Disability from a Christian Gospel Perspective

In response to the needs of people with a disability, the contemporary Christian church has adopted policies and programmes directed towards acceptance and inclusion in the mainstream environment. At the same time, there has been a candid acknowledgement that there remain not only architectural and financial challenges but also barriers based on attitude, misconception and even theological grounds. With regard to people with a disability, texts of the Christian gospels can be interpreted as carrying mixed messages. While there are passages of comfort and acceptance, there are others which seemingly link disability with moral imperfection, as punishment for the sins of parents or simply as a test of faith in God. It is instructive to examine such gospel references from the perspective of people with a disability. Reactions can sometimes be surprisingly bitter with people with disabilities referring to themselves as humiliated and victims of fear and prejudice. At the very least, it would be helpful to recognize that the potential exists for mixed messages to be drawn from passages referring to people with a disability and that there are negative connotations to be addressed.