Education and Awareness
Nondisabled church leaders and congregation members must educate themselves on the experiences of disabled people and increase their own awareness of the barriers people with disabilities face in the church. When we are informed, we begin to notice barriers and act to address them.
ADN offers educational guides, webinars, and lesson plans written from an Anabaptist perspective on how our faith intersects with disabilities and mental illness. These resources are useful for Sunday School classes seeking an introduction to disability theology or pastors hoping to increase their own awareness of their congregation.
Publications
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Books on Dementia
Dementia Care The books in this list offer both first-hand accounts of dementia, theological reflections, and dementia-friendly worship resources for congregations. If you’d like to learn more about dementia, see our resource guide. Jarem Sawatsky, Dancing with Elephants: Mindfulness Training for Those Living with Dementia, Chronic Illness, or an Aging Brain (Red Canoe Press, 2017)…
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Books on Neurodiversity
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…
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Books on Mental Health
Mental Health and Illness The books listed below offer wisdom on a variety of topics related to mental health and mental illness. Some are theological reflections and resources for pastors and congregations, while others are memoirs about how mental illness has affected people’s lives. If you’d like to learn more about mental health and mental…
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Books on Disability Justice
Disability Justice The books in this list can provide important resources to congregations and individuals who are interested in working for justice for people with disabilities. They cover a variety of topics within disability justice including ableism, the treatment of people with disabilities in congregations, and the intersection of racism and ableism. Lamar Hardwick, How…
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Books on Disability and Church
Disability and the Church The books in this list provide a variety of resources to congregations on the topic of disability in worship and ministry. Included here are books about Christian practices, ideas for inclusive worship, and even a dyslexia-friendly Bible translation. There are also books that talk about youth ministry and missions and evangelism.…
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Books on Disability Theology
Disability Theology The books in this list cover various aspects of disability theology, from pioneering voices to current scholarship. While this not by any means an exhaustive list, the ones included here focus on how disability theology can help congregations live into belonging for all people. Nancy Eiesland, The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology…
Recommended Reading
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Taftsville Chapel Mennonite Fellowship Dedicates Accessibility Ramp
Steve McCloskey, Pastor, shares the church’s theological journey that led to the installation of the accessibility ramp.
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Different is Beautiful
In this collaboration with Mennonite Women USA for Disability Pride Month, Sarah Werner redefines her disability as something to be proud of, not something to be ashamed of.
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This is the Way God Made Me
Katie Smith reflects on being fearfully and wonderfully made as a disabled person.
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Little Deaths: Surrendering to the Life I Have
Reflecting on a chronic illness diagnosis, Laura Stone explores how she learned to surrender to a life she did not expect.
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(Un)Loved: holding grace for myself in chronic illness
Jasmine Duckworth shares vulnerably about her struggle for self-acceptance after a chronic-illness diagnosis.
