Theology without Words (Explorations in Practical, Pastoral and Empirical Theology)

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. The author provides a discussion of the deaf community in Britain to reflect part of the international dimension of what it means to be a member of the community. She examines how the deaf approach their theology, how they have learned, understand and interpret images of God in the Bible, and what the content of their theology is Studies Christian theology without words, focussing on theology in the Deaf Community. 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. The deaf community and their language In search of deaf theology Theology without words.