African Churches Ministering 'to and with' Persons with Disabilities

This book engages with Christian church traditions and disability issues in Africa, focusing on Zimbabwe in particular. It critically reflects on how the church has not done much to intentionally minister 'to and with' persons with disabilities. In the context of this volume, 'ministering to' is concerned with creating worshipping space for persons with disabilities; while 'ministering with' is connecting and identifying with persons with disabilities to meet their needs from the material life of the church. The author considers a stewardship model of disability as an appropriate ministerial response to transform lives in poverty-stricken postcolonial contexts. The argument put forth is that the church is a living organism endowed with spiritual and material resources, and that these resources should be appropriated to marginalised stakeholders.

Nomatter Sande is a Research Fellow in the Research Institute for Theology and Religion at the University of South Africa (UNISA).

1 Introducing African Christianity in Zimbabwe 2 The Context of Zimbabwe and Definitions of Disability 3 Conceptualising Disability from an Indigenous Knowledge System Perspective 4 Lived Experiences of Persons with Disabilities in Zimbabwe 5 Unpacking Disability Theologies 6 Missionary Churches Ministering 'to and with' Persons with Disabilities 7 African Initiated Churches Ministering 'to and with' Persons with Disabilities 8 African Pentecostals Ministering 'to and with' Persons with Disabilities 9 Gendered Ministering 'to and with' Persons with Disabilities 10 Gendered Ministering 'to and with' Persons with Disabilities 11 Conclusion