Building Community Bridges
A Day of Conversations on Disability and Theology
Contributors to the MTSO disability conference, including ADN’s field associate Kathy Dickson and Bill Gaventa
by Kathy Dickson
This past Spring, I worked with Bill Gaventa, a leading voice in disability theology and justice, to craft a conference about disability, theology, and faith communities. Hosted at the Methodist Theological Seminary in Ohio, the conference drew in scholars, students, families, advocates, and individuals. Together, we discussed how to make our congregations more inclusive, how to form partnerships with service and governmental agencies, and how Biblical interpretations on disability have shaped our thinking. At the helm of the conversations was Bill, doing what he does best: making connections, sharing insights, working to bridge his own work as a chaplain, advocate, writer, and consultant with the needs and desires of those in the room.
Personally Meaningful
I became interested in disability theology and ministry during a pastoral care and counseling class in my first year of seminary. In this class, we explored how to provide pastoral care to distinct groups of people: the elderly, youth, people with terminal illness, and so on. At this time, I was swimming through personal waves of grief as my beloved aunt Debbie had recently passed away. Aunt Debbie had Down syndrome, and the themes we studied in class drew out questions, concerns, and frustrations about the end of life care she had received.
As it came time to select a final research project, I decided to study pastoral care for persons with intellectual disabilities. My professor was doubtful that I’d find resources and encouraged me to explore a different topic. But, fueled by a passion grown from loving someone deeply, I was not interested in exploring a different topic. I wanted to know how pastors could support people with intellectual disabilities. I began by reaching out to Paul Leichty, the executive director of ADN at the time, who put me in touch with Bill. I sent off an email to him without much expectation of a response. What I got in return, however, was not only a slew of resources, books to read, and people to talk to, but also an opening into a wide world of disability ministry. Disability ministry has since shaped my life. Through this connection I gained remarkable experiences with the Summer Institute in Theology and Disability, I became a field associate with ADN, and 10 years later I planned this conference on disability and theology.
Intention of the Conference
A key presenter was John Martin, director of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. John presented on the state of affairs in Ohio in terms of disability support and access. This presentation sparked rich conversations and questions around the roles of faith communities in conjunction with governmental policy.
Overall, the conference wasn’t about prescribing how to do something special for those with disabilities. The intention was to flip the conversation from what we can do to be more inclusive, to how we CREATE space to empower all people to be their whole selves.
Since the conference, there have been more conversations about disability on our campus and in area churches. One pastor who attended the conference told me that while preaching the Sunday afterward, a child with Autism cried out loudly. His father rushed to remove him from the sanctuary. However, the pastor stopped his sermon and addressed the church saying; “Can we decide right here and now that we are going to be a church where our friend can be himself? Can we be that church where crying out is okay?”
This pastor embodied the message from our conference: we resemble the kingdom of God when all who are gathered have the space to express their whole selves and share their unique gifts.
Kathy Dickson has served ADN as a volunteer Field Associate since 2010. She is Director of Vocational Discernment and Community Engagement at Methodist Theological School in Ohio and attends First Mennonite Church, Bluffton, Ohio.
