My Body is Where I Exist: Poverty, Disability, and Embodied Resistance as a Theology of Practice

Abstract This paper explores embodiment as a locus for theological practices of addressing socio-economic inequality, focusing particularly on the intersections of disability and poverty. Engaging the work of Sharon Betcher and Mayra Rivera, the paper explores the relationship between spirit and flesh, and highlights the need for theologies to engage with and learn from unruly, excluded bodies. The paper constructs three poetic accounts from a collaborative project with UK activists to highlight embodied practices of navigating and resisting inequality, and the creative, sensory knowledges necessary for developing critiques of oppressive systems.