Jesus sets out to engage with PWD and impairments and to offer them a liberative gospel and service to meet their needs. While he has the ability to transform disabilities back to normality, there is a hidden message in his approach to the whole concept of disability. My conviction is that he sees disability as a challenge that can be overcome, but not a crisis. In his ministry, he places PWD at the center and hence demonstrates a paradigm shift with regard to the way they are treated. Therefore, if the church, and all people in the world today, could adopt the Jesus model of caring and engaging with PWD, we would reach a stage where, like everyone else, PWD will have access to everything that is available to people without disabilities. The Jesus model eradicates barriers between PWD and those without and says that everyone is a child of God well-deserving equal treatment. Adopting such a model would mean that PWD will no longer suffer discrimination and marginalization based on their disability. In this article, I endeavour to give a general overview, albeit briefly, of biblical perspectives on disability, assess Jesus's ministry and engagement with PWD, and suggest that Jesus offers a model that can be adopted for the betterment of the lives of PWD.

AbstractCette déclaration provisoire, rédigée avec la participation de la Commission de Foi et constitution, propose des réflexions sur des thèmes théologiques importants en rapport avec la question du handicap. Elle vise à aider les Eglises à s'interroger sur l'inclusion, la participation active et la pleine présence des personnes handicapées dans la vie spirituelle et sociale de l'Eglise en particulier et de la société en général. Ce texte existe en anglais, anglais , allemand et espagnol.

AbstractDisability has remained on the fringes of research in Africa in general and Southern Africa in particular, especially in the field of theology. Its glaring absence constitutes an indictment against both church and society, revealing in the process both the church's and society's penchant for a dependence paradigm which has been the paradigm with respect to issues of disabilities and people with disabilities. Using the participatory method with its proclivity for bringing to the fore the voice of the 'other' and the marginalised, both the dependence and independence paradigms within the context of disability are put under scrutiny. In the process and through the voice of people with disabilities, the practical theological paradigm of interdependence emerges as the most appropriate and friendliest one, as it resonates with both the New Testament notion of koinonia through love and the African notion of botho through interconnection. The practical theology of holding each other in arms resonates with the theology of embrace that has been popularised by Volf within the context of much hatred and alienation. All these different dimensions of the theology of interdependence become the bedrock for inclusive and respectful treatment of each other irrespective of race, gender, religion, ability and social class.

AbstractKenya still faces challenges in protecting the rights of persons living with disabilities. Although the government has come up with policies to protect the rights of persons living with disabilities, sociocultural beliefs and perceptions of disability have remained a barrier leading to discrimination and stigmatization of persons living with disabilities. To describe these cultural beliefs and perceptions in Western Kenya, this paper focuses on methodological issues engaging African realities relating to disability. It highlights persons living with a disability in Western Kenya to take into account theological engagements in social-scientific integrated approaches. This paper explores the usefulness of grounded theology, with the goal of engaging creative and original findings on living with disability in present-day Western Kenya and demonstrating the potential of theological creativity from the bottom-up, as opposed to a top-down approach. Methodologically, this paper emphasizes how grounded theology is compatible with grounded theory as a method for discovering hidden patterns and meanings and as a way to unearth stories informing the everyday lives of persons living with a disability. In this paper, grounded theology therefore relates the sociocultural beliefs and misconceptions to the transcendent, as generated from fieldwork on disability. Further, it demonstrates creative explorations of approaches informed by understandings of persons living with disabilities in Western Kenya.

