Idol Talk? In the Image of the Disabled God: Disability, the IMAGO DEI and Practical Consequences

The Loyola Institute and the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry invite papers for this conference to be held 22-23 May 2025 at ACU’s Melbourne Campus.

The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life conducted two listening exercises among disabled Catholics in preparation for the Synod on Synodality. In its most recent, “An Unlimited Joy”, those consulted called upon the Church to recognise that disability has no relationship with sin (original or otherwise) and that limitation is an intrinsic characteristic of the nature of the human person, who is created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1, 26-27). All these limits were taken on and redeemed by a merciful God who through Incarnation took upon himself our humanity in its entirety. Accordingly, the contributors called for a deeper theological reflection on the Incarnation and Redemption and the baptismal dignity of all in the context of disability.

In response to that call, this conference invites papers reflecting on:

• the theoretical understanding of disability and human limitation (and society’s response to it) in the context of Incarnation;
• the practical response to it by Church and society at large; and
• the prophetic role of the Church in relation to the “internal exile” (Fratelli Tutti 98) of many of its members

200 word abstracts are due Monday 17 February 2025.