Vulnerable Communion – A Theology of Disability and Hospitality

Thomas E. Reynolds (PhD, Vanderbilt University) is associate professor of theology at Emmanuel College in the Toronto School of Theology, University of Toronto. He lives in North York, Ontario.

• IntroductionNotes1. Theology and Disability--Perils and PromisesI. A Disabling Theology or a Theology of Disability?- Defining Disability beyond the Medical Model- Understanding Disability Christianly: Is Disability a Tragedy to be Undone?II. Beyond Theodicy?III. Toward a Hermeneutic of DisabilityIV. Dismantling Alienating Notions of Disability: Developing a Typology- Avoiding the Theological Denigration of Disability- Avoiding the Theological Trivialization of DisabilityConclusion: Toward a Wider Horizon for Theological Thinking about DisabilityNotes 2. Communal Boundaries: Dwelling Together and the Cult of NormalcyI. The Human Need for Welcome- Fundamental Trust--A Desire for "Home" - Home as Dwelling TogetherII. Social Boundaries: Ability and Dis-ability- Community and Identity--Frameworks of the GoodIII. Recognition, Value, and the Good: Into the Sway of the Cult of Normalcy- Economies of Exchange- Body Capital--Measuring Exchange Value- The Cult of NormalcyIV. Outside the Good- Stigma--the Spoiled Body- Taboo--Prohibiting the AbnormalConclusion: Against "Normalization"?Notes3. Able Bodies? The Illusion of Control and Denial of VulnerabilityI. Theoretical Roots of the Modern Notion of PersonhoodII. Problems with Equality, Freedom, Independence, and Reason- Ironic Equality--Like "Us" - Ironic Self-sufficiency and Freedom--Dis-abling Ability?- Ironic Rationality--Routing the Irrational (Reason-unable?) III. Managing the Body: The Productive Imperative- Wealth Accumulation- Efficiency--a Competitive Edge on Time- Novelty--the Tyranny of the New- The Person as Consumer--Empowered to Purchase- Beautiful, Youthful, and Able BodiesConclusion: Spiritual Self-Interest? Notes4. Recovering Disability: Love and the Strange Power of "Weakness"I. Vulnerability: Reassessing Wholeness and Disability- Dependence: Rethinking "Normal"- The Difficult Strength of Vulnerability--Neediness and the Reality of SufferingII. Encountering Disability, Suffering the Other- Creative Openings: An Autobiographical Excursus on Love- Against Pity and Charity?- Getting Closer--Loving ChrisIII. Relational Wholeness: Love's Interdependence- The Strange Power of Weakness: Enabling Love- Love--To Welcome the Presence of the OtherIV. The Moral Fabric of Love: Availability- Respect: Giving Way for the Other- Fidelity--Faithfulness to the Other- Compassion--Sympathy with the Other, for its WellbeingConclusion: Empowering CommunityNotes5. Love Divine: God, Creation, and VulnerabilityI. Love and Conversion to God- Gratitude: Existence as Gift- Hope: Relation beyond Tragedy- The Sense of God--An Extraordinary Possibility in Vulnerable OrdinarinessII. Creation's God--A Theological Matrix- God's Transcendence and the Redemptive Encounter- Naming God's Redemptive PresenceIII. God's Creative Power: Toward a Theology of Creation- In the Beginning, God- Creation "Called" into Being- Creation from "Nothing" - Continuing Creation and Providence- Creation a Free Act of God- Creation as Gift, Loved into BeingIV. Relation and Vulnerability in God and Creation- Creation's Difference, God's Giving- Creation and the Tragic- Divine Vulnerability and TragedyConclusion: Theology of Creation in a Key of Gratitude and HopeNotes6. Worthy of Love? Humanity, Disability, and Redemption in ChristI. Reconsidering the Imago Dei- Imago Dei as Imitatio Dei- Imago Dei as Creativity--Human Being as a Co-Creative Agent of God- Imago Dei as Relationality--Human Being as Embodied along with Others- Imago Dei as Availability--Human Being as Freedom for Love- The Imago Dei and DisabilityII. Sin's Tragedy and the Possibility of Redemption- Sin--Creative Freedom for Love gone Awry- Sin, Idolatry, and the Possibility of RedemptionIII. Reconsidering Redemption in Jesus Christ- Jesus as the Icon of a Vulnerable God: Redemptive Revelation- Jesus: The Fully Human Person- Jesus as God's Solidarity with Humanity: Incarnation, Cross, and ResurrectionConclusion: Reversing DisabilityNotes7. Being Together: Love, Church, and HospitalityI. To Love as Christ Loves: Loving Chris as Christ Loves and Loving Christ as Chris LovesII. The Strange Kingdom of God: Restoring the Imago Dei in Right Relationshipsa. The Creative Power of Inclusion--Welcoming (in) the Kingdomb. Healing Power--Welcome, Transformation, and Wholenessc. Cross as Inclusive Solidarity--The Power of Inabilityd. Disability and the Imitation of ChristIII. The Strange Household of God: Church as the Ongoing Presence of Christa. Church as the Household of God--A New Covenantb. Church as the Body of Christc. Church as Anticipation: The not-yet Kingdom of GodIV. Hospitality: Welcoming (in) the Spirita. Hospitality: Inspirited Openness to the Otherb. Hospitality and DisabilityConclusion: Kindling Hope for the Church as a Communion of StrangersNotes