AbstractThe African community, as well as the church, has always cared for people with disability. The main problem they faced is that they care for them by imposing their own agenda on them. In other words, they take over their lives by over-caring. Because of guilt, they want to do everything for them, as if they are not capable of functioning within that community. This way of caring leads to them over-protecting these people. The process of caring over-shadows people with disability. They simply take over their lives, which results in the fact that these people become object of those who care for them. They are called names and are described by their function or through their disability. This is how they lose their name in life. The above discussion simply explain this object relational syndrome. For example, they are called digole (handicapped). In brief, they lose who they are, when the community uses their characteristic instead of their names, and behaviour becomes a way of dealing with them. The African church finally endorses the above by removing the image and likeness of God from them. For example, when they attend worship, they are viewed as people who are not normal, and in need of prayer, for healing so that they can be normal like us. This is another way of dealing with them as objects. Another obstacle in the African church is lack of ramps. The church is expecting the so-called normal people who function in a way that they want. This is a sign that people with disability are not welcomed. Finally, they are viewed as people possessed by demons and therefore in need of healing. The church, without finding out what they need, sets the agenda. The reader will now understand why the African church has neglected them.

AbstractSocial exclusion is a reality in South Africa today. Its faces are diverse and varied; social exclusion can be defined in terms of social, economic, political and religious dimensions. This diversity also applies to the context of homelessness in the City of Tshwane. The research on which this article is based sought to explore the issue of social exclusion from a religious perspective; it looked closely at how social exclusion manifests from a religious perspective in the context of homelessness and disability in the City of Tshwane. The thrust of this article is captured in the following question: how do homeless people and persons with disability experience social exclusion from faith communities? What do they say about the role that faith communities should play in addressing their marginalisation? These questions were answered by doing Contextual Bible Study of Acts 3:1–10 with the homeless in the City of Tshwane, thereby allowing them space for their voices to be heard as to how the faith community should respond to their plight. It became clear in this research that faith communities should always act as transforming agents to those in the margins.

AbstractLes contributions réunies dans cet ouvrage ont pour ambition de sortir d’une analyse du handicap en tant que déficience ou incapacité individuelle pour relever les enjeux d’une analyse centrée sur les dimensions sociales et territoriales de celui-ci. Elles prolongent également cette posture en s’interrogeant sur les défis auxquels les politiques publiques, mais également les engagements religieux ou sociaux en direction des personnes handicapées sont confrontés. L’ensemble de ces contributions permet de dresser un état des problématiques abordées par des chercheurs qui, à des titres divers, s’y intéressent et cherchent à les mettre en discussion. Le présent ouvrage rend ainsi compte des composantes majeures de ces débats et propose des perspectives de recherche à partir des approches méthodologiques variées susceptibles de créer un cadre commun à partir duquel des travaux de recherche peuvent être menés. Le handicap moteur dans la ville de Yaoundé.

AbstractIntellectual disability is common in low- and middle-income countries, but there are few healthcare services available. As part of a larger study, we investigated spiritual healers’ beliefs about intellectual disability and family support in Cape Town, South Africa. All eight healers interviewed believed that the church has a role to play in assisting families of children with intellectual disability, but many held misconceptions about this condition. These findings show that there is an opportunity to engage with and further empower spiritual healers in this context, and probably in other, similar contexts, to do more to assist families with children with intellectual disability.

AbstractThis research work is set out to investigate healing practised in Africa today. There are many ways of healing in African; others are classified as foreign because they came out of Africa especially from European influence while others are considered local or traditional. The research shall dig out the influence of what is known as foreign methods or approaches of healing in Africa today and what African healing can learn from other methods of healing practised today. There shall be contemporary stories and facts about the situation of healing today and relevant statistics where necessary. The research also comes out with appropriate suggestions on how to combat contemporary illnesses of today. This includes what should be improved and how. This work covers the whole of Africa.

AbstractPeople with disabilities quickly notice the discrimination around them, but like everyone else, they need to go on in the business of living. The short stories and poems in the collections Small Friends and Other Stories and Poems by King George VI School and Centre for Physically Disabled Children reflect the coping mechanisms the disabled employ and what motivates them. Some of the poems appeal directly to God as acts of faith, while some point to nature. A literary analysis of this collection will be able to speak to reason and faith in the struggle to cope with socioeconomic and environmental challenges.

