Implications of a Relational Understanding of Disability
By Martin Hobgen
If we understand disability in terms of the relationships between disabled and non-disabled people then this has some implications for Baptist church congregations, our Associations, Baptists Together and our ecumenical relationships with other church traditions.
Baptist churches have historically emphasised the importance of covenant relationships, between believers and God and with one another. There continues to be some debate about the extent of such covenant relationships as to whether they exist only within the local church congregation, their importance between Baptist churches, their role in our ecumenical, national and international relationships and whether God’s covenant relationship is limited to the church, to all people made in God’s image or, at its most inclusive, whether it includes the whole of creation.
Covenant relationships can be a rather abstract idea and there is a good argument for understanding them using the language of friendship, with God and with one another.
1 Friendships exist across a very broad spectrum, from the most intimate to those that are casual and fleeting. They are often face to face but can be sustained at a distance and many deep friendships exist on-line. Friendships exist among and between non-Christians and Christians, with the presence of faith adding a deeper significance to the relationship rather than transforming it into something else.
Fostering friendships between disabled and non-disabled people can transform our understanding of disability and the inclusion of disabled people in church communities. This is emphasised if these friendships are intentionally inclusive, emphasise mutuality and reciprocity and take into account the particular context of people engaged in the friendship.
The transformation of our understanding of disability and the inclusion of disability arises out of recognising that we are all human beings made in the image of God and in relationship with God and one another. Whether we are disabled or not, male or female, rich or poor, of different ethnic or social backgrounds etc. become irrelevant compared to our union in Christ.
If we focus on friendships between disabled and non-disabled people then this provides a strong motivation for people to become active participants in their local congregation. We want to encourage our friends to engage and participate in the activities that are important to us, such as being part of a church community. Friendships enable both parties to contribute and receive from one another, enabling disabled and non-disabled people to understand each other better. Friendships often occur in particular contexts and taking this into account can further enable participatory inclusion.
If we understand friendships between disabled and non-disabled people in terms of covenant friendships then this has implications for the inclusion of disabled people within our Associations, among Baptists Together and our ecumenical relationships with other church traditions. There are also implications for church engagements in local, regional and national secular society if our inclusion of disabled people through provides a model of inclusion for others to emulate.
Questions
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Do you think the phrase ‘Friends want to include their friends’ has any effect on the inclusion of disabled people in church communities?
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How might we shift the focus away from differences between people, both disabled and non-disabled, and towards friendships that emphasise what we have in common?
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How might our understanding of God as Trinity help in this task?
1 In John 15:9-17 Jesus transforms his relationship with his disciples from servants to friends. This is a radical call to love one another since such friends may be called to lay down their lives for their friends as Jesus did for us.
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