Deconstructing Miracles

Dr W Graham Monteith firmly believes that theology must be born in the community and out of personal experience. He has cerebral palsy and many of the images in "Deconstructing Miracles" were implanted in his mind in Westerlea (a pioneering special school in Edinburgh, now the Head Office of Capability Scotland) where Graham learned to think without writing and use dictation as a medium. Dr Monteith wrestled for many years with his own and his family's incredulity about Jesus' miracles and comes up with some surprising answers from the world of theology. Resisting the temptation to say that lives of disabled people are miracles in themselves - nothing so trite - Graham detects the beginning of an awareness in the Church that it must develop a more mature understanding of disability. Dr Monteith argues that disability is a normal fact of life which many people do not understand. He shows us that, in the miracles more than anywhere else, Jesus demonstrated a unique understanding of the issues of social isolation and exclusion.'A remarkable contribution' - Iain Torrance, former Moderator of the General Assembly, Emeritus Professor, Patristics and Christian Ethics, University of Aberdeen. 'This is great' - John Swinton, Professor, Practical Theology and Pastoral Care, University of Aberdeen.