The Image of God: on Eiesland and Creamer’s Contribution(s) to the Relationship among Disability, Christianity and Limit

Abstract

The Christian tradition normally portrays disability as a divine punishment for an individual sin or as a chance for God to reveal his omnipotence, through miraculous healings. Since the Nineties of the Twentieth Century, however, Liberation theologies of disability have challenged this narration, which has justified a long-lasting neglect of disabled people in the theological reflection as well as their oppression in religious communities. Therefore, related to disability, ‘liberation’ means breaking the connection between sin and disability, in order to achieve the disabled people’s theoretical and practical inclusion.

After a brief analysis of the Christian theological reflection concerning disability, the paper focuses on the key elements of two of the most important Christian liberation theologies of disability (Eiesland’s ‘Disabled God’ and Creamer’s ‘God with limits’), briefly addressing their relationship with Disability and Feminist Studies and their revolutionary potential.

Keywords: Christian theology of disability, Liberation theology of disability, Nancy Eiesland, Deborah Creamer, oppression