Learning objectives and brief outline

Abstract

The Gospels of the New Testament claim that Jesus’ presence meant “lame walk; those with a skin disease are cleansed; the deaf hear; the dead are raised…” (Matthew 11:5/Luke 7:22). However, impaired bodies have always existed, and many people become disabled at some point in their lives. Since the 1990s, scholars with and without impairments have critically examined biblical texts in light of theories developed in disability studies. The learning material provides an introduction to the key studies in this field. Students will be instructed to read three miracle stories from the perspective of different theoretical approaches in biblical disability studies.

Learning objectives

Course participants who study the learning module will be able to

• identify the challenges that disability studies pose to biblical texts.

• apply readings informed by disability studies to stories from the New Testament Gospels.

• elaborate on the potential of biblical disability

Contributor

Prof. Dr. Angela Standhartinger, Marburg University, standhartinger@staff.uni-marburg.de
Field of expertise: The New Testament