Living with limitations

A new blog series from the Northumbrian Collective seeks to grapple honestly and thoughtfully with a question we might prefer not to think about, led by people who experience disability in their day-to-day life. Craig Millward introduces it

"We are all disabled somehow". You must have heard it said, probably with the intention of being inclusive, and maybe you have thought or said it yourself. People with disabilities certainly have, and it stings.

What is meant, of course, is that humans are united by the experience of being forced to live with certain limitations. There are times when it might not feel that way, certainly when we are young.

But then we see how the same individuals get picked first for every sports team, or appear for their annual speaking role in the school nativity. All of us are forced to deal with frustration and disappointment. For some of us this is a permanent state.

But even the high fliers get old, or maybe will go on to experience a trauma, ill health or cognitive decline. We will all experience the challenges and frustration of living with limitations we have not chosen for ourselves. So maybe we should talk together about it.

Simon Hall and I began with the idea that people who experience disability in their day-to-day life might have significant insights to offer into this conversation. They therefore initiated a four-way interaction which has been turned into an 18-part blog series.

In it you will meet four deep thinkers, all of whom share openly and honestly from their own lived experience. As the conversations progress we reflect on the experience of disability in the New Testament and dig deeply into the distinctive contribution the example of Jesus and writings of Paul make to the Living with Limitations theme. 

We invite you to follow the longest blog series the Northumbrian Collective has published so far. It will be delivered in sections from now until mid-March and there is a willingness to continue talking, either by extending the blog series, or by way of specially recorded podcasts.

This is not a series for people who are disabled about disability. It is an opportunity for those of us who have been forced to think deeply about living with limitations to curate a discussion which is relevant to us all. Please do walk with us and share the journey.

Dr Craig Millward is a Baptist minister and associate of the Northumbrian Collective.

The Northumbrian Collective exists to encourage people to listen well, think deeply and live authentically.

The blog series Living with Limitations can be accessed here

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