The Bible, Disability and the Church: A New Vision of the People of God

by Amos Yong

Inspiring and challenging study that rethinks the Bible’s teaching on disability

A theologian whose life experience includes growing up alongside a brother with Down syndrome, Amos Yong in this book rereads and reinterprets biblical texts about human disability, arguing that the way we read biblical texts, not the Bible itself, is what causes us to marginalize persons with disabilities. Revealing and examining the underlying stigma of disability that exists even in the church, Yong shows how the Bible offers good news to people of all abilities — and he challenges churches to become more inclusive communities of faith.

Genres: Theology, Disability, Nonfiction, Christianity, Religion, Biblical Studies, Faith

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2011

About the author

Amos Yong is the J. Rodman Williams Professor of Theology and Director of the Ph.D. in Renewal Studies program at Regent University Divinity School in Virginia Beach, VA. He is the Co-editor of Pneuma, the journal of the Society of Pentecostal Studies.

Reviews

[Amanda Himes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amos Yong's book is well-researched, grounded in Scripture, and encouraging for those struggling with disabilities and the stigmas that often accompany them. As a mother of a severely autistic son, I was personally encouraged by his argument. Yong's brother has Down's Syndrome, giving him a personal as well as academic stake in the ways people read disability in the Bible. Three of his examples are particularly note-worthy:
1. Yong's treatment of Jacob, who wrestled with the pre-incarnate Christ and was disabled (hip joint) as result, a mark that gave him status rather than stigma, was enlightening.
2. His consideration of the Apostle Paul as a missionary suffering from disability (possibly partial blindness) was convincing.
3. Yong's discussion of the resurrection body of Jesus as containing disfigurements from the nails and spear injury he sustained on the cross, not just to identify him for his disciples and for Gospel readers, but to prove that it was in his weakness and disability that he was the "perfect" sacrifice, and that people with disabilities in the New Heaven will still bear the signs of their disability, though it will be transvalued so as not to cause them problems anymore, was an astonishing and original argument.

Some of my favorite points from Yong:
"The many tongues of Pentacost are indicative of the many different ways in which God both reveals himself and interacts with the various sensory capacities of embodied human beings" (15).
"All forms and types of dis/abilities, then, would be possible conduits for the Spirit's revelatory work . . . an invitation to each of us to inhabit the new world of the Spirit in which the stigmatization and marginalization of people with disabilities and sensory impairments will be no more" (72).
"Disability scholars suggest that Jesus always heals people, even if he doesn't always cure them" (81).
"St. Paul's description of those who are the lowest and most despised of the world, even to the point of being unrecognizable at all, fits the class of people with intellectual disabilities even more than it does those with non-intellectual disabilities" (100).
"From an intellectual disability perspective, then, the power of the gospel is manifest not in eloquent rhetoric or sophisticated argumentation but in the babble of the foolish" (104).
"How might the image of the church be transformed if people with intellectual disabilities were honored and their lives celebrated at the center of the ecclesial community? Wouldn't such 'weakness' manifest itself as the strength and power of the cross and as the wisdom of God?" (112).
"How is it possible to receive the ministry of people with profound disabiities? The clue lies in the title of Hans Reinders' recent book, Receiving the Gift of Friendship" (113).
"People with profound disabilities are not agents of ministry in the normal senses of that notion, but they are conduits of the revelatory and transformative gifts of God's Spirit for those who will slow down enough to befriend them, to see, hear, and touch in faith, and to receive God's presence into their own lives" (114).

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-- Certainly taking away a few exegetical tools and a deeper personal commitment to access, advocacy, and connection w/ folks who are impaired/disabled. I wish Yong engaged more with the robust spiritual and communal lives of folks living w/ impairments and from there interrogated the many pieces of Scriptural evidence that reveals those truths further.

But the point here was to offer theologians a "disability hermeneutic" in various forms-- which he did.

While that in itself is incredibly important, I couldn't help but feel it was an intuitive read and I'm left wondering what was truly offered here apart from social critiques of ableism and deductive reasoning that people with impairments are indeed Christians, fully dignified in the image of God, and more than capable of witnessing to Jesus Christ and a life of discipleship. And this is not to disregard the historical and social fact of ableism's entrenchment in Christianity-- but for me it's hard to imagine any "able-bodied" person w/ friends, family members, or genuine connections w/ people who are impaired/disabled would read this book and feel spiritually nourished or challenged.

[James Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is the church sometimes a place of spiritual or social abuse and marginalization, specifically towards those with disabilities?

The answer of this book is yes but we can, through repentance and seeking to understand other's experiences and lives and better bible reading practices do better. Yong unpacks not only how ableism is active in society and in church but also more pointedly how our readings of Scripture privilege the ableist or what he calls a "normate" reading.

So we might ask, could my reading of Scripture support social abuse and marginalization? The sad truth is that folk hermeneutics though they can be powerfully good, can also be powerfully myopic.

