From the Revd Bob Shrine
Sir, — It really is a great pity that, beneath the photo of a sign-language interpreter at the General Synod (Synod, 22 February), your caption stated that “the debates were signed for members of the General Synod with poor hearing.”
This statement is not only highly negative and quite inaccurate: it is also needlessly offensive to those of us who are working to promote a positive image of Deaf people’s participation in, and contribution to, the life of the Church.
The vast majority of people with “poor hearing”, whom we might call “hard of hearing”, do not understand or use British Sign Language (BSL). Therefore the presence of the interpreter is of little or no benefit to them. The main function of a BSL/English interpreter is to facilitate communication between culturally Deaf BSL-users — often referred to as “Deaf” with a capital “D” — and people using spoken English.
BSL/English interpreters attend General Synod, not “for members with poor hearing”, but to enable the Synod’s three Deaf members to participate fully in the business of Synod. These members are representatives of Deaf Anglicans Together, the grass-roots organisation for Deaf people in the Church of England.
The Church of England recognises BSL as a valid and appropriate language in which to express the liturgy of the Church. In virtually all dioceses, there are church services conducted in BSL by clergy (and, in some cases, lay ministers), providing direct ministry to members of the Deaf community in our own language, and by means appropriate to our culture. Also, some Deaf people attend regular church services with the support of BSL/English interpreters.
We Deaf people in the Church of England are proud to express our faith through our own language and culture. We would rather not be considered merely people with “poor hearing”.
BOB SHRINE
Chair, Deaf Anglicans Together
80 Carr House Road
Shelf,
Halifax HX3 7RJ
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