International Journal of Humanities Education and Social Sciences
Vol 5 No 5 (2026): IJHESS APRIL 2026

Disabilities as a Gift and Grace in Family Life: Transforming The Parent–Child Relationship Through John Paul II's Theology of The Body

Fabianus Selatang (Pastoral College - Indonesia Pastoral Institute Malang and Widya Sasana College of Philosophy and Theology, Malang, Indonesia)
FX Eko Armada Riyanto (Widya Sasana College of Philosophy and Theology, Malang, Indonesia)
Raymundus I Made Sudhiarsa (Widya Sasana College of Philosophy and Theology, Malang, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
21 Apr 2026

Abstract

Families raising children with disabilities often experience profound relational, emotional, and existential challenges that reshape everyday life. Within these complex dynamics, the parent–child relationship becomes a privileged locus for encountering vulnerability, gift, and mutual transformation. This study aims to explore how the embodied experiences of parents and children with disabilities can be understood and renewed through John Paul II's Theology of the Body, particularly his insights on embodiment, gift, and relationality. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, this research gathers and analyses in-depth interviews with parents of children with disabilities to uncover the lived meanings embedded in their daily interactions. The analysis is guided by the theological framework of the Theology of the Body, complemented by Emmanuel Levinas's ethics of the Other and relational perspectives within contemporary pastoral theology. The findings reveal that parents experience their child's body not as a limitation but as an embodied gift that calls forth deeper empathy, self-giving love, and a renewed sense of human dignity. The child's vulnerability becomes a place of grace that transforms parental identity, spirituality, and the understanding of relational reciprocity. Moreover, the study highlights how embodied encounters foster resilience, reshape family practices, and open new horizons for pastoral accompaniment. In conclusion, the integration of phenomenological insights and theological anthropology demonstrates that disability, when viewed through the lens of the Theology of the Body, becomes a transformative pathway of grace that reconfigures the parent–child relationship and enriches the wider pastoral and theological discourse on embodiment.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ijhess

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Economics, Econometrics & Finance Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences Other

Description

International Journal Of Humanities Education and Social Sciences (IJHESS) is to provide a research medium and an important reference for the advancement and dissemination of research results that support high-level research in the fields Culture of Education and Social Science Research . Original ...