Autism and Faith: A Journey into Community
Autism and Faith: A Journey into Community is a new resource for clergy, religious educators, and families of autistic children to develop “inclusive spiritual supports” for autistic individuals in religious settings. The 52-page guide was developed by the Autism and Faith Task Force of COSAC, New Jersey’s main autism organization, and the Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities, which is in the Department of Pediatrics at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. More about the guide:
The Task Force worked for more than two years collecting stories and experiences from families, best practices and strategies from clergy and human service professionals, and resources from around the country.
The guide features more than fifteen short articles written by clergy, parents, professional experts on autism, religious educators and people with autism, illustrated by numerous sidebar stories and examples from families who shared their experiences, both positive and negative, with their own faith communities in New Jersey. It is interfaith, including examples from Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Muslim communities.
There’s also some first-person accounts by autistic individuals.
The guide was edited by Mary Beth Walsh, PhD, and Alice Walsh, MDiv (both of whom are parents of autistic children) and Bill Gaventa, MDiv. Mary Beth Walsh and Bill Gaventa also spoke at the 2006 conference on Autism and Advocacy at Fordham University that my husband, Jim Fisher, put together. (Video clips of the conference can be seen here and provide more insights into the work of “inclusive spiritual supports.”)
A number of the guide’s sections feature practical suggestions for including autistic children and adults in religious settings, such as seeking out a family-oriented service where a little noise is not uncommon; familiarize your child with the physical space of the sanctuary; use concrete language and visual aides when instructing a child; make a point of introducing yourself and your child to your religious leader before attending a service.
Jim and I contributed an essay to the guide, “Autism: Presence & Justice.” The essay is mostly Jim (he’s a cultural historian of religion) and much less of me. (As in, much, much less.) Here’s the last paragraph of the essay, which puts the issue of including autistic individuals in religious settings into a broader framework:
……the inequality of educational opportunities for persons with autism is not simply a matter of public policy, but social justice. This disparity closely mirrors inequalities of economic status, which in turn are often grounded in legacies of racial inequality and de facto residential segregation that relegates persons who are cognitively disabled and poor to substandard educational programs. Everyone in the autism community knows just how unequally distributed are these vital and indispensable educational services, from early intervention to classroom teaching to vocational training. These inequalities are further evident from delayed diagnoses to inadequate services that can lead to physical harm done to autistic persons or members of their families. The fundamental inequality of autism services—and the demeaning competitive scramble into which most families are driven—call for action grounded in moral and religious convictions on the dignity of all human persons.
The guide can be ordered via the Boggs Center (the first copy is free for residents of New Jersey); theDaniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation provided support for the project.
Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, catholic, church, disabilities blog, faith, Family, family blog, god faith blog, methodist, morality, New Jersey, Parenting, pdd-nos, ReligionRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Books, Disability Rights, New Jersey, Religion
22 opinions for Autism and Faith: A Journey into Community
Annie
May 16, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I need to flag this to order a copy - thanks for announcing here.
It makes an immense difference to me as a parent of a child with autism to be part of a congregation that values the gifts and participation of the full spectrum (in several senses) of our faith community. At various times our congregation has done things like:
– replacing clapping with the ASL sign for applause after one of our number found his sensory circuits blowing whenever traditional applause broke out
– brainstorming about creative volunteer opportunities (the official ringer of the bell to signal the end of the Sunday School hour was a young man with Down syndrome, who took great joy in his duty of walking around the church building and calling people to worship)
– writing out detailed ingredient lists for the dishes brought to potluck events, for the benefit of several members with dietary sensitivities.
Looking forward to learning more.
Karen
May 16, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Thank you for this. I am going to order a couple copies right away. Pete just finished his first year of religious education (we are Catholic) and he enjoyed it a lot. It was really his first “full inclusion” activity where I dropped him off and did not hang around “just in case” and he did wonderfully. Still, I think more understanding is needed at my church on how to best accommodate his needs, especially since his First Communion is in about a year.
mayfly
May 17, 2008 at 12:28 am
Here is my church’s website. http://www.bacc.cc/index.htm Check out the E-soccer program which started when the head of the church the father a Down’s son and an autistic son, and a soccer loving disciple had a thought while driving somewhere together.
