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Healing
the Blind and the Sighted: Katherine
Schneider
The images of the blind in the New Testament have stigmatized and made ill the very people that the stories discussed curing. This paper considers, from a blind woman psychologist's perspective, ways to revision these images to heal both the blind individual and the faith community. Christian views of blindness have included seeing it as an impurity (metaphorically representing sin), a reason for compassionate action from the sighted, an opportunity for miraculous healing and as a blessing making one a "better person." These images have objectified and isolated blind people. The giving of alms instead of work opportunities continues to this day, with 70% of blind adults in the U.S. unemployed. This paper considers blindness from a liberation theology perspective. The discrimination and marginalization felt by the blind is healed by an image of Jesus as a boundary crosser. In solidarity with this Jesus, the blind and the sighted together in faith communities can heal the hurts and the misunderstandings that have built up over two thousand years since Jesus healed the blind man in John chapter 9. Practical implications for faith community members and for allies in changing popular and political responses to the blind are considered. The healing of the blind can thus be transformed into the curing of their communities' lack of vision.
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