AbstractThe discourse on the place of religion and spirituality in most peoples’ lives not only conjures a multiplicity of perspectives in understanding how humanity relates to God but also lies at the core of the way many of us define success or failure. For persons living with varying forms of disability, religiosity and spirituality are two of the tightly fused core philosophies that give meaning to their lives. This paper explores the role of religious belief and affiliation for persons living with disability in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia. Based on 103 qualitative research interviews with such individuals, the study shows that persons living with disability attach a lot of importance to having faith or believing in a supreme being which gives them the strength to keep going and make sense of the events in their lives especially when they are swimming against the tide of challenges. The paper concludes that most of these individuals attribute their success not to their power, might or wisdom but to the grace of God who does not need human might or skill of fitness to accomplish His work.

AbstractLa survenue d’une incapacité motrice est un drame majeur aux incidences aussi bien corporelles que sociales. Il s’ensuit des ruptures et des bifurcations dans les trajectoires de vie de ces personnes en situation de handicap ainsi qu’un déclassement social. D’où la nécessité d’une réorganisation des conditions de vie et d’une recomposition du quotidien lors du retour dans le milieu ordinaire après un séjour dans un centre de rééducation. À partir d’entretiens menés auprès des hommes et des femmes en incapacité motrice et vivant à domicile à Yaoundé (Cameroun), cet ouvrage a pour objectif d’analyser les interactions entre l’incapacité motrice et l’environnement social à travers différents parcours de réinsertion sociale.

AbstractThis article describes the position and teachings of indigenous African beliefs concerning people with disabilities in contemporary African society. It examines explicit and implicit African attitudes and teachings pertaining to disability. The article also considers the implications of these African beliefs for theological education. Drawing largely on documented indigenous African beliefs from selected African cultures, and from Swaziland in particular, the contention of the article is that the position and teachings of indigenous African beliefs concerning people with disabilities is ambivalent: on one hand, some African beliefs promote the stigmatization and marginalization of people with disabilities through exclusion and depiction of them as objects of pity or ridicule, and as victims of evil forces; alternatively, other African beliefs inculcate positive and empathetic moral and ethical teaching aimed at protecting and empowering those living with disabilities by depicting them as full human beings who have the same rights, obligations, and responsibilities as ‘normal’ persons.

AbstractThe research focussed on the embodiment of God and approached this theme through a discussion on the deep incarnation of God in Christ. This article provides an overview of the existing literature on incarnation. Jesus Christ made God human and understandable. Theology is placed in the sphere of humanity by the humanness of Jesus. This positioning of theology in the sphere of humanity attended to the humanness of Jesus as a biological and social being, on par with human nature, in direct contact with other human beings. Jesus’ bodily existence makes his life and living inevitably fragile and vulnerable, but also one in solidarity with the ongoing misery of humans. Special attention was given to the Gospel of John and John 1:14 as an influential expression of the incarnation, and also to the concept of logos. The research attended to the implications of the embodiment of God and the way in which humans participate in the mystery of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ. This mutual participation implies that the relationship with God and the call to reflect God is done as embodied beings and not apart from human bodies. The discussion of deep incarnation and God’s radical presence in flesh motivated the conclusion that God is part and parcel of nature’s vulnerability, pain and suffering. Jesus’ powerlessness accentuated the dignity of all bodies, and that there are actually no marginal cases of being ‘human’. The radical embodiment of God, the body of the earthly Jesus, reminds followers of Jesus of the significance of leading creative lives, resulting in authentic Christian spirituality that is embodied and vulnerable.

AbstractThis article is an intentional inquiry into the quintessential nexus between disability and theological education. An appraisal of various worldviews on disability as well as its historical and contemporary implications was made, and did not leave out a profound Biblical position. It assesses the degree of preparedness of theological institutions in training theological educators, pastors, missionaries, missiologists and others in this category for the ministry to persons with disability. The article also examines the constraints theological institutions may encounter in implementing disability discourse in the existing theological education curriculum. It asserts certain possibilities upon which theological institutions can leverage upon, while suggesting some basic methodologies as windows of opportunities for theological institutions and educators as they both embark on the quest to squarely integrate disability discourse in the curriculum of theological institutions and education in Nigeria. The article closes by recommending that awareness seminars on “Practical Ministries to People Living with Disability” should be organized, and that the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (EDAN) should help to coordinate efforts to produce a basic text to teach selected introductory courses on disability.

