Developing a holistic educational programme through contextual Bible Study with people with disabilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo : IMAN'ENDA as case study.
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Date
2013
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Abstract
This research uses Contextual Bible Studies as the main approach in searching for ways in
which the Bible may be used as a resource to contribute to a holistic education for people
with disabilities (PWDs). It explores the situation of PWDs in the DRC and demonstrates
how the image of PWDs has been negatively portrayed, and how PWDs’ situation has been
perceived as a misfortune. Consequently, the socio-cultural concept of disability has
influenced the biblical interpretation of disability making PWDs seem to be “lesser human
beings”. Therefore, the use of three biblical texts, which are Exodus 4, 1-17; 2 Corinthians
12, 1-10 and Acts 3, 1-11, in this study serves to re-read the Bible in a constructive way from
the disability perspective. Each Bible study has its main focus related to the question of this
study mentioned above: the first biblical text, Exodus 4, 1-17 is designed for IMAN’ENDA
members with the aim of helping PWDs to discover their real identity in the light of Bible
study. The core verse of this study is verse 10, in which I focused on, “How God views
disability”. The second text, 2 Corinthians 12, 1-10, is designed for PWDs as well as for ablebodied
people in order to understand suffering as another way of discovering oneself. The
main focus of this Bible study is on v. 9, in which I dealt with “Power through weak body”.
The third biblical text is Acts 3, 1-11, and is designed for church leaders from the
Presbyterian Church in Kinshasa with the aim of helping church leaders to widen their
understanding of healing for better integration of and support for PWDs in society. The text
focuses on healing that I referred to as “Holistic Healing”. The study also offers a theological
reflection on disability in the Bible. This is based, on the one hand, on findings from Bible
studies with PWDs and Presbyterian Church leaders and lecturers; and, on the other hand, on
interviews conducted with Protestant Church leaders and religion lecturers, and Catholic high
school pupils. These investigations were conducted in order to develop a holistic educational
programme for PWDs in the DRC, which is proposed as a programme in Social
Transformation.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.
Keywords
Learning disabilities--Education., Adult education., Students with disabilities., People with visual disabilities., Inclusive education., Theses--Theology.