a bookshelf that takes up the entire wall, made of light brown wood, filled with books of different colors

Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity is a term that refers to minds that work in ways that are not considered “typical,” and can include people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, OCD, and social anxiety. The books in this list offer resources for congregations about making worship and church life more inclusive of neurodiverse people. If you’d like to learn more about neurodiversity, see our resource guide.

book cover of blessed minds where the word minds is in rainbow letters and below is a möbius strip in rainbow colors

Sarah Griffith Lund, Blessed Minds: Breaking the Silence about Neurodiversity (Chalice Press, 2025)

This book is an exploration of how the church can embrace and honor neurodiversity, which affecta up to 20 percent of Americans. Through personal stories, historical context, and theological insights, the author unpacks the concepts of neurodiversity, mental health, and disability.

Leon Van Ommen, Autism and Worship: A Liturgical Theology (Baylor University Press, 2023)

This book offers an in-depth analysis of the absence and ignoring of, but also the presence of, autistic people in worship. Van Ommen recounts the experiences of autistic people and considers how those experiences might reframe liturgical theology and the worship practices of the church.

book cover of autism and worship in yellow letters on a pale blue background with a drawing of a woman in the middle of the page wearing a yellow dress and wide-brimmed hat with black hair and pale skin
book cover of autistic and black outlined in yellow with orange and red triangles across the page

Kala Allen Omeiza, Autistic and Black: Our Experiences of Growth, Progress, and Empowerment (Jessica Kingsley, 2024)

This book brings together a community of voices from across the world, spanning religions, sexuality and social economic status to provide a deep and rich understanding of what it means to be autistic and Black.

Daniel Bowman, Jr., On the Spectrum: Autism, Faith, and the Gifts of Neurodiversity (Brazos Press, 2021)

This book debunks myths of autism with a realistic yet hope-filled deep dive into the heart, mind, and life of a Christian. Daniel Bowman, a novelist, poet, and professor, received an autism diagnosis at age thirty-five after experiencing crises in his personal and professional life.

book cover of on the spectrum with the title letters in black with rainbow shadows
book cover of life on the spectrum with a photo of a boy reading a book on a bench in an art gallery

Deborah Abbs, Kelli Anderson, and Keven O’Brien, Life on the Spectrum: Faith. Hope. Love. Autism (Fox Burrow Media, 2018)

No matter who we are or where we come from, autism has taken us on a common journey. Our faith has given us a common hope. From creating a new normal for the holidays to re-thinking sibling relationships, from asking “why?!” to how to cope moving forward, this book faces the reality of living with and loving our autistic children from a perspective of faith.