When God sends Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery, the prophet famously says no. Why? Moses describes himself as “slow of speech and slow of tongue”—in other words, as a man with a speech disability. While some commentators treat Moses’ disability as a spiritual impediment, we’ll bring Moses’ story into conversation with the life experiences and activism of contemporary disability communities. We’ll grapple with spiritual and political questions about access and equity, invisibility and silence, as well as practices for transforming social inequality and shame to illuminate the provocative power of spiritual leadership that centres disability wisdom.
Join Julia Watts Belser for conversation and learning about her new book Loving Our Own Bones: Disability Wisdom and the Spiritual Subversiveness of Knowing Ourselves Whole, which brings Jewish sacred texts into conversation with disability culture to deepen conversations about disability, spirituality, and social justice.
As a Rabbi and person with a disability, Julia brings a unique and brilliantly insightful perspective to disability in our shared scriptures. She explores how these insights impact our theological understanding and social context and redeems disability as central to the purposes of God both historically and in contemporary culture.
Each webinar will last for 90 minutes and include input from Julia, with time in small groups and Q and A.
Please use the Eventbrite links below to register.
A Zoom link will be sent before the meeting.
Captions will be enabled.
If you have any additional access requirements – information and slides in advance or BSL – please let John Beauchamp know about this at john.beauchamp@london.anglican.org
Julia Watts Belser (she/her) is a rabbi, scholar, and spiritual teacher, as well as a longtime activist for disability, LGBTQ, and gender justice. She is a professor of Jewish Studies in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Georgetown University and core faculty in Georgetown’s Disability Studies Program. Her latest book, Loving Our Own Bones: Disability Wisdom and the Spiritual Subversiveness of Knowing Ourselves Whole, won a National Jewish Book Award. She’s an avid wheelchair hiker, a devoted gardener, and a lover of wild places.