This book was a slow read for me, even though it is a slender volume because i would stop and then re-read a section and then pray, then go on. I went through it asking God to move me from avoiding or babying people with disabilities and move towards considering how the gifts of those with disabilities enrich and bless our community. A good prayer focus.

Yong not only is convincing in his argument but he demonstrates how it is an ethical imperative for Christians in our world to expand our vision of community. It is a beautiful picture of the belonging of so many diverse individuals.

On another note, Yong made me long for heaven in a way i haven't thought of in a long time.

"My goal is to sketch a holistic Pentecostal theology of embodiment that in turn opens up conceptual space for a pneumatological theology of disability beyond emphasizing only the healing of disabled bodies and minds." 73

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected Great Read

I must admit that as I read the introduction to Amos Yong‘s book, I was hesitant to what to expect. Having had several experiences & conversations with faith healing and charismatic Pentecostal preacher’s in past, I thought I might be in for a real struggle with his theology. Pleasantly, in total surprise, I found myself as a person in a wheelchair due to a spinal cord injury in 1994, completely inspired by much of his thoughts.

Amos unlocks some of the very deep theological undertones for the significant roles people with disabilities play in the biblical scriptures. Bridging from those narratives, he brings out a rich inspiring truth that truly convicts and challenges the church today to embrace a Spirit of inclusion to all who are marginalized by physical or intellectual challenges in life.

More than that, he also inspires those of us with disabilities to “step up“ ;) into the significant and powerful roles we are truly called into as incarnational embodiers of the living gospel today. He may not have used these words but, I truly felt the desire to pick up my mat and “walk” in the living Spirit of Jesus, redeemed today!

[Carl Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really challenged me in how I think about, act towards, and honor those who have disabilities, especially in the context of the church. The first three chapters really failed to capture my attention though. Many of the readings Yong tried to work out just didn't seem to click for me. Chapter 4 and 5 though are certainly worth the read as Yong looks at a theology of the disabled through the epistles of Paul and then a theology of the disabled within eschatology. These two chapters are where the book truly shines and challenges how we view, use, and learn from those with disabilities, and how in our weakness, God is strong. This is certainly a good read for anyone wanting to begin to understand how to read the Bible in a way that keeps those with disabilities in mind.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I greatly appreciated Yong's contribution to the intersection between disability and Christian theology. This is something I've been thinking about for a few years but had never read anything academic on the subject.

The strongest portions of the book are chapter 1 (the introduction), 4 (focusing on Paul's writings), and 5 (focusing on eschatology). Yong's arguments (from a perspective he calls "disability readings") seem faithful to the Biblical texts, bringing out nuances and implications I'd never considered before. For example, the idea that disability is not something that will necessarily be eradicated in the resurrection of believers is something I'd always thought about but never actually seen clearly argued in writing. There is lots to ponder in these chapters, and I would highly recommend them to anyone--even those who aren't particularly interested in the specific topic of disability. I also think it was helpful that Yong doesn't shy away from practical application: throughout the book, he offers suggestions about how changing our perspective on disability should transform our churches and society at large.

However, about half the book--chapters 2 (focusing on Ancient Israel) and 3 (focusing on Luke's writings) were, on the whole, unsatisfying. The arguments just didn't seem to work as well as other portions of the text. For example, I don't think Yong ever comes up with a satisfying response to the Levitical law codes that associate specific disabilities with ritual impurity. Yong's approach is to offer a disability reading of the text that will make sense of it, but sometimes this feels like it's at the expense of solid hermeneutics. It's as if Yong is saying, "Hey, these law codes and the situations in Luke's books aren't actually saying what they think. They actually challenge abelist/normate beliefs about disability." But how does the original writer and audience fit into all of this? Perhaps the ancient law codes *were* discriminatory against those with disabilities; if they were, that doesn't mean it's impossible to construct a theology of disability that doesn't have the exact same perspective. After all, any theological system will take into the ENTIRE Biblical story, which includes the teachings of Jesus and the writers of Paul which clearly give us a complete understanding of some of these older texts. I guess my point is that Yong seems to try justifying certain portions of scripture that are better left understood as being reflective of a specific time and place; forcing a disability reading on some of these texts seems counterproductive at times. (Note: Yong makes a point in the introduction that he's primarily "doing theology" rather than "doing Biblical interpretation." Perhaps this is why some of his readings confused me so much.)

Anyway, the low rating is an average of weak and strong portions. It's certainly worth reading if you're interested in the subject.

[Josh Holloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

The biggest positive in this book, for me, was the quality of Yong's writing. He sets out to write a book that bridges the gap between academic theology and the world of church practitioners, and I believe he achieves this admirably, though does depend on vocabulary common to academic theology, which may put off readers who haven't been exposed to it before.
The Intro is compelling and clearly articulates why disability theology is a discipline worth studying.
Yong's main argument is that there have been prevalent biblical interpretations based on prejudices against disability, that have been harmful to disabled communities. In each chapter he largely explains these and then articulates an alternative interpretation that is liberating for disabled communities. I largely found his interpretations to be plausible, if not necessarily self-evident. Probably his strongest chapter was an exposition of a 'theology of weakness' in the Pauline literature, particularly 1 Corinthians.
Overall, certainly worth a read, especially for anyone beginning to study Practical or liberation theologies.

