Resources

HEBA Symposium, March 2022 – Disability, Friendship and Inclusion

Rev Dr Martin Hobgen (pictured) led our symposium. He explored the nature of disability, and how disabled people may be excluded. He described some helpful theological approaches to understanding disability and finally, explored a proposal for a way to foster the participatory inclusion of disabled people in Baptist church communities.

There were three sessions, each followed by discussions in ‘breakout rooms’. The text of his talks, with bibliography and discussion questions are below.

John Swinton: Theology and Disability

The theology of disability really begins by asking a question. What does it mean to be disabled , sometimes profoundly disabled, to be made in God’s image, to be fully human and to be beautiful just the way you are, without having to change anything.

… “Moses has a really terrible speech impediment and God says ‘listen, I’ve got a big job for you here’… What God doesn’t do is say ‘Oh hold on a second, I’m going to heal your speech impediment and then you can go off and do your vocation’… He says ‘I will send people to help you, but nothing of you is going to change’”

HEBA Symposium, March 2022 – Disability, Friendship and Inclusion

Videos

Who is the Stranger? A Practical Theology of Hospitality and Friendship

John Swinton: Theology and Disability

Links

Books