Space, Place, and the Ordering of Materiality in Disability Theology: Locating Disability in the Resurrection and the Body of Christ

Abstract

Since the inception of the field of disability theology, questions have been raised about the place of disabilities in the resurrection. Some scholars contend that disability is a direct consequence of the fall of humanity and thus consider disability as incongruous with life in a perfect and redeemed creation. Other scholars, however, see disability as part of the natural diversity of humanity and allow for the retention of at least some disabilities in the future kingdom. In his 2019 volume Woundrously Wounded, Brian Brock attempts to redirect discussions about disability to the present kingdom encouraging believers to consider anew the place of people with disabilities in church communities. Brock proposes that using Paul’s Body of Christ imagery serves as a useful model for church communities with its emphasis on valuing, including, and celebrating all members. The challenge of the Body of Christ is to recognize that all members are dependent and interconnected and that human abilities and disabilities do not hinder God’s work in and through the Body to bring about his purposes. This paper will give a brief overview of both the elimination and retention models of disability as well as outlining Brock’s challenge to refocus attention on the Body of Christ as the inclusive model for living for churches in the today.

Keywords:

• Disability theology
• Brian Brock
• heaven
• healing
• resurrection
• Body of Christ

Notes

1 This essay was originally written as a seminar paper scheduled for presentation in April 2020 at the United Theological College in Sydney, Australia. The seminar, organised to coincide with Brian Brock’s visit to Australia to promote the publication of Wondrously Wounded: Theology, Disability, and the Body of Christ, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

2 While Gould suggests that Augustine’s words here relate to the resurrected body of Jesus, in fact, Augustine was speculating on the appearance of scars on the bodies of Christian martyrs in the resurrection: “For in those wounds there will be no deformity, but only dignity, and the beauty of their valour will shine out, a beauty in the body and yet not of the body” (Augustine, City of God 22.19). Interestingly, in this passage Augustine posits that while it is likely that all impairments will be healed in the resurrection, it is possible that this might not be the case. Indeed, Augustine argues that while missing limbs may be restored and wounds healed for Christian martyrs, there may yet be some essence of the injuries which remain as a testament to their honourable acts but that these would no longer be considered defects but “proofs of honour” (Augustine, City of God 22.19).