The Disabled Church

Author : Rebecca F. Spurrier
Publisher : Fordham University Press
Page : 408 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2019-10-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780823285549

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The Disabled Church by Rebecca F. Spurrier Pdf

How do communities consent to difference? How do they recognize and create the space and time necessary for the differences and disabilities of those who constitute them? Christian congregations often make assumptions about the shared abilities, practices, and experiences that are necessary for communal worship. The author of this provocative new book takes a hard look at these assumptions through a detailed ethnographic study of an unusual religious community where more than half the congregants live with diagnoses of mental illness, many coming to the church from personal care homes or independent living facilities. Here, people’s participation in worship disrupts and extends the formal orders of worship. Whenever one worships God at Sacred Family Church, there is someone who is doing it differently. Here, the author argues, the central elements and the participation in the symbols of Christian worship raise questions rather than supply clear markers of unity, prompting the question, What do you need in order to have a church that assumes difference at its heart? Based on three years of ethnographic research, The Disabled Church describes how the Sacred Family community, comprising people with very different mental abilities, backgrounds, and resources, sustains and embodies a common religious identity. It explores how an ethic of difference is both helped and hindered by a church’s embodied theology. Paying careful attention to how these congregants improvise forms of access to a common liturgy, this book offers a groundbreaking theology of worship that engages both the fragility and beauty revealed by difference within the church. As liturgy requires consent to difference rather than coercion, an aesthetic approach to differences within Christian liturgy provides a frame for congregations and Christian liturgists to pay attention to the differences and disabilities of worshippers. This book creates a distinctive conversation between critical disability studies, liturgical aesthetics, and ethnographic theology, offering an original perspective on the relationship between beauty and disability within Christian communities. Here is a transformational theological aesthetics of Christian liturgy that prioritizes human difference and argues for the importance of the Disabled Church.

Author : Lamar Hardwick
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
Page : 214 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2021-02-09
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780830841615

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Disability and the Church by Lamar Hardwick Pdf

IVP Readers' Choice Award Lamar Hardwick was thirty-six years old when he found out he was on the autism spectrum. While this revelation helped him understand and process his own experience, it also prompted a difficult re-evaluation of who he was as a person. And as a pastor, it started him on a new path of considering the way disabled people are treated in the church. Disability and the Church is a practical and theological reconsideration of the church's responsibilities to the disabled community. Too often disabled persons are pushed away from the church or made to feel unwelcome in any number of ways. As Hardwick writes, "This should not be." He insists that the good news of Jesus affirms God's image in all people, and he offers practical steps and strategies to build stronger, truly inclusive communities of faith.

Author : John Gillibrand
Publisher : Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Page : 208 pages
File Size : 49,8 Mb
Release : 2010-02-15
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 0857003615

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Disabled Church - Disabled Society by John Gillibrand Pdf

In this moving and intelligent book John Gillibrand, an Anglican priest, draws on his experience of caring for his non-verbal son, Adam, who has autism and is now a teenager. He reflects on how the experience has changed not just his life, but also his whole way of thinking about theology, politics and philosophy. Illuminated by an account of his day to day experiences with Adam, and deeper reflection upon the meaning of that experience, John Gillibrand considers the challenges that autism - and disability in general - present to the western tradition of thought in theology and philosophy. His experiences lead him to consider the place of people with autism in relation to religion and philosophy, and how the difficulties in providing adequate public services for those with autism and their carers point to a need for radical transformation of western political structures. This thoughtful and incisive book will be of interest to theologians, philosophers and sociologists, as well as to all those trying to integrate people with autism into society. Parents and carers will find much to reflect on. Shortlisted for the Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing 2013.

Author : Michael S. Beates
Publisher : Crossway
Page : 192 pages
File Size : 43,6 Mb
Release : 2012-07-31
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781433530487

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Disability and the Gospel by Michael S. Beates Pdf

Michael Beates's concern with disability issues began nearly 30 years ago when his eldest child was born with multiple profound disabilities. Now, as more families like Michael's are affected by a growing number of difficulties ranging from down syndrome to autism to food allergies, the need for church programs and personal paradigm shifts is greater than ever. Working through key Bible passages on brokenness and disability while answering hard questions, Michael offers here helpful principles for believers and their churches. He shows us how to embrace our own brokenness and then to embrace those who are more physically and visibly broken, bringing hope and vision to those of us who need it most.

