Emerging Perspectives in Pastoral Theology and Care Disrupting Stories Images of Church

This book provides theological reflection on the image of the church as informed by the lived experiences of people who provide care for children with disabilities. How might someone’s disability shape not only their view of God, but of the church? Turning to the lived experiences of people with disabilities and caregivers for children with disabilities, this book provides theological reflections on their images of the church. Attuning to these often ignored voices provides thought-provoking insights into what the church and other religious communities can do and have failed to do for and alongside its disabled members and their caregivers. Embracing disability theology enables a generative image of faith communities built on various forms of spiritual care. Over three broad sections (Disabling Images of the Church, Themes in Healing the Church with Disabilities, and Intercultural Insights for Disability Theology), theologians explore the themes and images emerging from alternative views of the church and other religious communities presented by disability studies.