The implications of Medical Model Disability for churches
By Martin Hobgen
A related article described the
Individual/Medical Model of Disability. This article identifies some of the implications this understanding has for churches and disabled people.
This approach to understanding disability places the emphasis on individuals and their impairments. Since these are understood to lead to disability and handicap the way that these are reduced or eliminated is through healing the individual or providing equipment or rehabilitation to enable them to perform tasks that allow them to function in non-disabled society. Within churches this has meant a focus on the provision of physical access to buildings, such as ramps and accessible toilet facilities, and the use of induction loops or large print.
One significant impact of this is approach is that churches sometimes see disabled people as passive members of a congregation who need pastoral care from active non-disabled people. It has been suggested that the individual/medical model of disability results in churches being heavily influenced by a so-called Pastoral Care Model of disability. This forms a significant barrier to the active participation of disabled people in church communities since it reinforces the asymmetric relationships between disabled and non-disabled people. It also tends to mean that the voices of disabled people are either not heard or are ignored.
This understanding of disability may lead to an emphasis on praying for disabled people to be physically healed so that they can subsequently participate fully in the activities of the church community. If prayers for healing do not appear to have been answered then some churches have concluded that either, the disabled person does not have enough faith to receive healing or there is some form of unforgiven sin that needs to be repented of and forgiveness received.
A subtle effect of this understanding of disability is to reinforce the idea that people conform to an idea of ‘normal’, particularly regarding physical appearance and intellectual ability. This may mean that those who do not conform to what is considered ‘normal’ are marginalised or excluded. In addition, this can strengthen the perception of disabled people as all being alike and all being different to non-disabled people
1, which inhibits the formation of meaningful relationships between disabled and non-disabled people.
Questions
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To what extent is it appropriate or inappropriate to categorise people according to their physical or intellectual characteristics?
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How might we ensure that the voices of disabled people are heard and listened to?
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How might we change the assumption that disabled people are passive members of a church congregation?
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Do you think that disabled people need to be healed before God uses them?
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How might relationships between disabled and non-disabled people become more mutual?
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What do you think is the difference between ministry ‘to/for’ disabled people and ministry ‘with’ disabled people?
1 The term ‘non-disabled person’ is used to it challenge the assumption that disabled people are not able. An alternative of ‘temporarily able-bodied’ reminds us that through age and illness many people will become less able at some point.
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