Disability, Society and Theology: Voices from Africa

Chapter Seven: Lazarus, come out! How Contextual Bible Study Can Empower the Disabled

How Contextual Bible Study Can Empower the Disabled CHAPTER SEVEN Lazarus, come out! How Contextual Bible Study Can Empower theDisabled Janet Lees Introduction T his Chapter explores how people with disabilities (PWDs) can be empowered and integrated in the church and society through Contextual Bible Study (CBS). The chapter examines the CBS process and gives examples of how it can be used in worship and in bible study groups where people of all ages and abilities participate. The Chapter further discusses the contribution of CBS to the empowerment and inclusion of PWDs. It also gives examples of this process from ongoing work with people of all ages and abilities by the author in the United Kingdom (UK) Jesus Reinterprets Disabilities West et al (2007) define contextual bible study (CBS) as: • a process of action and reflection; • a bible based tool for social transformation based on community concerns; • a process in which facilitators and participants work together respecting each others’ knowledge and experience. Disability, Society, and Theology 98 Other methods of CBS have been developed including the Unlock method and the African Bible Study method which may also be useful resources.1 West (1999) argues that it is the retreating of biblical scholarship from the Christian community to the academy, which has resulted in it becoming remote from the lives of ordinary people. He advocates for CBS as a method of studying the bible that will bring together both ordinary people and socially engaged biblical scholars to work in partnership and interpret the bible together. CBS is not one method but a range of ways of interpreting the bible according to context in which ordinary people and socially engaged biblical scholars practice interdependence as they interpret the bible together and discover each others’ talents and abilities. According to Zarb (1992) accountability is a fundamental principle of participation. In tandem with the global disability movement, accountability means developing a process that amplifies the voices of PWDs based on their lived experiences. The system should be open and accountable to them. Personal Experience On my first visit to a church that had recently spent a large sum on improving accessibility for PWDs by installing a chair lift and new toilets, I was proudly shown these new facilities. Then, during the first part of the service, I asked for volunteers to help me with an activity for people of all ages and abilities.A nine year old disabled boy was amongst those who volunteered to help. ‘He won’t be able to do it, you know’ said one of the older church members to me as the volunteers made their way to the front. ‘Let’s see, shall we’, I replied. I explained the task and together the group of about half a dozen people began to find a way to do what I had asked. The boy joined in with the others, doing what he could, as enthusiastically as the rest. The whole group soon completed the task together. _______________________________________ 1 These can be found at http://www.unlock-urban.org.uk/resources.php and http://www.takomaparkpc.org/AfricanBibleStudy.html How Contextual Bible Study Can Empower the Disabled 99 It seems likely that Jesus met many ‘He won’t be able to do it’ people during his life-time, both in respect of His own ministry and with regard to the role of PWDs in that society. One of the most disabling things about the contemporary church is the ‘He won’t be able to do it’ people. I could tell many stories of these limited folks and their deathly behaviour, just as I could give many examples of strategies for improving accessibility for PWDs like stair lifts, ramps, signs, toilets and large print books. Of course these strategies are important. However, what is fundamental to the inclusion of PWDs is how we interpret the bible together. That is why I have chosen to, through this Chapter; explore the potential of CBS as an answer. Empowerment and integration will be achieved only when we all appreciate the various perspectives from which the bible is interpreted. We should also ask ourselves: “How are our attitudes towards each other? Why does the church still harbour negative and limiting attitudes to marginalised members of our communities?” Through CBS, church members like one body of Christ can fundamentally challenge these dispositions and potentially transform societal thinking. Link to Lazarus The following comments on the...