Dignity, Disability, and Destiny: An Interview with Dan Darling
Recently, the Gospel-Centered Family team posted the video content for our first Glorious Hope conference. During the live event, I was able to chat with one of our keynote speakers, Dan Darling, about his address. Here are the questions I asked him:
GCF: In your keynote, you mention theologians like Emil Brunner and even Martin Luther who taught that those who have a diminished mental capacity have less dignity. Who are some contemporary theologians who have corrected this failure? If a pastor or church leader watching wants to strengthen their view of human dignity, who would you encourage them to read?
Dan: That's a great question. When I was writing The Dignity Revolution, some of the sources I used were: Dignity and Destiny by John Kilner, a professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. It's a fantastic look at what the imago Dei means. I also recommend Identity and Idolatry by Richard Lints. He really connects those two concepts in Scripture. I'd also read Derek Kidner's fantastic commentary on Genesis. Lastly, Phillip Yancey's work with Paul Brand: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made is really good. And of course, I highly recommend Joni Eareckson Tada's ministry and work on disability and dignity and Mike Cosper's small group series on the imago Dei with The Gospel Coalition.
GCF: That's great, Dan. Thank you. I think those are probably in order from most scholarly to most accessible, too. Might be best to pick up Yancey and Brand or Tada first then work up to Richard Lints.
Dan: That's right. Kilner is highly academic. I'd probably start with Cosper and Yancey and Tada.
GCF: Second question: You talked about how the church can subtly adopt the culture’s values, valuing people based on their usefulness and utility, or their youth, strength, and beauty. I think that’s hard even for the parent of a child with a disability; we can carry guilt and grief because we think our child's weakness and brokenness diminishes both his or her value and ours as a parent. What biblical passages would you encourage parents to meditate upon in order to fight these lies?
Dan: This is a good question. I think one of the things we are tempted to do is subtly value people in our families or congregations based on their ability to deliver or perform rather than their status as God's image-bearers. In reality, we should value people simply because they are humans with the full image of God.
Perhaps one of the best passages is 2 Samuel 9 and 19 where King David cares for Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was given a prominent place at the king's table, and he was valued because he was Jonathan's son. I think there are wonderful parallels to the status of the disabled community in our churches who have a place at the King's table. I also think 1 Corinthians 12 can be instructive, where Paul reminds us of the need for every part of the body of Christ. One of the most important things we can create in our churches culture-wise is the idea that we not only welcome people who have disabilities but also that we need them, they are a gift to the body of Christ.
GCF: That's a fantastic passage. Mephibosheth, as a son of Saul, was also a threat to David's kingdom. A child with a disability can feel like a threat to a parent's dreams, but their dignity (and God's kingdom) is so much more valuable than the dreams we may have. So much to meditate upon there.
It’s easier, as you said, to advocate for human dignity on social media than to actually love the weak person who is sitting next to you in the pew. It’s hard to show love to the person, for instance, who disrupts a worship service. I’d love to ask you about what that looks like practically. As a teaching pastor, when a person with disabilities or a child with special needs causes a disruption in a worship service, what are some practical things you can do in the moment to honor their dignity?
Dan: That's a good question. I think we first have to settle in our own hearts that persons with disabilities are not projects or problems to be sort of managed, but part of the mosaic of our local body of Christ. So, we should try to work with parents to make our environments as safe and welcoming as possible. And we should expect interruptions and things that might jar us. I think when we expect those things to happen we will react in the moment in a more dignified way than if our expectations are different. I think a pastor's disposition and tone and manner when those interruptions arise go a long way toward communicating the community's ethos.
The Glorious Hope video conference is for church ministry leaders and volunteers who understand the value of individuals with disabilities and want to create an inclusive and inviting culture that meets the unique needs of people with disabilities and their families. Dan Darling, Sandra Peoples, and Alix Carruth explore how the gospel values people with disabilities, help ministry leaders address specific challenges, and cast vision for the joy and possibilities of life in a special needs family. Learn more and order here for just 15 dollars.