Preaching Disability: A Resource for Pastors - Paperback

by Bill Gaventa (Author)

Learn how to preach on disability--and why doing so can be transformative for everyone.

Disability appears throughout Scripture, yet most pastors lack the tools to preach about it with confidence and sensitivity. In Preaching Disability: A Resource for Pastors, Bill Gaventa fills this critical gap with wisdom gleaned from decades working at the intersection of faith and disability.

This groundbreaking guide helps clergy move beyond harmful stereotypes--disability as punishment for sin, disability as inspiration--toward preaching that honors the full humanity and spiritual depth of people with disabilities. Gaventa reveals how listening to their stories unlocks biblical themes that are relevant to everyone.

Whether you're preparing a sermon on a passage involving disability, leading an inclusive ministry, or simply wondering how to address this aspect of human experience authentically, this resource offers:

• Practical guidance for preaching biblically and sensitively about disability
• Fresh insights into disability's ubiquitous presence in Scripture
• An introduction to the broader literature on theology and disability

Perfect for pastors, seminary students, and church leaders, Preaching Disability is the first book focused on disability in the context of pulpit ministry. Accessible, engaging, and substantial enough to serve as an ongoing reference, it prepares ministers to welcome people with disabilities fully--and in so doing, to illuminate spiritual truths for the entire congregation.

Author Biography

Bill Gaventa is an author, speaker, trainer, and consultant on faith and disability. He is the founder and director emeritus of the Institute on Theology and Disability. He has also served as president of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and as editor of the Journal of Religion, Disability and Health. He is the author of Disability and Spirituality: Recovering Wholeness.