I had a conversation that disturbed me this week. It is not that the person making the comment was seeking to be mean spirited, derogatory or belittling of persons with cognitive disabilities in any way. In fact I knew the inverse was true. The comment was made out of personal pain, a difficult journey and their own experience. The comment came from a struggle with one of the point on our "Statement of Ethical Values". It says:
Persons with disabilities, even those with significant cognitive impairments, can choose to develop deep and meaningful relationships with God. They are entitled to hear the gospel of Christ and respond to it.
The problem was stated as this, 'my family member cannot choose to develop a deep and meaningful relationship with God, they cannot even respond to their own name'. I need to stress here that the tone in which this was communicated to me was nothing but love, respect and concern for their family member – and shared out of pain and loss.
I tried to speak words of encouragement and hope to this person, explaining that we believe that response to the gospel is far more than a cognitive verbal accent to a set of intellectual statements and beliefs. I felt myself starting to slide into 'theologizing' mode (way to easy for me), but the person was just not there and had formed their opinion. Not wanting to turn the conversation into an argument, I returned to 'pastoral' mode of support and listening to the person in the midst of their pain.
But I've continued to wrestle with this question in my heart. What does it mean to choose, to develop a deep and meaningful relationship with God? What does that mean for those who have significant cognitive disabilities? The writings of Wolfensburger, Swinton and most recently Amos Yong have been stretching and helping my thinking. Each of these writers has sought to bring some insight or answers to this difficult question. They suggest that we are very narrow in our assessment of the human person. We tend to be extremely one dimensional, whereas to be human is multi-dimensional – we are not just a mind, but, body, soul, spirit and mind. The majority of our gospel presentation and response is geared only to the mind. We preach, people respond by coming forward and praying the sinner's prayer – then we know they know. I do not suggest minimizing or undervaluing preaching, alter calls, or the sinner's prayer, only to suggest, that perhaps this is only one way God leads us to Himself.
Of course this opens many questions and potential problems. But I don't believe that we gain anything by retreating back to the comforts of a one dimensional gospel presentation. We must push, probe, and pick at the corners of thinking and experience. We must always keep in mind that this is not a dilemma in God's mind. He does not need to figure out how to make this work. The problem is ours and our limitedness and our small narrow categories.
To a very large debate, I offer a very simple beginning. If we can begin that to be human, to be person, is a multi-dimensional– let's consider than how we might declare the Good News to more than the 'mind', but also to the body, soul and spirit. We know that it is the Holy Spirit working that ultimately leads someone to a relationship with God. If the gospel is more than word, perhaps the Holy Spirit is able to lead someone to God by other dimensional gospel witnesses. For instance, maybe we need to develop a 'Gospel of Touch'. What does my hand touching another communicate about His salvation and His coming Kingdom? How does the tones of my voice, not the comprehendible words, but the timbre and vibration play and impact on the eardrums and spirit? What about the visual 'touch' of my body movements, gestures and behaviour upon the eyes upon the recipient of care. What may be the response of this kind of gospel? What if because of our declaration through a 'gospel of touch' a person witha a significant cognitive disability responded by demonstrating a greater sense peace and calm, having soothed emotions, a gentler composure. What if they were able to respond with more gladness and joy int their life? Jesus is not just heard, He is experienced. Think about the opening lines of 1 John 1:1
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
It would seem to me that perhaps the disciples right from the beginning had a broader and multi-dimensional understanding of declaring the gospel than we do today.
I think we need to start from a position that all can choose to develop deep and meaningful relationships with God – if there is a failure or barrier, it is with our own disabled communication to 'speak' to the whole of the person.
Anyway, I was just thinking
Neil
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