Sin, Identity, and Same-Sex Desire: Some Lessons from Disability

The context of this seminar is ongoing debates about same-sex desire in light of the biblical story. To gain clarity, this seminar will interact with an intriguing dialogue among disability theologians about the resurrection. Many of them argue that conditions like Down syndrome will not be “healed” at the resurrection, as they believe such healing would erase identity. For instance, they claim a man with Down syndrome would lose continuity with his earthly self if his condition were removed. His identity, tied to his Down syndrome, would be obliterated.

This seminar will critique this perspective, particularly its understanding of identity, and use that critique to engage current debates about same-sex desire and identity. The goal is to articulate a biblically rooted and theologically resilient vision of identity that aligns with Scripture’s teaching on sexuality and sin.