Jesus Christ, a compassionate companion: Christological reflections in the time of the HIV/AIDS pandemic

Who do people living with HIV/AIDS say Jesus Christ is in their context of stigmatisation? This is an ancient Christological question that helps us understand and deal with this issue in a new way. This article presents the views of people living with HIV/AIDS about the role of Jesus to them in a c...

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Main Author: E. S. Mligo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2014-12-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2628
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author E. S. Mligo
author_facet E. S. Mligo
author_sort E. S. Mligo
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description Who do people living with HIV/AIDS say Jesus Christ is in their context of stigmatisation? This is an ancient Christological question that helps us understand and deal with this issue in a new way. This article presents the views of people living with HIV/AIDS about the role of Jesus to them in a context of HIV/AIDS-related stigmatisation. Through their reading of biblical texts from the Gospel according to John, people living with HIV/AIDS argue that Jesus Christ is a compassionate companion who not only sympathises with them, but also cares for them and seeks to improve their situation. In this instance, the article critiques the “cult of normalcy” ever embraced by the church that excludes those it considers to be abnormal and includes those it considers to be normal. This “cult of  normalcy” is contrary to the compassionate way in which Jesus treated those who were suffering.
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spelling doaj-art-03531b21a793419f8328b48b4f92b49a2025-02-11T09:56:18ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892014-12-0134210.38140/at.v34i2.2628Jesus Christ, a compassionate companion: Christological reflections in the time of the HIV/AIDS pandemicE. S. Mligo0University of Iringa, Tanzania Who do people living with HIV/AIDS say Jesus Christ is in their context of stigmatisation? This is an ancient Christological question that helps us understand and deal with this issue in a new way. This article presents the views of people living with HIV/AIDS about the role of Jesus to them in a context of HIV/AIDS-related stigmatisation. Through their reading of biblical texts from the Gospel according to John, people living with HIV/AIDS argue that Jesus Christ is a compassionate companion who not only sympathises with them, but also cares for them and seeks to improve their situation. In this instance, the article critiques the “cult of normalcy” ever embraced by the church that excludes those it considers to be abnormal and includes those it considers to be normal. This “cult of  normalcy” is contrary to the compassionate way in which Jesus treated those who were suffering. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2628
spellingShingle E. S. Mligo
Jesus Christ, a compassionate companion: Christological reflections in the time of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
Acta Theologica
title Jesus Christ, a compassionate companion: Christological reflections in the time of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
title_full Jesus Christ, a compassionate companion: Christological reflections in the time of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
title_fullStr Jesus Christ, a compassionate companion: Christological reflections in the time of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Jesus Christ, a compassionate companion: Christological reflections in the time of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
title_short Jesus Christ, a compassionate companion: Christological reflections in the time of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
title_sort jesus christ a compassionate companion christological reflections in the time of the hiv aids pandemic
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2628
work_keys_str_mv AT esmligo jesuschristacompassionatecompanionchristologicalreflectionsinthetimeofthehivaidspandemic