AbstractThe article examines the challenges faced by the Pentecostal churches in practically and sensitively interpreting Biblical texts that relate to disabilities. It challenges the perception of Pentecostals regarding disability, especially in the context of their doctrines, teaching and general practices and beliefs. It shows how the Pentecostals have long struggled with those Biblical texts that portray disabilities negatively. It also appreciates that Pentecostals have at times positively used the healing narratives and miracles of Jesus and his disciples to emphasize the importance of physical healing, without marginalizing people with disabilities in the church and society. The article particularly uses Pentecostal churches in Botswana as examples of how Pentecostals worldwide have handled the issue of disability.

AbstractDisability Theology from Asia: A Resource Book for Theological and Religious Studies

AbstractLe bureau de la communication du Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE) a publié de nouvelles lignes directrices internes pour garantir une communication inclusive et accessible. Récemment, la communication du COE a intensifié ses efforts en ce sens. À titre d’exemple, la conception du nouveau site Internet du COE a pris en compte les besoins d'accessibilité des personnes handicapées. Autre exemple : le COE a testé l'interprétation en langue des signes lors de webinaires. En 2021, l'équipe de communication a cherché à proposer une communication encore plus inclusive et garantir un haut niveau d'accessibilité au moment où nous préparons la 11e Assemblée du COE à Karlsruhe – mais également pour après. D’où l'élaboration de lignes directrices pour une communication inclusive et accessible.

AbstractSamson Waweru, un Kényan malvoyant, est directeur exécutif de la Société kényane des aveugles. Dans le cadre de son large mandat, il lui revient de soutenir les personnes aveugles et malvoyantes au Kenya. Il se concentre sur des domaines tels que la prévention, l’éducation, la réadaptation, l’emploi et le bien-être dans son ensemble. Samson est également vice-président de la Cathédrale des saints Côme et Damien à Nairobi, illustration de son attachement à ses obligations tant professionnelles que spirituelles.

Abstract«Je suis atteint de paralysie cérébrale, de quadriplégie spastique, ce qui veut dire que tous mes membres sont gravement touchés par ma paralysie cérébrale. Or, je ne suis pas pour autant défini par elle. Je suis bien plus que ma paralysie cérébrale», a déclaré Julius Van Der Wat, membre de l’Église réformée néerlandaise à Pretoria, en Afrique du Sud, lors d’une récente conférence des Églises sur le handicap dans le pays.

AbstractPour le Kényan Samson Waweru, la justice numérique est claire: il estime que les personnes handicapées et celles qui ne le sont pas devraient avoir le même accès aux informations imprimées et électroniques. Dans une interview par vidéo avec Joy Eva Bohol, responsable de programme du Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE), il explique que l’utilisation d’un ordinateur inclut l’accès aux plateformes des médias sociaux.

AbstractMisconceptions surrounding the genetic condition of albinism persist in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, including Zimbabwe. Studies on albinism have been carried out in different contexts around the globe, but little is known so far about the effects of the misconceptions of albinism in the rural communities of Zimbabwe. This study examines the effects of the misconceptions of albinism in the Gutu District of Zimbabwe. Twenty-five participants were interviewed, consisting of caregivers and children living with albinism in the Gutu District. In-depth interviews were used to gather data concerning their experiences of the misconceptions associated with albinism, the ways these misconceptions have affected them and the ways in which they attempt to mitigate these effects. Results of the study show that, although there are initiatives and programmes advocated by various stakeholders for children living with albinism, the misconceptions are still escalating. Furthermore, the study reveals stigma and discrimination as the major effects of the misconceptions in the lives of children living with albinism. In conclusion, the study recommends the establishment of a community-based protection model for people living with albinism, which integrates all stakeholders involved in mitigating the challenges that emerge from the misconceptions of albinism in Zimbabwe.

