Most religions strive to make the word of their creator open to all. But how does this attitude reflect a language that isn’t as common? Language is how a worshipper connects with the message. It’s also how they connect with the people they practice with.
So, how is faith enhancing the spiritual connection of deaf people through Sign Language in religious worship?
Keep reading.
The Idea of Spirituality vs. Religion
Connection with a higher entity doesn’t necessarily have to be through organized religion. What organized religion can give is a community to be part of. Deaf people have others with a common belief to worship with. Religion is more representative in collectivist cultures because of the idea of togetherness.
Spirituality is more individualistic. It’s developing a belief system based on many things. You can have mixed ideas and values through various religions. The most important component of spirituality is finding a sense of peace and purpose in your life. It’s a helpful tool to find the answer to that ambiguous question about the meaning of life.
We’re not saying that one way is better than the other, especially for the deaf community. A deaf person could even be a mixture of both. The point is that religion can foster a spiritual connection.
Sign Language and Accessibility
Accessibility makes life a world easier for deaf people. Giving them the same opportunity as a hearing person is also a form of respect. Though they have their unique community, recognition is important. Rather than being treated like outsiders, they can be part of the larger society.
Having opportunities to participate in the same things as the hearing community opens doors, especially in the context of a language barrier.
We all know how hard it is to be in a place where you can’t speak the language. You feel like a newborn baby in an adult body. That is a struggle for deaf people for many things. However, there are some services and organizations that cater to these specific issues. These are through translation services for places like social programs and healthcare.
Even as technology and AI improve at an alarming rate, they cannot seem to catch up with the growing number of people who are deaf or have other disabilities worldwide, according to Unitar. The exclusion in many countries, including North America, threatens the deaf community.
But the real issue comes in at a sacred level. Religion serves as a safe space for those who choose to be part of it. Some religious places lack the support to provide to all their attendees, especially deaf people. And there’s a sense of frustration that comes along with it.
Connecting with the Meaning Through Sign Language
Picture this. You are participating in a ritual. You look around at the crowd and see everyone feeling the moment, Yet, you can’t understand why because the language is unfamiliar. That is what going to a place of worship for deaf people feels like.
There’s a reason that people follow a religion. They can believe in something bigger than who they are and define a purpose in their life. It provides a structure and a community to immerse yourself in. Deaf people are seeking the same motives in the following religion. These ideas can change their life.
However, holy books aside from the Bible are not in Sign Language. Therefore, what can the deaf worshipper feel from being lost in translation? A welcoming, inclusive, and aware community should provide these things for deaf people do not feel frustrated because the message gets lost. Physically going to church is a big part of the experience. Taking that part away can cause a deaf person to turn away. As The Tablet reports, deaf Catholics can feel uninspired to attend masses because there is little deaf support in some churches in the United States. They see it as their feelings and spiritual connection being dismissed.
The First Sign Language Bible
It was a long time in the making, almost 40 years. Hundreds of deaf volunteers participated in a project that many had doubts would ever come to be. That was the ASL adaptation of the Holy Bible.
Christianity Today reported that the final version was published in 2021. The deaf volunteers trained in Biblical languages such as Hebrew and Aramaic. The Christian community was motivated to spread the word of God and promote more accessibility within. That meant creating the ASL Bible for deaf Christians.
The ASL Bible Paves the Way
The intensive process costs thousands to get it right. They could not simply sign in a biblical language to sign language. That wouldn’t convey the word of God meaningfully because language carries a strong meaning depending on the context. For example, when a leader gives a speech or the words you hear in a song that makes you emotional.
That is why the ASL Bible went through so many checks to encapsulate the scriptures perfectly. Sign Language is at the heart and soul of the deaf community. And religion is one aspect of their culture. Creating this book in their mother tongue develops a deep connection and brings them closer to God. They can find positive feelings in furthering their relationship.
With more resources that increase accessibility for deaf people comes a larger community of acceptance. A Bible in ASL is only the start to nurturing a strong relationship with God and feeling heard by him. It conveys the idea that there are no walls between a deaf person and God because he is supposed to love everyone. The feeling that God gets the deaf worshipper contributes to overall peace and well-being.
The first ASL Bible is one way of breaking the spiritual barriers between the hearing and deaf community. To learn about other ways that companies and services are diminishing the barriers for the deaf visit, https://www.unspokenasl.com/
Thumbnail Photo Credit to: “I love you in sign language” by Bert Heymans is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.
