From Charity to Classroom Co-Learning: Togetherness in the Spirit as a Model for Experiential Education with People with Disabilities

Abstract

Reflecting on our experience as educators in a semester long “Disability and Christian Ministry” mini-course with ministerial students from Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) and Career and Community Studies (CCS) students with I/DD from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Spring 2020, we illuminate the critical role the Spirit and togetherness play in confronting covert ableism in the classroom, disrupting conventional values and power dynamics, and cultivating a new ethos for mutual ministry and leadership. We argue that the dynamic, experiential, and collaborative learning process in the mini- course encouraged students to take greater shared responsibility for their learning in the classroom, equipping them for ministerial leadership by allowing them to experience mutual leadership with one another. The leadership of the Spirit, through the spontaneous distribution of gifts, reconstituted the body, helping PTS and CCS students see themselves as full partners in ministry. However, this article also puts our course in conversation with the broader literature on disability and theological education, emphasizing the need for theological educators to embrace inclusive, experiential theological education as a site for justice and transformation. We make the argument that theological educators, seminaries, and divinity schools must not be satisfied with social programming, community living, or fellowship opportunities with persons with disabilities, but must receive the ministry of people with disabilities in the classroom in order that theological education may be rid of its ableist biases and transformed from the inside out. By withholding classroom space from students with disabilities, theological institutions restrict the dynamic work of the Spirit from the practice of education, hampering the heart of theological education.

Keywords:

• Disability
• inclusive education
• intellectual disability
• practical theology
• social inclusion

Notes

1 It should be noted that we did not do human subjects research for this article; rather our insights reflect on our experience from the point of view of educators and in the interest of pedagogy and education. Of course, teaching is an interrogative activity and therefore, we did learn from our students, and they are featured in the narrative. We secured consent from all students in the course to the write the article, but we hope this initial reflection will inspire rigorous subsequent studies which much more fully feature the voices and perspectives of students.

2 See an overview of Friendship House Partners USA and their programs on various campuses at: http://friendshiphousepartners.com/home.htm.

3 It should be noted that the Friendship House at Western Theological Seminary has had its residents take seminary classes, but in general, Friendship Houses provide residential and fellowship opportunities, rather than learning communities for adults with I/DD and seminary students.

4 See Brock, “The Christian church has been built from the beginning on a new and different ‘divine honor code’ flowing from the subversive mission of Jesus” (218).

5 I did always invite the CCS students to lead in prayer as well, but they did not seemingly feel confident enough to volunteer to do so. However, as argued, their leadership in prayer just looked different than what I have often perceived or implemented in the classroom.