It’s gotten so large that the church is looking at spinning it off as many communities have problems providing grants to religious organizations.
On Sunday services their are people who will look after your children, and not come and get you as soon as you sit down.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 17, 2008 at 2:11 am
@mayfly, thank you—I remember you’ve mentioned the soccer program before. sounds really great.
Just read this in the Star-Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul):
Quite an example on non-inclusion.
Lisa Rudy
May 17, 2008 at 9:36 am
Kristina - at your leisure, would you drop me an email? I’d love to interview you and your husband and do at least one or two articles for the About site regarding inclusion in faith-based communities.
I’m especially interested in Sunday School/religious education issues: since these are almost always run by volunteers, what is the best way to ensure that your child with autism is appropriately included (without either teaching the class yourself and focusing all your attention on your own child, or driving the volunteer teacher crazy with advice and special accomodations!)?
Thanks so much for your hard work!
Lisa (about.com guide to autism)
mayfly
May 17, 2008 at 11:16 am
Lisa, my wife and I were attending an episcopal church when my daughter’s autism became manifest. They had no programs for her or other special needs children whatsoever. We were forced to quit. This was all right with me because my faith at that time was all pretense.
Some years later after moving from San Jose to San Ramon I took my daughter, one Saturday to the local elementary school to see if she wanted to go on the swings.
As was usual she went straight to an area of tan bark and began kicking up clouds of it. A woman had brought her younger son there who reacted to the spray of tan bark sent his way by throwing some at my daughter. I explained my daughter’s autism, she said that her soon was adopted and the natural mother was a drug addict. She also mentioned her husband was a preacher for a church which had programs for special needs children.
She invited us. We dropped our daughter off at what the search calls “Spiritual Resource” and entered a hotel meeting room where the church met. I fully expected they would come and get us in about 90 seconds, apologizing with words to the effect that they could only handle more typical kids. However no one did, and no on has done so for over a thousand Sundays.
There are neurotypical as well as special needs children in special resource, my daughter has a one-on-one aid, and seems to enjoy herself there.
At first I did not like the theology and thought the people a bit nuts. However looking at the congregation I was struck by the rainbow of colors which made up the congregation, that impressed me. However we mainly went because it was something my wife and I could do together.
It soon became apparent the congregation was made up of folks earnestly trying to follow all teachings of the bible, and leaders trying to help them through preaching the word and by example. I am now trying to live a Christian life daily, though I am not that good at it.
The faith community needs to grow in this area. My sister who attends an episcopal church in Pasadena, asked the question
“How could a loving God, allow such a thing to happen.” The minister replied “Don’t worry, she probably wont have a long life.” My sister left thinking, “How was that helpful. My sister left thinking how was that helpful.
I used to bristle, when people in my church suggested, God used yur daughter to bring you to Christ. I was repulsed by this notion, it was far too high a price to pay and by an innocent.
child.
Mt sister and I now agree that it matters not to God whether a person is NT or autistic. While I think it’s a bit presumptuous to speak of God’s plans in detail. My wife and I have accepted Christ, and that journey started on account of my daughter’s autism. A loving God gave us a special child to love.
That chance meeting at an elementary school playground was as life changing for me as my marriage or my daughter’s birth.
Karen
May 17, 2008 at 7:12 pm
@mayfly,
THANK YOU for the link to your church. I live in the East Bay and have been trying without success to find some all-inclusive sport opportunity for my son. THANK YOU!!!
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 17, 2008 at 7:26 pm
@Annie,
thank you for sharing that list!
Charlie has been attending early morning church services these past few months—-one of his teachers is getting her Masters and doing her thesis on how to teach autistic children to attend church. He’s done well (though I figure he would sit quietly in the church at 8am—he’s still waking up!).
@mayfly,
I used to live in San Ramon—attended Twin Creeks School. (We had quite a bit of tan bark in parts of our front yard.)
Thank you for writing that experience here. I am not a religious person myself; my husband very much is and it’s life with Charlie—-the struggle and the journey—that have brought me nearer than anything to something “spiritual” (if what I typed makes any sense).
