The video below offers a beautiful, authentic, interfaith perspective from both families and faith leaders on welcoming members with autism and their families.
The video is 30 minutes long and includes great ideas on how to open up dialog between families and faith leaders and provides greater understanding of the challenges and gifts that autism brings into a family.
I attended the 2012 Summer Institute on Theology and Disability at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois. Below is a collection of notes and resources from the conference. This list will continue to be updated, additions, updates and corrections are welcome, just send me a note at christopher@faithability.org!
"It's only in community that you will hear singing" --John McKnight
At the recent Summer Institute on Theology and Disability Bill Gaventa made some suggestions on what the songs of the disability and religion movement might be:
The complete title of Erik Carter's Monday Morning presentation at the 2012 Summer Institute on Theology and Disability was What Matters Most: Families, Disabilities, and Compelling Congregational Supports. He shared research he is doing on practices of faith communities and the importance of congregational supports for youth with disabilities.
Tom has a son named Chris who is on the autism spectrum (Asperger's syndrome) and in their journey, inclusion has been a buzzword that often leads to dead ends and frustration.
Robin McCarthy, who uses a wheelchair, is to be consecrated into the Sisters for a Christian Community in the spring. Five other religious communities had rejected her.
Robin McCarthy wanted to be a nun from the time she was 7 years old. Robin says:
I attended a disability training last week given for a large group of teachers. During the training, I repeatedly heard the idea that we need to be mindful of accessibility issues because we all have a disability. The presenter was trying to get across the idea of a very broad definition of disability that would probably include wearing glasses, being left-handed or not liking brussel sprouts- characteristics that may at times be an inconvenience. While this statement might convey the idea to some that we all have strengths and weaknesses, I don't think that the statement, "we all have disabilities" is an effective way to change attitudes for a couple of reasons.