The issue of weakness versus strength in the church, namely, how the church interprets and evaluates the production of fruit in the Christian life, determines much of the conceptual framework whereby church culture understands how relationships work. Furthermore, the framework of strength-centric redemption and discipleship unto triumphed glory to glory often disregards Christ’ relationship toward a sin-infected humanity to which all suffer an infliction of disability. The stark realities of the triumphed church in the face of human weaknesses, in our culture, tends to revere the triumphed, loathing human weaknesses. To demonstrate and defend this Christological anomaly, authorial intent lies in articulating, briefly, how the suffering servant of God in Jesus Christ, who endured the cross, did so, manifestly to bind himself to a broken humanity; not merely as a means for humanity to display super-human strength. In doing so, let us delve into a biblical understanding of power in weakness unto a theology of disability; consider how this motif of power in weakness may transform the life of church community; concluding with some thoughts on the characteristics of a church which faithfully lives out this motif of, power in weakness.
BIBLICAL POWER AND WEAKNESS MOTIF: A THEOLOGY OF DISABILITY
While, by no means, does the Gospel imply one “seek suffering,” as if to “valorize” or “glorify suffering” (Reynolds. 208). However, as Reynolds conveys wonderfully, “but rather by recognizing the graced contingency of human life, which is subject to suffering but also, as symbolized by the risen Christ, points beyond it to new life” (p. 208). A theology of disability conflicts the notions of one’s ego. Meaning, how one interprets the cross of Christ and His’ resurrection, and what this means for Christian community, is demonstrated openly through attitude and relationship toward the disabled and even the “one who is weak in faith” (ESV. Rom. 14:1), in a given church culture. Manifestly, one’s depth of Christian love is revealed in the face of the so-called “weak.” Thus, biblical “power” and “weakness” present their tensions; namely, it is through “weakness” by which Christian vessels operate in godly strength. To which presents the conundrum, an addiction, or ego-gratifying relationship with that which appears strong, at the expense of the weak, therefore, misconstrues the cross of Jesus Christ. Reynolds conveys, “The cross becomes the standard for thinking about God; otherwise, as Luther would contend, the human tendency is to fashion a triumphal God of absolute privilege and power in the theology of glory” (p. 204). A theology of disability, thus, challenges “the cult of normalcy” (p. 103) by centralizing the suffering servant upon the cross, which demonstrates the ultimate expression of power, or strength, exemplified through weakness. “Christ’s death proves God’s love for us (Rom. 5:6-8)” (p 203); human love exerted through the humility of suffering many little crosses displays God’s love in us.
A TRANSFORMATIVE POWER THROUGH THE WEAKNESS OF THE CHURCH
Weakness, as means of Trinitarian power in us, is a measure of humility and vulnerability by which transformative-power perpetuates among us. There are myriads of motifs within contemporary church culture which call for transformation by loving one another; however, seldom has this author heard this call through the lens of the weak, broken, and disabled-manifestly, the useless and forgotten. As mentioned, yet more directly, the American West appears saturated in a triumphalism which subjects weakness as antithetical toward the victory of the cross. This is the “norm.” Reynolds explains, “Deviation from the norm or existing order is considered a weakness because it concretely reveals to us what we come to despise in ourselves; fragility and weakness. We are ashamed of weakness, the fact that we too can be rejected and are, in the end, finite and mortal” (p. 110). And this is the centrality of Paul’s message of weakness in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. So-called “super apostles” (2 Cor. 11:5) seek to dismiss Paul’s apostleship based on his subsequent weaknesses and sufferings for the gospel-similar to a triumphant gospel which despises the weak things as outside the realm of God’s blessings over the life of his’ children. Paul turns this strength, “blessed-based” proof of the favor of God teaching on its head. In light of Jesus speaking, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (v.s. 9), Paul states, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (v.s. 9), and “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses…” (v.s. 10). To invert the definition and outworking of the power of the Gospel upon Christ’s church is to make war with worldly, fleshly strength, a vulnerable identification of human weaknesses which in turn produces strength which matters; depth of genuine relationship as opposed to a cog-machine, which appears to do much, yet is just that, robotic production at the expense of one another.
CONCLUSION: CHARACTERISTICS OF A CHURCH WHICH EMBRACES THIS MOTIF
Hauerwas boldly wrote, “Suffering is built into condition because it is literally true that we exist only to the extent that we sustain, or ‘suffer’ the existence of others” (p. 109) Out of the ashes of the marketization and individualization of the contemporary West is a world of “dependency” (p. 105) upon others, which subsequently satisfies the soul beyond materialized individualization ever could. Thus, the characteristics of the church which embraces “power made perfect in weaknesses” is the church for which the grace of God has empowered a holy-ambition to “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3-4). The church which uses this motif will be empowered to “Outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12:10). The church which embraces a culture of love and compassion and honor for the weak things will find satisfaction in Christ’s power through weakness. And though the church will to an extent always need methods and models to produce fruit within their wider communities, production at the expense of one’s humanity will be seen as the real limitation of the triumphed power of the cross. Disability will no longer be seen as an abnormal discrepancy, contradictory of the blessed life of the favored of God; disability will thus emulate a plumb-line for which the church measures its love for one another. And subsequently-so will the outside world take note.
Works Cited
ESV. English Standard Version. The Holy Bible. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway,2001. Print.
Reynolds, Thomas E. Vulnerable Communion: A Theology of Disability and Hospitality.
Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2008. Print.