Charisse
May 17, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Thank you for sharing this book on your website. My husband is an ELCA pastor, and we recently learned that one of our parishoners has a child on the autism spectrum. The staff of the church has been looking for resources to help include the boy in Sunday school and worship with little success. We’ve ordered several copies.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 17, 2008 at 7:46 pm
@Charisse,
This sounds wonderful. If you would like to get in touch with the editors of the book, I can forward them your email or other contact information. Very best wishes and thank you so much.
mayfly
May 17, 2008 at 10:04 pm
@Karen, in Contra Costa County we had our final E-soccer session today. It starts up again on June 21 for a shortened season and then sometime in September a regular 10 week session. The schedule differs depending on the particular county. We meet basically by county, but we don’t follow the borders exactly. Contra Costa includes Berkeley and Pleasanton for instance. Of course you will be welcomed at any E-soccer field.
Of course the church doesn’t have seasons if you are interested in that as well.
@Kristina, the very school!
Priest Files Restraining Order Against Parents of Autistic 13-year-old
May 17, 2008 at 10:09 pm
[...] an autistic 13-year-old to keep them from attending church on Sundays in Bertha, Minnesota, is why resources like this are more than needed—-and a spirit of inclusion and mutuality. Tags: asd, asperger, autism, [...]
mayfly
May 17, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Karen, I overlooked that you were churched. Our church is highly evangelical except at E-soccer. We want people of all faiths and no faith to be able to have their kids participate in the program without hesitation.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 17, 2008 at 11:56 pm
@mayfly,
Twin Creeks was my first school—I went K-4 there (after which we moved back to Oakland). The school was a circle of tan stucco portables when I attended—I’ve seen it since, very different now!
Laura Cottington
May 18, 2008 at 1:13 am
How ironic, I just got done writing a “Letter to the editor” that I want to get enough guts to submit to the Star Tribune. Then I thought, I wonder if Christina has heard about this “restraining order” and cruised over to let my writing rest for a bit…and of course you had. We are 2 hours away from Bertha and I want all four of us to drive up in the morning for church. I even mapquest’ed it, but my cooler headed hubby prevailed, as he wants to see how the church responds this week following the requests (and two hours in the car may be difficult for Sam after a tough day for little man today). BUT…I can tell you that we WILL be there next week in support of Adam and his family if nothing changes. And I may not give Sam his morning dose of Risperdal when we go! My stomach is sick, as I have just come off one site with discussion on. http://www.catholicforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24524
I may use your New Jersey resource you had in your post as a resource if that is okay. To direct all to at least a positive movement at a church here in Minnesota that is doing great work with children and special needs, please check out http://www.lordoflife.org. While we attend this church, we don’t utilize the special needs ministry, but know many who do. It is a blessing!!!
Karen
May 18, 2008 at 2:50 pm
@mayfly
Thank you for the additional information. My heart is literally swelling with happiness. From the schedule, it looks like the Hayward location is closest to us.
Gosh I love the internet. :-)
Bonnie Sayers
May 18, 2008 at 10:15 pm
On the topic of NJ, I read that Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington (Where my son was born, and where my father passed away) is getting a $350,000 grant for an autism center
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/somerset/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1210221418159820.xml&coll=1
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 20, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Hayward and Hunterdon in the same comment thread—-two places I know!
Excluded?: On Keeping the Faith
May 21, 2008 at 3:03 am
[...] the parents of an autistic 13-year-old, Adam Race. In a short essay at the start of the guide Autism and Faith: A Journey Into Community entitled “Open the Door,” Linda Walder Fiddle writes: In 1993, when my son, Danny, was [...]
Excluded: Sorry, it’s not your right « What Sorts of People
Jul 11, 2008 at 9:21 am
[...] the parents of an autistic 13-year-old, Adam Race. In a short essay at the start of the guide Autism and Faith: A Journey Into Community entitled “Open the Door,” Linda Walder Fiddle writes: In 1993, when my son, Danny, was [...]
Gabriel Dolan
Jul 16, 2008 at 6:43 am
Hi. I have just read a review of Autism and Faith and so have been moved to search the web for more information. It seems that you can only sell the product. Mindful that I am in Kenya, am a Pastor who also has a grand-nephew with Autism is there any chance that you might send a PDF version, please,
Blessings,
Gabriel
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jul 17, 2008 at 12:47 am
@Gabriel, I will check with the editors about a PDF file. Hope your grand-nephew is doing all right. Very best——
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