AbstractMuch has been written on disability care and support from human rights, cultural, and religious perspectives around the world. However, there is still a paucity of information on the experiences of Persons with Disability (pwd) in their divine healing and deliverance encounter with the African Pentecostal Churches (apc) in Zimbabwe. This qualitative phenomenological study seeks to establish the lived experiences of 28 pwd s within the selected four apc s operating in the Harare province of Zimbabwe. The central questions underpinning this study were whether pwd need divine healing, and are they getting healed? The study used the religious model of disability and the Pentecostal ‘hermeneutic of healing’ as theoretical frameworks. While healing is essential to physical life, the findings show that pwd need dignity, recognition, and compassion more than the uncertain promises of divine healing. In the premises of the preceding, the study concludes and recommends that pwd receive holistic material and psychosocial support and that they stop endlessly chasing after a physical healing.

AbstractDespite the inter-disciplinary inclusivity of Disability Studies in the globe over time, the religious organization’s systems are still repulsive to accept the physical and psychosocial realities of people living with Disabilities. The growing literature that should be influencing religious perspectives about people with disabilities has not been able to extricate the dogmatic stereotypes and myths associated with Disability. As such, the prevalence of the diverse responses Disability from different contexts has compromised the ideological and material investment in Disability Studies. We used the combination of phenomenological observation and informal conversation qualitative methodologies to establish the experiences, feelings and behaviors of the Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe (AFMZ) congregants in Harare on the impact of the liberation praxis of Disability Theology. The findings showed that people with disabilities are most often marginalized, excluded and discriminated against and perpetually subjugated within the religious circles. This complexity of disabilities is exacerbated by the fluidity of policies, culture and religious ideologies when dealing with issues of disabilities. In conclusion, this study emphasized that Disability Theology within Christian tradition should function as a liberating praxis when dealing with issues of disabilities and being effectively used to enhance the participation of people with disabilities in all the religious liturgical activities.

AbstractBackground: The Persons with Disability (PWD) are the minority group dehumanized in the church. The subject of disability is complicated because of the impact of the Judeo-Christian teachings. The Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) in Zimbabwe is a leading Pentecostal church with a pastoral ministry theology which emphasises divine healing, miracles, signs and wonders. Thus, the space of PWD and how the PWD either connects or benefits from this Pentecostal heritage is a critical gap in this study. Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore the construction of disability through the practices and processes of the pastoral ministry in the AFM. Method: This study followed qualitative research and used the social model of disability as theoretical framework. The data were collected from 26 participants who are PWD and pastors using in-depth interviews, focus groups and participant observations. Results: The results showed the AFM pastoral practices created invisible barriers that militate against PWD. Thus, the pastoral ‘divine solutions’ and ‘triumphalist messages and teachings’ are ‘prescriptive’ and ineffective in reducing ‘the plight of PWD in Zimbabwe’. Conclusion: The study concludes that the pastoral ministry should be ‘one efficient vehicle’ with which the church can care for and ‘transform persons with disabilities’. Pastors should break the glass ceiling by expecting pastors to minister better and more effectively creating a safe space for persons with disabilities. A caring community should be the nature of both the AFM and the pastoral ministry responsible for meeting the needs of the persons with disabilities.

AbstractThis study reviewed past and current literature in Africa south of the Sahara to assess the impact of formal education and Christianity on African traditional beliefs and myths in relation to disability. The review builds on previous studies on the impact of education and Christianity on African cultures. The study reviewed articles that were published before 1970 and after 2000, that are ethnographic in approach, that sampled people with disabilities and their parents as the main participants, and used anthropological theories for analysis. Findings reflect a continued positive and negative impact of traditional myths and beliefs on the contemporary social constructs of disability. However, slight changes in negative attitudes have been observed among parents of children with disabilities where education and counseling are offered immediately after the birth of a child with disabilities. This indicates that formal education is one way of de-mystifying, dispelling and challenging some negative cultural myths and beliefs that are entrenched in history. Therefore, any effective and empowering formal education or counseling program needs to be cognizant of the underlying social construct of disabilities in order to counter any discriminatory myths and beliefs that can perpetuate stereotypes and discrimination of people with disabilities–and encourage those that promote their well-being.

