Identity, (Dis)Ability and Belonging: Liturgy and Worship through the Lens of Autism
Disabled people often feel excluded from church activities. Focusing on autism, this article explores the problematic, relative absence of autistic people in churches. It will be argued that the concept of normalcy lies at the heart of the problem. Normalcy is understood as the set of dynamics that...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Eastern European Instute of Theology
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Богословські роздуми: Східноєвропейський журнал богословʼя |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://reflections.eeit-edu.info/article/view/318770 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846102192131407872 |
|---|---|
| author | Armand Léon van Ommen |
| author_facet | Armand Léon van Ommen |
| author_sort | Armand Léon van Ommen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Disabled people often feel excluded from church activities. Focusing on autism, this article explores the problematic, relative absence of autistic people in churches. It will be argued that the concept of normalcy lies at the heart of the problem. Normalcy is understood as the set of dynamics that guard the boundaries of communities, in other words, who does and does not belong. These boundaries are part of what Charles Taylor calls the “framework” of the community, which determines what the community values. This article will argue that those with disabilities easily fall outside of the community’s boundaries. After discussing the dynamics of normalcy, this article offers a theological critique and a proposal for a framework inspired by the Gospel. This enables a “theology of presence” which envisions members of the community being present to each other in a way that reflects the kenosis of Christ.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3b1f15fd984743e9b973e0b2a0a9751f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2789-1569 2789-1577 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Eastern European Instute of Theology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Богословські роздуми: Східноєвропейський журнал богословʼя |
| spelling | doaj-art-3b1f15fd984743e9b973e0b2a0a9751f2024-12-27T19:22:33ZengEastern European Instute of TheologyБогословські роздуми: Східноєвропейський журнал богословʼя2789-15692789-15772024-12-0122210.29357/2789-1577.2024.22.2.1Identity, (Dis)Ability and Belonging: Liturgy and Worship through the Lens of AutismArmand Léon van Ommen Disabled people often feel excluded from church activities. Focusing on autism, this article explores the problematic, relative absence of autistic people in churches. It will be argued that the concept of normalcy lies at the heart of the problem. Normalcy is understood as the set of dynamics that guard the boundaries of communities, in other words, who does and does not belong. These boundaries are part of what Charles Taylor calls the “framework” of the community, which determines what the community values. This article will argue that those with disabilities easily fall outside of the community’s boundaries. After discussing the dynamics of normalcy, this article offers a theological critique and a proposal for a framework inspired by the Gospel. This enables a “theology of presence” which envisions members of the community being present to each other in a way that reflects the kenosis of Christ. http://reflections.eeit-edu.info/article/view/318770disabilityautismbelongingnormalcytheology of presence |
| spellingShingle | Armand Léon van Ommen Identity, (Dis)Ability and Belonging: Liturgy and Worship through the Lens of Autism Богословські роздуми: Східноєвропейський журнал богословʼя disability autism belonging normalcy theology of presence |
| title | Identity, (Dis)Ability and Belonging: Liturgy and Worship through the Lens of Autism |
| title_full | Identity, (Dis)Ability and Belonging: Liturgy and Worship through the Lens of Autism |
| title_fullStr | Identity, (Dis)Ability and Belonging: Liturgy and Worship through the Lens of Autism |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identity, (Dis)Ability and Belonging: Liturgy and Worship through the Lens of Autism |
| title_short | Identity, (Dis)Ability and Belonging: Liturgy and Worship through the Lens of Autism |
| title_sort | identity dis ability and belonging liturgy and worship through the lens of autism |
| topic | disability autism belonging normalcy theology of presence |
| url | http://reflections.eeit-edu.info/article/view/318770 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT armandleonvanommen identitydisabilityandbelongingliturgyandworshipthroughthelensofautism |