Sean Major-Campbell | Human rights and those with disabilities

ON THE second Sunday of Advent, last week, Christ Church hosted the annual human rights service ahead of International Human Rights Day. On that Sunday when we lit the candle of peace, the sounds of Peter Tosh blared from the holy place:

“Everyone is crying out for peace, yes

None is crying out for justice

I don’t want no peace

I need equal rights and justice

I need equal rights and justice.”

No wonder that Dr Imani Tafari Ama surprised herself with peaked interest that she was entering the space of church, LOL.

The Rev Dr Barrington Buchanan declared, “We need prophets. The people who sit in darkness, in deep despair. We need prophets. The people who look around and see destruction and desolation. We need prophets. The people who have no voice, no rights, no hope – we need prophets, because prophets proclaim a new and better way. Prophets are truth-tellers to a world longing and praying and looking for glimpses of hope.”

Fr Buchanan, who himself developed a disability after being affected by polio when he was child, lost no time in noting that by standards in Leviticus, he should not be welcomed in the church. It was a profound reminder that much of the priestly code in Leviticus belonged to another era and not of value in the Christian understanding of the God of righteousness, peace, and love.

In Leviticus 21, the word states: “The Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God. No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.”

Many Christians who weaponise Leviticus, do not realise that if they wear eyeglasses, then they would not have qualified to work in the temple as a priest. Thanks to an evolution in theological thought, Christianity recognises the priesthood of all believers. And even when there are those who are further called out of the called out to be ordained, they are not selected based on Levitical codes and stipulations.

The preacher lost no time in affirming that the differently abled (people living with disability) have a special place in God’s kingdom. There is a place for everyone in the Kingdom of God.

Christ Church, Vineyard Town maintains that it is a gospel imperative to speak for the forgotten, the oppressed and downtrodden. We believe that in the same way church has been a vehicle for corruption and wickedness, it should in accordance with the witness of Jesus Christ, be a vehicle for peace and love and justice for all.

Two faithful attendees and participants in the service over the years again shared with us. Dr Michael Abrahams and the Julian Robinson, member of Parliament for Southeastern St Andrew again stood in solidarity with the work of human rights and justice for all. Justices of the peace for Kingston, led by Custos Rotolorum of Kingston, Steadman Fuller, were also in attendance as they affirmed their role and function for the work of justice.

We live in a world where human rights are increasingly under attack. People in many places are embolden in their racial prejudices and discrimination. Violence against women and girls continue in a world where it is still widely acceptable for the feminine to be devalued, demeaned, and demoralised. Ms. Antanna Allen’s testimonial of abuse and the attendant disability due to clinical depression was profound. A timely reminder that disability is not just what we see in relation to a wheelchair.

Since we have ramps at Christ Church, we were so pleased with ourselves until we discovered that our visiting priest was not even able to enter the sanctuary (the area with the altar). The same is true of the pulpit and the chancel. The reality of ministry with people living with disabilities is that they should always be involved in advising those who would seek to do what is right by PLWDs. Key populations ought of necessity to be the ones to inform those who would plan to serve effectively rather than patronisingly.

We were hoping that since our political servants and leaders are preparing for national elections, they would be able to spend some time with us in this celebration of equal rights and justice for all. Suffice to say that we did receive apologies from the offices of the prime minister and the leader of the Opposition, who were invited to bring greetings.

May we at all levels of our society become more sensitive to the needs of people living with disabilities. May Advent blessings of hope, peace, joy, and love attend you all.

Sholom, ubuntu, peace.