Author : Christian Services Publishing
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2004-01-01
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1593521294

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The Disabled Church by Christian Services Publishing Pdf

Author : Amy Kenny
Publisher : Baker Books
Page : 217 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2022-05-17
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781493437092

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My Body Is Not a Prayer Request by Amy Kenny Pdf

"With humorous prose and wry wit, Kenny makes a convincing case for all Christians to do more to meet access needs and embrace disabilities as part of God's kingdom. . . . Inclusivity-minded Christians will cheer the lessons laid out here."--Publishers Weekly Much of the church has forgotten that we worship a disabled God whose wounds survived resurrection, says Amy Kenny. It is time for the church to start treating disabled people as full members of the body of Christ who have much more to offer than a miraculous cure narrative and to learn from their embodied experiences. Written by a disabled Christian, this book shows that the church is missing out on the prophetic witness and blessing of disability. Kenny reflects on her experiences inside the church to expose unintentional ableism and cast a new vision for Christian communities to engage disability justice. She shows that until we cultivate church spaces where people with disabilities can fully belong, flourish, and lead, we are not valuing the diverse members of the body of Christ. Offering a unique blend of personal storytelling, fresh and compelling writing, biblical exegesis, and practical application, this book invites readers to participate in disability justice and create a more inclusive community in church and parachurch spaces. Engaging content such as reflection questions and top-ten lists are included.

Author : Rev. Dr. Theresa C. Taylor
Publisher : WestBow Press
Page : 166 pages
File Size : 48,7 Mb
Release : 2018-10-23
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781973642879

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Enabling the Disabled by Rev. Dr. Theresa C. Taylor Pdf

Are you looking for church growth? Maybe you need more volunteers? Do you want to tap into the largest group of unreached people in the United States and in the world? Do you know what this group is? They are our neighbors, and they are in this group simply because they are disabled. Enabling the Disabled will help you get to know those with disabilities, and it will show you what they can and will bring to your church family. Disabilities hit all of us at one point in time, whether they are temporary or permanent. And disabilities cross over all social groups. But God commands us to love our neighbor, and he doesn’t qualify this by saying only love those you are comfortable with. Author Rev. Dr. Theresa C. Taylor encourages you to welcome them with a genuine desire to have them become part of the body of Christ. God wants each of us to dance at his throne in heaven, regardless of what our physical circumstances may be while we sojourn on the earth. So what are you doing to help the disabled glorify God? Enabling the Disabled will give you the understanding and the tools you need to do a better job welcoming the disabled into your church.

Author : David Deuel,Nathan John
Publisher : Hendrickson Publishers
Page : 248 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2021-10-05
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781683072881

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Disability in Mission by David Deuel,Nathan John Pdf

Disability in Mission: The Churchs Hidden Treasure outlines a radical change in approaches to missiology, missions, and praxis for the twenty-first-century global cultural context. It explores a pattern whereby God works powerfully in missions through disability and not in spite of it. No matter what our disability or vulnerability may be, God can use us; and if the body of Christ is supportive, people with disability can be effective agents of transformation in the mission field. Via a number of case studies of people with disabilities who are involved in missions, and with robust biblical and missiological justification, this book examines the role of those with disability in missions. Includes a foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada. TABLE OF CONTENTS: Foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada Introduction by Nathan G. John 1. Disability and Biblical Weakness by David C. Deuel 2. Moses, Messenger of Weakness by David C. Deuel 3. Kingdom Impact through Weakness and Disability by Bonnie Baker Armistead 4. Unformed yet Ordained by J. M. Paul 5. Called and Equipped through Paraplegia by Barry Funnell 6. Paul the Leper and Olive the Servant by David C. Deuel 7. Being a Mission Partner with Disability in Kenya by Paul Lindoewood 8. People with Disabilities on Short-Term Mission by Jeff McNair 9. Weak to Weaker: For Children with Disabilities across the Globe by Natalie Flickner 10. Deciding to Go on Mission with Disability by Justin Reimer 11. Mission Possible: The Role of Member Care in Mobilizing Workers with Disabilities by Deanna Richey Conclusion: Disability and Mission: For His Glory by Nathan G. John

