Diocese of Olympia Disability & The Church interest survey
Episcopal Church General Convention Resolutions
Out of the 79th General Convention (2018), a report on disabilities and the church was written up for the 80th General Convention (2022). It includes a litany of repentance and other prayer resources, as well as suggested efforts including a mandate to create an advisory council on disability and Deaf Access. Though passed, the work has not moved forward—though DioCal set up their own Advisory Council and began to write policies (we have a contact with them if interested).
At the 81st General Convention it came up again, this time the bishops asked for $10,000 to start an Advisory Council.
Here are the two resolutions that passed at the 81st Convention:
Other Resources
Bridge Ministries is a parachurch organization that provides quarterly meetings (recorded and posted on website) and a yearly conference for churches wishing to be inclusive and works with churches, connecting them to the disability community.
Western Seminary’s Center for Disability and Ministry, the only program of it’s kind in any ATS seminary:
The United Methodist Church is a leading denomination in disability accessibility, specifically lifting up disabled leaders (though there are still many problems). They have an accessibility audit, resources for disability Sundays, laments for the wrong the church has done to people with disabilities and the like:
Disability Day of Mourning: Every year on March 1st, the disability community comes together to remember the victims of filicide – people with disabilities killed by their family members. Vigils are held on the Day of Mourning in cities around the world.
Books
My Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church, by Amy Kenny
How Ableism Fuels Racism: Dismantling the Hierarchy of Bodies in the Church, by Lamar Hardwick
Disability and the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion, by Lamar Hardwick
A Healing Homiletic: Preaching and Disability, by Kathy Black
Focuses on the healing stories in Revised Common Lectionary, noting the ‘sticky points’ homilists get into that cause harm to disabled congregants and offer alternative interpretations along with a good explanation on the meaning of healing during the gospels.
The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability, by Nancy Eiesland
This is the foundation of disability theology.
Articles
This is an older Sojourners article, but tells the truth: https://sojo.net/articles/resisting-ableism-american-church
Jessica Thompson blog articles for Bridge Ministries: https://bridgemin.org/category/jessica-blog/
Robyn King’s perspective on Anglican gymnastics and why we might want to consider stopping telling other people what to do with their bodies: https://theologybird.com/2021/09/20/i-dont-tell-people-what-to-do-with-their-bodies-in-worship/
Podcasts
The Accessible Altar-Episcopal/Anglican priests discuss the intersection of faith and disability: https://accessiblealtar.com/
The Accessible God—UMC minsters discuss theology and faith through a disabled lens (interviewed Lamar Hardwick and also discusses the issues of ordination and disability: https://amdumc.wordpress.com/the-accessible-god-podcast/
This episode of The Bible for Normal People interviews Stephanie Tait, gives an intro to disability theology, the harm the church has done to disabled people, and why disability theology is for everyone: