*/Toggle Nav
My Cart
  • Sign In
    • Menu
    Account
    Search
    • Compare Products
    main product photo
    Add to Compare
    More Information
    ISBN: 9781839739569
    Imprint: HippoBooks
    Format: Paperback
    Dimensions (mm): 229 x 152 x 14
    Publication Date: 31/10/2024
    Pages: 266
    Language: English

    Disability Inclusion in Africa

    From Harmful to Life-Giving Theologies

    Edited By
    Madleina Daehnhardt
    and
    Nina G. Kurlberg
    and
    Sas Conradie
    and
    Emmanuel Murangira

    £18.99

    Despite recent signs of change, people living with some form of disability continue to face discrimination, marginalization, and exclusion from full participation in public life, even within the church. In Africa particularly, those living with disabilities are often subject to stigma, abuse, and neglect, attitudes which can stem from misleading theologies.

    Bringing together experts from a range of disciplines, this collection of essays fills a longstanding need for scholarship on disability theology in African theological institutions. Contextually engaging with challenging topics, such as the perception of disability as punishment for sins and the doctrine of imago Dei in light of disability, readers are encouraged to critically reflect on theological understandings and approaches that cause harm instead of promoting disability inclusion. This vital work is a step towards a theology of inclusion, and to fostering more liberative, holistic and life-giving beliefs, attitudes and behaviours towards disability within the contexts of church and society today.

    Author Bios

    Madleina Daehnhardt
    (Edited By)

    MADLEINA DAEHNHARDT is a social researcher and has an MPhil in social anthropology and a PhD in development studies, both from the University of Cambridge, UK, where she has until recently been an affiliated lecturer. She currently supports a local care farm working alongside people with learning disabilities and autism.

    Nina G. Kurlberg
    (Edited By)

    NINA KURLBERG is a postdoctoral research associate at Durham University, UK, where she is working on diversifying the Common Awards curriculum. Previously she worked for Tearfund, developing theology in the area of equality, diversity and inclusion.

    Sas Conradie
    (Edited By)

    SAS CONRADIE is the international partnerships manager for Tearfund, after having served for six years as their theology and networking engagement manager for Africa. He has a DD in missiology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and has held various leadership positions in the World Evangelical Alliance and Lausanne Movement.

    Emmanuel Murangira
    (Edited By)

    EMMANUEL MURANGIRA is the country director for Rwanda with Tearfund. He is a PhD candidate in transformational theology with the Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life, UK, and is an ordained minister and itinerant preacher.

    Endorsements

    Disability Inclusion in Africa is an eye-opening and transformative work that redefines how disability is perceived within theological and cultural contexts in Africa. This book is essential reading for scholars, practitioners, and advocates committed to creating more inclusive communities in the faith realm.

    Nicodeme Hakizimana, PhD
    Executive Director,
    Organization for Integration and Promotion of Persons with Albinism (OIPPA), Rwanda

    This is a ground-breaking work that enriches the growing scholarship of theology and disability studies in the African context. By deftly intertwining theological perspectives with the social and cultural realities unique to the continent, the authors present thorough and weighty analysis from varied perspectives. A must-read for scholars, practitioners, and anyone interested in understanding the intricate and multifaceted nature of disability in Africa.

    Esther Mombo, PhD
    St Paul’s University, Kenya

    It is encouraging to see a title of this sorts being published. An attempt to move from harmful (and yes, Christian) theologies to life-giving theologies. For persons living with disabilities, this is not merely a matter of being accepted but a matter of being recognised and included. This work is an important read for all who are working and living in this space of disabilities.

    Nico Mostert, PhD
    Executive Director,
    Network for African Congregational Theology (NetACT)

    A dialogue between disability and theology in the African context is long overdue. This book is thorough, balanced and scholarly without being off-puttingly academic. I know many others will be desperate to read it and I hope we can all put the inclusivity it advocates for into practice. I have no hesitation in recommending this work.

    Tom Shakespeare, PhD
    Professor of Disability Research,
    London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK

    Table of Contents

    1. List of Contributors
    2. Acknowledgements
    3. Foreword Samuel Kabue
    4. Introduction
    5. Part 1: Rethinking Theologies of Disability
      1. Disability, Beliefs and Theologies in African Contexts Madleina Daehnhardt and Nina Kurlberg
      2. Disability and the Bible Grant Macaskill
      3. Am I Being Punished? Selina Palm
      4. Holistic Healing in Acts 3:1–10 Micheline Kamba
    6. Part 2: Different Perspectives on Disability
      1. An African Community Perspective in Positive Dialogue with Disability and Christianity Edwin Zulu
      2. Being Different David Tarus
      3. From Exclusion to Divine Accommodation of People with Profound Intellectual Disabilities Jill Harshaw
      4. Attitudes and Accessibility Dan Nyampong Asihene
      5. Worshippers with Disabilities in the Nigerian Church Community Tongriang Daspan and Noah Daspan
    7. Epilogue: Towards an Inclusive Theology of Disability for Africa Emmanuel Murangira and Sas Conradie
    8. Appendix

    Contributors

    Grant Macaskill

    Grant Macaskill is the Kirby Laing Chair of New Testament Exegesis at the University of Aberdeen, where he is also co-director of the Centre for Autism and Theology. He is the author of several books, including Union with Christ in the New Testament (Oxford University Press, 2013) and Autism and the Church: Bible, Theology, Community (Baylor University Press, 2019).

    Tongriang Daspan

    Tongriang Daspan is a sign language interpreter and staff member of the Theological College of Northern Nigeria, Bukuru. She holds an MEd (Science Education) from the National Open University of Nigeria. Currently, she is a PhD (Science Education) student at Western Michigan University, USA. Her interests include curriculum development, STEM identity, and inclusion of persons with disabilities in science and worship. Previously, she served as a science teacher at Demonstration School for the Deaf Children, Kaduna; part-time lecturer (Integrated Science) at Plateau State College of Education Gindiri; coordinator, TCNN Centre for Continuing Education; and director, Academic Planning, TCNN College of Education.

    Selina Palm

    Selina Palm is a Senior Researcher based at the Unit for Religion and Development at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. She has twenty years of project and empirical research experience working with marginalized groups and faith actors, especially across the African continent. She holds an MA in Human Rights from the University of Essex and a PhD in Theology and Development from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. She has published widely in academic journals on faith and violence against women, children, people with disabilities, and gender and sexual minorities. She is also a lay faith leader in her church.

    Edwin Zulu

    Edwin Zulu holds a doctorate in Old Testament from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Previously a Research Fellow at the University of Stellenbosch and Senior Lecturer at Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe, he also served as Vice Chancellor and professor at Justo Mwale University, Lusaka. He is currently the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Zambian Open University, Lusaka, Zambia. His research interests are in the areas of Bible and contemporary issues and disability.

    David Kirwa Tarus

    David Kirwa Tarus currently serves as Executive Director of the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA), a project of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa. Previously, he served as a lecturer and Deputy Principal at AIC Missionary College, an affiliate institution of Scott Christian University. David is a graduate of McMaster Divinity College (PhD in Christian Theology), Wheaton College Graduate School (MA, Historical and Systematic Theology) and Scott Christian University (bachelor of theology). He is the author of A Different Way of Being: Toward a Reformed Theology of Ethnopolitical Cohesion for the Kenyan Context (Langham Academic), co-editor of Christian Responses to Terrorism: The Kenyan Experience (Wipf & Stock) and has written many articles. His research interests are theological anthropology, ecclesiology and social issues. He is an ordained minister of the Africa Inland Church, Kenya.

    Tongriang Daspan

    Tongriang Daspan is a sign language interpreter and staff member of the Theological College of Northern Nigeria, Bukuru. She holds an MEd (Science Education) from the National Open University of Nigeria. Currently, she is a PhD (Science Education) student at Western Michigan University, USA. Her interests include curriculum development, STEM identity, and inclusion of persons with disabilities in science and worship. Previously, she served as a science teacher at Demonstration School for the Deaf Children, Kaduna; part-time lecturer (Integrated Science) at Plateau State College of Education Gindiri; coordinator, TCNN Centre for Continuing Education; and director, Academic Planning, TCNN College of Education.

    Dan Nyampong Asihene

    Dan Nyampong Asihene is an ordained minister of the Church of Pentecost in Ghana. He holds a bachelor of theology degree from Canada Christian College and a master of arts degree from the University of Ghana. He is currently a PhD student. His research interests are in the area of Theology in Disability Studies. Dan has authored one book. He is married to Abigail.

    Noah Daspan

    Noah Daspan is a teacher, an independent researcher and a freelance editor. Currently, he is a lecturer at the Plateau State College of Education Gindiri. Previously, he taught English language and literature at the Gindiri Theological Seminary and the Theological College of Northern Nigeria, Bukuru. He has also served as a Master Trainer for many non-governmental organizations and has discipled/mentored youths, including persons with disabilities. Noah holds an MA (Literature in English) at the University of Jos, where he is currently a doctoral student. Together with his wife, Tongriang, he advocates for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in church and society.

    Micheline Kamba Kasongo

    Dr. Micheline Kamba Kasongo (1968-2020) was the Francophone Africa coordinator of the WCC’s Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (EDAN). She was a member of the WCC’s central committee from 2006 and a professor at the Faculty of Theology at the Université Protestante au Congo. She also led IMAN’ENDA Ministries (a pastoral ministry for people with disabilities) in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    4