Annual Gathering Presentation

Amid the Pains: Christianity, Disability, Healing

J. Alexander Sider, PhD

Christian narratives about human illness and impairment often give persons with disabilities two options: miraculous healing or heroic suffering. These narratives create the impression that with great faith or effort persons with disabilities can overcome physical limitations and social barriers, but these same narratives often ignore discrimination and disabling social policies. Alex Sider explores resources within the Christian tradition for framing human illness, impairment and disability–and, by extension, healing–as fundamental matters of social justice.

This presentation was recorded at the Friday evening, June 22, 2018 session of Annual Gathering 2018, June 22-24, 2018 at Bluffton University, Bluffton, Ohio.

Video of Friday evening Plenary Session
Presentation begins at 32:05

Slides for presentation