[Abby Copeland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give it 3.5 stars-

The beginning of the book feels a little dreamy, sometimes not fully sitting with the issues and complexities of these texts to the depths that they need to (for example in Leviticus, merely noting that the priests are more an issue of aesthetics but they are still fed, is not truly helpful. To priest in Leviticus is verbal. To be a visually disabled priest is to be removed from priesting. It is a title without a job description. Additionally, there are still questions that one could ask on why God would even care about aesthetics and ultimately is still problematic for those with visual defects).

HOWEVER! The second half of this book is truly wonderful. Something switches at the introduction of Pentecost and the disability hermeneutic that Yong wants to implement truly begins to shine. Those wanting resources on disability readings on eschatology and on Pentecostal would find incredible work done within this book!

For those wanting an introduction into disability theology, this is still a great read and offers a lot of food for thought and starting questions

[Jaiman Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early on in the book, Yong mentions that this is a sort of companion piece to a more scholarly book he wrote on the same subject. I believe he goes so far as to say that this is the version for laymen. If that is true, I can't imagine how anyone might get through the other book. This one is pretty dry in its prose, chock full of scholarly jargon and is not for the casual reader.

That being said, the ideas presented here are absolutely worthy of study and should be embraced by churches everywhere. With a lighter hand wielding the pen, I think an excellent small group study/sermon series could easily be made out of Yong's work.

The Church needs to change its handling on a fair number of things with the treatment of those who don't fit into the category of "normal" being near the top of the list. The improved interpretations of familiar passages that Yong argues for are an excellent starting place.

[Rob Nicholls · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a valuable contribution to this important understanding about the bible and what it really has to say about disability. Yong's personal experience is invaluable and contributes to his thoughtful analysis of the scriptures and current and ancient thoughts on the interpretation around disability. I thought the flexibility that comes with his pentecostal theological mind particularly helpful as he considers some lateral interpretations, especially around Paul's writing. This is an extremely valuable contribution to uncovering a positive theology and ecclesiology of disability.

[Ingrid G · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm reading this book for my social change class at SFU and it is really dense--almost to the point of being unreadable.

[Alli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yong is not of my tradition so I disagreed at some points and I felt that it could have gone further in advocating for liberation at times. Would possibly recommend as an introductory text

[Jordan Varey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amos Yong offers a balanced theology of disability grounded in rigorous biblical study and informed by a clear understanding of modern disability studies and the disability rights movement in America.

Yong argues for a Pauline theology of weakness that anticipates disability studies criticisms around self-identifying as "weak". He carefully works through Paul's "thorn in the flesh", the first being the last, and the body of Christ, to describe a kingdom theology that is inclusive but not pandering or overly paternalistic.

I also appreciated his dealings with eschatology and the damage that utopian images of flawless post-resurrection bodies can have on how we shape our present church communities and how we interact in a world that is quick to affirm any devaluation of disabled bodies.

From the perspective of a person concerned particularly with the lives of people impacted by intellectual disability this book is significant. Yong often mentions the double (or even triple) bind that those with ID's can find themselves in. This group face discrimination in general society as well as a more subtle stigma within disability studies where they threaten to subvert arguments based on social construction that favour those with physical disabilities and downplay legitimate need for sustained and substantive supports.

The book is fairly dense and some of his more Pentecostal theology feels a bit thin but overall this book is a great addition to the growing cannon of disability theology works. Even if you don't personally read it you can be sure that more accessible authors will borrow heavily from its pages. So we all win.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amos Yong presents a liberationist Pentecostal approach to understanding the Bible and the work of the church regarding folks living with disabilities. Although I disagree with the supercessionist doctrine that pervades the work, I was delighted with Yong's pursuit of justice and inclusion and understanding of disabilities as another blessed way of being (rather than a mark of disfavor, evil, or wrongdoing). Consistently challenging ableist interpretations, Yong provides paths and connects to other interpreters and scholars who are also pursuing an inclusive and liberative understanding of the Bible. Though directed toward other self-defined conservative Pentecostals, this text can be inspirational and informative for moderate to progressive readers.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be adding a longer review on my blog soon, but this is a must read work of biblical interpretation that seeks to read scripture from a disability perspective. It seeks to remove the stigmas and stereotypes that have marginalized persons with disability that have been supported by appeals to scripture, or at the very least have kept us from appreciating the full humanity of those with disabilities, whether physical, emotional, or intellectual.

[Stephen Bedard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this theological reflection on disabilities. Yong takes a look at the important passages and provides a distinctively Pentecostal theology of disability.