AbstractDisability research in contemporary sub-Saharan Africa is developing rapidly, and this is something to be celebrated. This article reviews some contemporary developments and suggests that there are five central, and interrelated, challenges for the field. These challenges - experience, expertise, enumeration, evidence, and expectations - go to the heart of thinking about disability research in sub-Saharan Africa. An optimistic but appropriately critical approach to addressing these issues is suggested.

AbstractAfrican Christian churches, African governments and other institutions, on paper, seem to be determined to support people with disabilities through different programs and institutions. But when it comes to practice, there is very little done in terms of budgeting, funding, and other support. Budgeting, funding, programs and the national laws for people with disabilities–in some countries of Africa–are treated like appendices in terms of their practice. That is, people with disabilities are never treated as deserving the position of core items in national budgets. This article, therefore, constitutes a critical investigation of a theological basis for African Christian believers, African governments, and other institutions to support people with disabilities in the same way God supports them in His kingdom; as evidenced in the New Testament, He puts them at the center of His kingdom. In the course of this investigation, the article will discuss the Kingdom of God now, the Kingdom of God Consummated, and what Jesus says about that Kingdom and people with disabilities, as one who inaugurates it as its King.

AbstractThe story of the man born blind is constructed within a grand irony of ability and disability. The Johannine narrator develops the characterisation of the man born blind as a progressive, seeing and missional personality, whereas all others in the story appear as people without proper understanding and vision and those with lower perspectives. Although the world conceived the man as a sinner, Jesus understands him as a means for divine glorification; though the Jews are widely considered able people in the socioreligious terms, Jesus considers them as sinful. The article argues that people can overcome their physical disabilities with the help of spiritual foresight and mental stability; people’s physical abilities are not guarantees for their wholistic stability. In that sense, John 9:1–41 can be considered a paradigmatic narrative which demonstrates the experiences of the disabled and marginal sections of the 1st-century CE context. Contribution: This article presents the irony of ability and disability within John 9:1–41 and suggests a new way forward in interpreting the fourth gospel by taking into consideration the existential struggles of people with disabilities. As a theological interpretation of the fourth gospel, this article fits well within the scope of HTS Theological Studies .

AbstractThere are many misconceptions about disability in most African contexts. Most of these misconceptions are due to diverse views on disability. Consequently, these misconceptions have been a basis for practices that encourage discrimination against people living with disabilities. The thrust of this article is that, by re-engaging the African values on the view of humans and community, negative views on disability could be deconstructed, thereby creating a non discriminatory, non-exclusive and interactive community.

AbstractNot only trauma, mourning and disease, but also disability has been recognised in the Book of Job in which the body plays an exceptional role. The protagonist is suffering physically, psychically and spiritually. Although the word, חלה [be sick, ill], never occurs in the book, his body is portrayed negatively being afflicted by some unknown illness, which would probably exclude him from the community described in Leviticus 13–14. While חָרֵשׁ [be silent] occurs several times in the book, it never has the alternative meaning of deaf. Yet, his explicit empathy and sacrificial charity לַעִוֵּר [for the blind] and לַפִּסֵּחַ [for the lame] in 29:15 resonate with his own plight and undermine the possible discriminatory restrictions of like disabled in Leviticus 21:18. In this way, the Book of Job has a transgressive and yet liberating subtext, subverting the idealised body of his status quo. This subtle and veiled critique by the protagonist and therefore the book can be interpreted from a psychoanalytic perspective on physical disability and illness, where the symptoms and alleged imperfections of the body quietly cry out against social and cultural injustice of which they are the projections and mirrors when the context has silenced a concern for the body because of a lack of compassion as it is in the situation of Job. Contribution: The intersection and cross-fertilisation of Biblical Studies, Disability Studies and psychoanalytic theory as interdisciplinary approach widens the horizons and deepens the insight of all three research fields, hopefully for the benefit of those who suffer from their bodies, their psyches and their societies.