Dancing with the demons: A disability inclusive reading of Mark 9:14–29
Review & Expositor May 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/00346373251370721 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Mark 9:14–29 should be read through a theology of disability as an invitation to "dance with the spirits" rather than as a triumph of faith over affliction. Contends that Jesus's healing is not a mandate to erase difference but a call to shared vulnerability and embodied community, reframing disability as ground for prophetic witness rather than a lack of faith. |
Abstract
This work explores Mark 9:14–29 through the lens of theology of disability, reimagining the traditional interpretation of “casting out the spirits” as an invitation to “dance with the spirits.” Drawing from lived experience and theological reflection, it challenges dominant Christian narratives that treat disability as a problem to be healed, fixed, or hidden. Instead of reading this passage as a triumph of faith over affliction, I explore how it opens space for honoring disabled bodies as bearers of divine presence. Situating the text within ancient understandings of spirit possession and illness, particularly epilepsy, I trace how these historical perceptions continue to shape modern ableist assumptions. Using a disability-informed reader-response approach, the work critiques how ableism persists in Christian theology and practice. I argue that Jesus’s healing here is not a mandate to erase difference, but a call to shared vulnerability, mutual care, and embodied community. Disability is reframed not as a lack of faith but as ground for prophetic witness and theological insight. This re-reading offers a more inclusive and compassionate theological framework that affirms disabled persons as vital, whole participants in the life of faith.