ABSTRACT
This book is a study of a Christian theology without words, focussing on theology in the Deaf Community. Deaf people's first and preferred method of communication is not English or any other spoken language, but British Sign Language - a language that cannot be written down. Deaf people of faith attend church on a regular basis, profess faith in God and have developed unique approaches to doing theology. While most Western theology is word-centred and is either expressed through or dependent on written texts, theology in the Deaf Community is largely non-written. This book presents and examines some of that theology from the Deaf Community and argues that written texts are not necessary for creative theological debate, a deep spirituality or for ideas about God to develop.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part |42 pages
The Deaf Community and their Language
chapter |21 pages
A Sense of Deaf Identity
chapter |18 pages
Talking with your Hands: Issues in British Sign Language
part |69 pages
In Search of Deaf Theology
chapter |28 pages
Developing Appropriate Research Methods
chapter |22 pages
Deafining and Doing Theology
chapter |17 pages
‘Anyone who has Ears, Let them Hear …'… But what about Deaf People?
part |44 pages
Theology Without Words