Disability Ministry: Articles, surveys and short books

Shorter books and articles

To help you begin exploring the topic of disability, hospitality and belonging.

General

• John Hull et al. Disability – The Inclusive Church Resource, Darton, Longman and Todd.
• Disability language and diversity – a guide for the perplexed. Christa Ewert and Roy McCloughry.
• ‘All One in Christ’ The Biblical Imperative – A parish resource pack on disability. Diocese of Southwark
• SCOPE. Disability perception gap report.
• ‘Being disabled in Britain – a journey less equal’ (2017). Equality and Human Rights Commission report. Downloadable in various formats:

Disability and church

• Calling from the edge – reflections from the 2017 ‘Disability and Church’ conference – St Martin-in-the-fields and Inclusive Church.
• Something worth sharing – reflections from the 2018 ‘Disability and Church’ conference – St Martin-in-the-fields and Inclusive Church.
• Being disabled, being human. Katie Tupling – Challenging Society’s Perception  of Disability and Personhood  Grove Books E 205

Mental Health

• Jean Vanier and John Swinton et al. Mental Health – The Inclusive Church Resource, Darton, Longman and Todd

Neuro Divergent

• How to Include Autistic Children and Young People in Church: Creating a Place of Belonging and Spiritual Development for All (2021). Mark Arnold, Grove Books Y 65
• Welcoming and Including Autistic People in our Churches and Communities. Oxford diocese. Main author: Ann Memmott
• What is Autism?  By Anne Memmott. A paper written for ‘Churches for all’
• Including young people on the autism spectrum in church, by Anne Memmott
• Autism in adults – Dr Luke Beardon – Sheldon Press 2021
• Avoiding anxiety in autistic adults: a guide to autistic wellbeing – Dr Luke Beardon – Sheldon Press 2021

Down’s Syndrome

• Valuing people with Down’s syndrome toolkit | The Church of England

Dementia

• Revd Dr Joanna Collicutt. Thinking of you: a resource for the spiritual care of people with dementia.
• Becoming a dementia friendly church.pdf. A resource pack from ‘Churches Together in Greater Bristol’ offering a strategic approach to becoming a more dementia friendly church.

Worship

• Katie Tupling and Anna De Lange – Worship and disability – a kingdom for all. Grove Books – www.grovebooks.co.uk

Healing and prayer ministry

• Frances Mackenney-Jeffs – Embraced and included – disability and healing. Grove Books – www.grovebooks.co.uk

Theology of Disability and Inclusion

• Stanley Hauerwas. What Love Looks Like – Vulnerability, Disability and the Witness of Jean Vanier, ABC Religion and Ethics
• John Swinton (2012). From Inclusion to Belonging – A Practical Theology of Community, Disability and Humanness. PDF – https://www.london.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/From-Inclusion-to-Belonging.pdf
• John Swinton. Building a church for strangers. PDF – https://www.london.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Building-a-church-for-strangers.pdf
• John Swinton. Who is the God we worship – Theologies of disability, challenges and new possibilities. PDF – https://www.london.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Who_is_the_God_We_Worship.pdf
• Thomas Reynolds. Disability and Theology – changing the conversation. Available free from www.academia.edu
• Thomas Reynolds. Invoking deep access – disability beyond inclusion. Available from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-6385.2012.00687.x
• Deborah Creamer. Disability Theology. Available free from www.academia.edu
• Roy MCCloughry and Wayne Morris. Making a world of difference – Christian reflections on disability. SPCK 2002. This is a concise introduction to disability theology with plenty of practical application.
• Mark Bredin. True Beauty – finding grace in disabilities. Grove Books – www.grovebooks.co.uk

Longer books

If you want a longer read, these are a selection of books with theological insight and practical guidance that will open areas of disability history, spirituality, theology and ethics.

• Deborah Creamer. Disability and Christian theology – Embodied limits and constructive possibilities. Oxford University Press, 2010. (Also available free on www.acaedemia.edu)
• Lamar  Hardwick.  Disability  And The  Church – A Vision For  Diversity And Inclusion (InterVarsity Press)
• Jenni Hogan. This is my body – A story of sickness and health. Canterbury Press 2017
• Human disability and the service of God: reassessing religious practice. Ed. Eiesland and Saliers, Abingdon Press 1998.
• Disability in the Christian Tradition. Ed. Brock and Swinton, William B. Eerdmans 2012.
• Nancy Eiesland. The Disabled God – Towards a liberatory theology of disability. Abingdon Press 1994.
• Roy McCloughry. The Enabled Life – Christianity in a disabling world. SPCK 2013
• Frances Mackenney-Jeffs,  Reconceptualising  Disability for the  Contemporary church, (SCM Press)
• Roy McCloughry and Wayne Morris,  Making a world of difference – Christian reflections on disability (SP#CK 2002)
• Hans Reinders. Receiving the gift of friendship – Profound disability, theological anthropology, and ethics. William B. Eerdmans, 2008
• Thomas Reynolds. Vulnerable Communion – A theology of disability and hospitality. Brazos Press 2008.
• Jennie Weiss Block. Copious Hosting – A Theology of Access for People with Disabilities. Continuum 2002
• Frances M. Young. Brokenness and blessing – towards a biblical spirituality. Darton, Longman and Todd 2007
• Amos Yong. The Bible, Disability and the Church – A new vision of the people of God. William B. Eerdmans 2011.
• Stanley Hauerwas and Jean Vanier. Living gently in a violent world – the prophetic witness of weakness. Intervarsity Press
• John Swinton. Becoming Friends of Time – Disability, Timefullness, and Gentle Discipleship. SCM Press 2017
• Naomi Graham. Love  Surpassing  Knowledge – More than ramps. Understanding  and implementing accessibility. River Publishing
• Naomi Lawson Jacobs and Emily Richardson. At the gates: disability, justice and the churches. Darton, Longman and Todd 2022