Author : Bethany McKinney Fox
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
Page : 223 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2019-05-28
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780830872381

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Disability and the Way of Jesus by Bethany McKinney Fox Pdf

2019 IVP Readers' Choice Award What does healing mean for people with disabilities? The Gospels are filled with accounts of Jesus offering physical healing. But even as churches today seek to follow the way of Jesus, people with disabilities all too often experience the very opposite of healing and life-giving community: exclusion, judgment, barriers. Misinterpretation and misapplication of biblical healing narratives can do great damage, yet those who take the Bible seriously mustn't avoid these passages either. Bethany McKinney Fox believes that Christian communities are better off when people with disabilities are an integral part of our common life. In Disability and the Way of Jesus, she considers how the stories of Jesus' healings can guide us toward mutual thriving. How did Jesus' original audience understand his works of healing, and how should we relate to these texts today? After examining the healing narratives in their biblical and cultural contexts, Fox considers perspectives from medical doctors, disability scholars, and pastors to more fully understand what Jesus does as he heals and how he points the way for relationships with people with disabilities. Personal reflections from Christians with disabilities are featured throughout the book, which concludes with suggestions for concrete practices adaptable to a variety of church settings. Bridging biblical studies, ethics, and disability studies with the work of practitioners, Fox provides a unique resource that is both theologically grounded and winsomely practical. Disability and the Way of Jesus provides new lenses on holistic healing for scholars, laypeople, and ministry leaders who care about welcoming all people as Jesus would.

Author : Amy Simpson
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
Page : 225 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2013-04-03
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780830843046

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Troubled Minds by Amy Simpson Pdf

Reflecting on the confusion, shame and grief brought on by her mother's schizophrenia, Amy Simpson provides a bracing look at the social and physical realities of mental illness. Reminding us that people with mental illness are our neighbors and our brothers and sisters in Christ, she explores new possibilities for the church to minister to this stigmatized group.

Author : Albert A Herzog
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 246 pages
File Size : 50,6 Mb
Release : 2012-11-12
Category : Medical
ISBN : 9781136449031

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Disability Advocacy Among Religious Organizations by Albert A Herzog Pdf

Gain insight into the importance of advocacy for the disabled within various religious and secular organizations You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Romans 13:9) Through the years, religious organizations have worked to fulfill this biblical mandate. Disability Advocacy Among Religious Organizations: Histories and Reflections chronicles the progress of different ministries’ advocacy for the disabled since 1950 as they worked toward fulfilling this mission. This enlightening history of several religious organizations’ efforts charts the trends in advocacy while offering readers insight into ways to assist people with disabilities both within religious organizations and in society. Issues are explored by drawing upon numerous documents, communications, and in-depth reviews of the advocates’ work. This book draws together in a single volume the stories of various religious organizations and their struggles to advocate for the disabled. Because of society’s tendency to isolate and fear them, special needs individuals such as the mentally and physically disabled have long found it difficult to be accepted, understood, or to receive proper care. However, ministries strive to be advocates for all of their members and their needs, including education, treatment, and appropriate legislation. Disability Advocacy Among Religious Organizations: Histories and Reflections recounts the steps organizations have taken to focus on ending isolation and fear through inclusion and appropriate care of members with various disabilities. These historical accounts examine the depth, breadth, and on-going need for disability advocacy in religious organizations. Disability Advocacy Among Religious Organizations: Histories and Reflections discusses the advocacy backgrounds of: the World Council of Churches the National Council of Churches National Catholic Partnership on Disability National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry American mainline Protestant denominations—the American Baptist Convention, Disciples of Christ, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church USA, the United Methodist Church, and the United Church of Christ the Christian Reformed Church American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) Religion and Spirituality Division Bethesda Lutheran homes and Services, Inc. the Christian Council on Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) Friendship Ministries Joni and Friends the Mennonite advocacy for persons with disabilities the Religion and Disability Program of the National Organization on Disability Disability Advocacy Among Religious Organizations: Histories and Reflections is valuable reading for clergy and laypeople in disability advocacy in religious organizations, educators, students, seminary students preparing for ministries, and religious historians.

