Disability in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Sacred Texts, Historical Traditions, and Social Analysis

by Darla Schumm, Michael J. Stoltzfus

This edited collection of essays examines how religions of the world represent, understand, theologize, theorize and respond to disability and chronic illness. Contributors employ a variety of methodological approaches including ethnography, historical, cultural, or textual analysis, personal narrative, and theological/philosophical investigation.

Genres: Religion, Disability, Nonfiction

268 pages, Hardcover

First published October 24, 2011

Reviews

[Brumaire Bodbyl-Mast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a mixed collection of essays, both in terms of quality and choice of subject. Some of the more enlightening essays revolve around minutia of religious practice (with one of the most interesting being about ministering as a missionary to disabled people). Others which prove noteworthy trend more towards the response to those with disabilities by their respective religions- most notably with regard to the blind and deaf. Most of the focus is dedicated to those with physical disabilities (especially deafness and blindness) rather than mental disabilities. Undoubtably this is attributable to the fact that deafnesss and blindness in particular are easy to find sources in premodernity, whereas sources on say, autism or even Down’s syndrome are mostly used in a speculative sense with retroactive diagnosis. Ultimately several of the studies are too intensely focused on minor aspects of religion and religious practice as well as the day to day existence of a disabled person to be a truly useful insight with regards to either.