Notas del episodio
In part two of this interview on Benedictine Thought in Action, hosts Jon and Jason welcome back Dr. Sarah J. Barton, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School. Shifting from methodology to practical application, the conversation examines how Rule of Benedict Chapter 36 interfaces with modern understandings of disability, contrasting acute illness with lifelong conditions to show how expectations of quick cures can undermine sustained hospitality. Dr. Barton also re-evaluates resurrection theology, highlighting how Christ’s wounds validate diverse human bodies rather than erasing particularity in the eschaton.
The discussion deepens as Dr. Barton positions baptism as an antidote to ecclesial exclusion, emphasizing that the Holy Spirit endows every individual with unique gifts regardless of cognitive or physical support needs. Addressing the healing of the blind man in John 9, she disconnects divine glory from physical cure, framing Jesus's ministry as a call for broader community transformation rather than simple bodily remediation. The episode concludes with practical pastoral reflections alongside curated recommendations spanning theology, fiction, and neurodiversity.