Author : Summer Kinard
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 294 pages
File Size : 46,9 Mb
Release : 2019
Category : Church work with people with disabilities
ISBN : 1944967613

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Of Such is the Kingdom by Summer Kinard Pdf

Disability is not a boundary to holiness, because God is with us. But it can sometimes be an obstacle to full participation in the life of the Church, simply because many do not understand what is needed to help people with disabilities overcome any physical, mental, or interpersonal challenges they may face in church and in leading an Orthodox Christian life. This book addresses the question from theological, practical, and experiential perspectives, giving individuals and families with disabilities the opportunity to voice their needs and suggest some things the rest of us can do to make them welcome in the household of God.

Author : Larry J. Waters,Roy B. Zuck
Publisher : Crossway
Page : 338 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2011-07-07
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781433525834

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Why, O God? (Foreword by Randy Alcorn) by Larry J. Waters,Roy B. Zuck Pdf

With two in seven American families affected by disability, the body of Christ has a great opportunity for ministry. This new anthology uniquely points the way, training churches, caregivers, pastors, and counselors to compassionately respond. The book's contributors—ranging from Joni Eareckson Tada and others living with disabilities, to seminary professors, ministry leaders, and medical professionals—do more than offer a biblical perspective on suffering and disability; they draw from very personal experiences to explore Christians' responsibility toward those who suffer. The volume addresses various disabilities and age-related challenges, end-of-life issues, global suffering, and other concerns—all the while reminding readers that as they seek to help the hurting, they will be ministered to in return. This unprecedented work, which includes a foreword by Randy Alcorn, belongs in the hands of every Christian worker and caring individual who is seeking a real-world, biblical perspective on suffering.

Author : Gordon Temple
Publisher : SPCK
Page : 65 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2012-09-11
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780281066506

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Enabling Church by Gordon Temple Pdf

If we are all made in the image of God, 'fearfully and wonderfully made' as the psalmist puts it, what does that mean if we can't see, or can't walk; if we can't hear, or can't speak? How can we be said to share in God's unconditional love if we are humiliated by epileptic seizures? If we can't remember our own name because of the ravages of dementia? Or if the only response of which we are capable is a smile? How can we truly be a valued and valuable part of the Body of Christ here on earth - the Church? This rich resource book for church leaders, congregations and small groups challenges us to get to grips with what the Bible says about disability - and what the Church could do in response. Themes of understanding, inclusion and interdependency are explored through discussion, prayer, worship, hands-on activities and listening to the authentic voices of disabled people.

Author : Stephen Grcevich, MD
Publisher : Zondervan
Page : 208 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2018-02-06
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780310534822

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Mental Health and the Church by Stephen Grcevich, MD Pdf

The church across North America has struggled to minister effectively with children, teens, and adults with common mental health conditions and their families. One reason for the lack of ministry is the absence of a widely accepted model for mental health outreach and inclusion. In Mental Health and the Church: A Ministry Handbook for Including Children and Adults with ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, and Other Common Mental Health Conditions, Dr. Stephen Grcevich presents a simple and flexible model for mental health inclusion ministry for implementation by churches of all sizes, denominations, and organizational styles. The model is based upon recognition of seven barriers to church attendance and assimilation resulting from mental illness: stigma, anxiety, self-control, differences in social communication and sensory processing, social isolation and past experiences of church. Seven broad inclusion strategies are presented for helping persons of all ages with common mental health conditions and their families to fully participate in all of the ministries offered by the local church. The book is also designed to be a useful resource for parents, grandparents and spouses interested in promoting the spiritual growth of loved ones with mental illness.