As some of you may know, I consider myself someone with a disability. It may be invisible, but it affects my daily life much more than most realize. Most people question how I could be a Christian
Thank you Intervarsity Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Synopsis: The Gospels are filled with accounts of Jesus offering physical healing. But even as churches today seek to follow the way of Jesus, people with disabilities all too often experience the very opposite of healing and life-giving community: exclusion, judgment, barriers. Misinterpretation and misapplication of biblical healing narratives can do great damage, yet those who take the Bible as authoritative mustn’t avoid these passages either. Bethany McKinney Fox believes that Christian communities are better off when people with disabilities are an integral part of our common life. In Disability and the Way of Jesus, she considers how the stories of Jesus’ healings can guide us toward mutual thriving. How did Jesus’ original audience understand his works of healing, and how should we relate to these texts today? After examining the healing narratives in their biblical and cultural contexts, Fox considers perspectives from medical doctors, disability scholars, and pastors to more fully understand what Jesus does as he heals and how he points the way for relationships with people with disabilities. Personal reflections from Christians with disabilities are featured throughout the book, which concludes with suggestions for concrete practices adaptable to a variety of church settings. Bridging biblical studies, ethics, and disability studies with the work of practitioners, Fox provides a unique resource that is both theologically grounded and winsomely practical. Disability and the Way of Jesus provides new lenses on holistic healing for scholars, laypeople, and church and parachurch leaders who care about welcoming all people as Jesus would.
I was afraid of going into this book and reading the one thing Christians talk about with disability. Even though my disability isn’t visible, multiple of my chronic illnesses are still listed as such. I have been told by more people than I want to admit that my sin relates to why I am still sick. People have even tried to use multiple bible verses to back up their case. This is not true! I will preach that until the day I die. God has taught me A LOT through my disabilities. I would not be the person I am today without them, nor would I have such a strong faith in the Lord! I’m proud to say this book does a great job at focusing on how we as people and we as the church need to love just as Jesus did. I loved how Bethany focused on different ways the church has interpreted the stories of healing in the bible and how she recognizes the insight each interpretation brings. I loved this thought-provoking book and highly recommend it!
5/5 Stars
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