Thomas E. Reynolds (PhD, Vanderbilt University) is associate professor of theology at Emmanuel College in the Toronto School of Theology, University of Toronto. He lives in North York, Ontario.

• IntroductionNotes1. Theology and Disability--Perils and PromisesI. A Disabling Theology or a Theology of Disability?- Defining Disability beyond the Medical Model- Understanding Disability Christianly: Is Disability a Tragedy to be Undone?II. Beyond Theodicy?III. Toward a Hermeneutic of DisabilityIV. Dismantling Alienating Notions of Disability: Developing a Typology- Avoiding the Theological Denigration of Disability- Avoiding the Theological Trivialization of DisabilityConclusion: Toward a Wider Horizon for Theological Thinking about DisabilityNotes 2. Communal Boundaries: Dwelling Together and the Cult of NormalcyI. The Human Need for Welcome- Fundamental Trust--A Desire for "Home" - Home as Dwelling TogetherII. Social Boundaries: Ability and Dis-ability- Community and Identity--Frameworks of the GoodIII. Recognition, Value, and the Good: Into the Sway of the Cult of Normalcy- Economies of Exchange- Body Capital--Measuring Exchange Value- The Cult of NormalcyIV. Outside the Good- Stigma--the Spoiled Body- Taboo--Prohibiting the AbnormalConclusion: Against "Normalization"?Notes3. Able Bodies? The Illusion of Control and Denial of VulnerabilityI. Theoretical Roots of the Modern Notion of PersonhoodII. Problems with Equality, Freedom, Independence, and Reason- Ironic Equality--Like "Us" - Ironic Self-sufficiency and Freedom--Dis-abling Ability?- Ironic Rationality--Routing the Irrational (Reason-unable?) III. Managing the Body: The Productive Imperative- Wealth Accumulation- Efficiency--a Competitive Edge on Time- Novelty--the Tyranny of the New- The Person as Consumer--Empowered to Purchase- Beautiful, Youthful, and Able BodiesConclusion: Spiritual Self-Interest? Notes4. Recovering Disability: Love and the Strange Power of "Weakness"I. Vulnerability: Reassessing Wholeness and Disability- Dependence: Rethinking "Normal"- The Difficult Strength of Vulnerability--Neediness and the Reality of SufferingII. Encountering Disability, Suffering the Other- Creative Openings: An Autobiographical Excursus on Love- Against Pity and Charity?- Getting Closer--Loving ChrisIII. Relational Wholeness: Love's Interdependence- The Strange Power of Weakness: Enabling Love- Love--To Welcome the Presence of the OtherIV. The Moral Fabric of Love: Availability- Respect: Giving Way for the Other- Fidelity--Faithfulness to the Other- Compassion--Sympathy with the Other, for its WellbeingConclusion: Empowering CommunityNotes5. Love Divine: God, Creation, and VulnerabilityI. Love and Conversion to God- Gratitude: Existence as Gift- Hope: Relation beyond Tragedy- The Sense of God--An Extraordinary Possibility in Vulnerable OrdinarinessII. Creation's God--A Theological Matrix- God's Transcendence and the Redemptive Encounter- Naming God's Redemptive PresenceIII. God's Creative Power: Toward a Theology of Creation- In the Beginning, God- Creation "Called" into Being- Creation from "Nothing" - Continuing Creation and Providence- Creation a Free Act of God- Creation as Gift, Loved into BeingIV. Relation and Vulnerability in God and Creation- Creation's Difference, God's Giving- Creation and the Tragic- Divine Vulnerability and TragedyConclusion: Theology of Creation in a Key of Gratitude and HopeNotes6. Worthy of Love? Humanity, Disability, and Redemption in ChristI. Reconsidering the Imago Dei- Imago Dei as Imitatio Dei- Imago Dei as Creativity--Human Being as a Co-Creative Agent of God- Imago Dei as Relationality--Human Being as Embodied along with Others- Imago Dei as Availability--Human Being as Freedom for Love- The Imago Dei and DisabilityII. Sin's Tragedy and the Possibility of Redemption- Sin--Creative Freedom for Love gone Awry- Sin, Idolatry, and the Possibility of RedemptionIII. Reconsidering Redemption in Jesus Christ- Jesus as the Icon of a Vulnerable God: Redemptive Revelation- Jesus: The Fully Human Person- Jesus as God's Solidarity with Humanity: Incarnation, Cross, and ResurrectionConclusion: Reversing DisabilityNotes7. Being Together: Love, Church, and HospitalityI. To Love as Christ Loves: Loving Chris as Christ Loves and Loving Christ as Chris LovesII. The Strange Kingdom of God: Restoring the Imago Dei in Right Relationshipsa. The Creative Power of Inclusion--Welcoming (in) the Kingdomb. Healing Power--Welcome, Transformation, and Wholenessc. Cross as Inclusive Solidarity--The Power of Inabilityd. Disability and the Imitation of ChristIII. The Strange Household of God: Church as the Ongoing Presence of Christa. Church as the Household of God--A New Covenantb. Church as the Body of Christc. Church as Anticipation: The not-yet Kingdom of GodIV. Hospitality: Welcoming (in) the Spirita. Hospitality: Inspirited Openness to the Otherb. Hospitality and DisabilityConclusion: Kindling Hope for the Church as a Communion of StrangersNotes