Copious Hosting: A Theology of Access for People with Disabilities

by Jennie Weiss Block

It is estimated that there are 43 million Americans with one or more physical or mental disabilities. Over the past several decades, the disability movement has grown in strength and sophistication, attaining maturity with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This landmark civil rights legislation ushered in a new era for people with disabilities.Many religious people, however well meaning, are unfamiliar with the language and philosophy of the disability movement. They unintentionally give offense by language and actions that reflect a by-gone era. This book aims to do two things: to acquaint church and synagogue leaders with the history and philosophy of the disability movement and to provide resources from scripture and theology for thinking and preaching about disability in a new way.

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Deborah-Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book especially because there hasn't been much written on this topic. It was both theological and also practical. It looks quite a bit at liberation theology and how that plays a huge role in disability theology. I was surprised at the amount of times "retarded" was used as this was already written in the 2000s when tht word would have been out of vogue. Still a great read and also provided some background information about laws and how the legal system impacts the church - they were all American acts and laws but still helpful to many in other developed countries as well.

[Susan]

So very glad I pushed through the first half of this book and got to Parts 2 and 3. REALLY good stuff, like this:

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a call to a new world order where outsiders become insiders. The church as the Body of Christ is the quintessential inclusive community, where Jesus, the one who is always identified with the outsider, presides as the copious host. We are called, through our baptism, to be his co-hosts. Co-hosting the party to bring about the Kingdom of God, in the here and now, is all about making room for the "other." As copious hosts, we are called to make God's love and mercy a palpable, tangible reality in the Christian community and the world.

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I had this book years ago. The question now is: Is god relevant?