The Full Imago Dei: The Implications of John Wesley's Scriptural Holiness for Conceptions of Suffering and Disability
A desire to eliminate suffering leads many contemporary bioethicists to argue that pregnancy should be terminated when an embryo has been determined to have a genetic condition that could lead to a cognitive disability. This paper demonstrates that the practice of terminating pregnancy in these circ...
| Published in: | Journal of religion, disability & health |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Routledge
2006
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| In: |
Journal of religion, disability & health
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| Further subjects: | B
Disability
B John Wesley B Biopower B prenatal testing B Suffering |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | A desire to eliminate suffering leads many contemporary bioethicists to argue that pregnancy should be terminated when an embryo has been determined to have a genetic condition that could lead to a cognitive disability. This paper demonstrates that the practice of terminating pregnancy in these circumstances is a particular instantiation of the operation of what Michel Foucault has identified as bio-power, which works implicitly through practices such as this one to establish a normative vision of the human person and a corresponding definition of disability. The operation of biopower undermines this practice's internal goals: Rather than expanding choice and eliminating suffering, this practice increases the suffering and limits the choices of families with disabilities. John Wesley's account of scriptural holiness provides a resource for establishing an understanding of personhood that effectively counters the workings of biopower in decision-making regarding disabilities and prenatal testing, and thereby challenges society's views of disability. |
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| ISSN: | 1522-9122 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of religion, disability & health
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1300/J095v09n03_03 |