I just finished listening to the most recent episode of the NPR show Speaking of Faith. The show is titled: Being Autistic Being Human. It provides a wonderful look into the world of a family living with autism. Paul Collins is a scientist and his wife Jennifer Elder is an artist. They have an eight year old with autism. I found their perspective thought provoking and helpful. Collins and Elder discuss the ways that having a child with autism has helped them to more fully understand what it means to be human.

This web site offers  additional resources for reading about autism.

I am grateful that there are a significat number of conversations about autism going on in the public square.

One thing that is said on the program is that autism is different from most disabilities because with a lot of disabilities the focus is on what is not present (the lack)  whereas with autism there are areas of extreme competence mixed in with deficits in social functioning among other areas of disability.

I would contend that the same is true with other of types of disabilities as well. People with disabilities learn to live in the midst of their lives and as a result develop competencies that they might not have if they lived in different bodies, with different minds, and with different experiences.

I would love to hear from others who heard the show. Any thoughts?

This article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution details the response of several families to the way Georgia’s scholarship program is working out so far for their families.

Do you have experience with this program or one like it in your state? I would love to hear the thoughts of others who use these scholarships.

This story comes from the Baltimore Jewish Times. It is written By Rabbi Joanne Yocheved Heiligman. She offers some wonderful ideas for parents to consider when they advocate for the inclusion of their children with disabilities in religious communities.

I think she offers a unique perspective as someone who is an both an insider in the synagogue and the community of families with disabilities. I also happen to appreciate her willingness to think outside of the box about the experiences of families who come from Christian and Muslim traditions.

This article is  written by the Imam at the Islamic Council of Victoria in Australia. He writes about disability and the tools that Islam provides for interpreting the experience.

I would love to hear from members of the Islamic Community concerning this interpretation.

It does happen.

After encountering many barriers to consecration in a religious order Robin McCarthy was consecrated as a member of the Sisters for A Christian Community. Ms. McCarthy is a person with cerebral palsy.

This is a good story about seeing the potential of a person’s ability to make a contribution to the greater good of the community.

It made me think about the issue of clergy with disabilities. I have met some outstanding religious leaders with disabilities and that makes me wonder about state of ordination for people with disabilities. Are our congregations more willing (on the whole) to consider a qualified cantidate with a disability as a candidate for the priesthood, the rabbinate or other post as a religious leader?

The National Organization on Disability’s Religion and Disability Program has made an attempt to offer connections to clergy with disabilities through their directory of religious leaders with disabilities. I would think this might be a helpful resource for clergy with disabilities and seminarians with disabilities who are considering ordination.

Do you know a clergy person with a disability? Are you a clergy person with a disability? Have you found the your religious community to be a place of welcome and acceptance? I would love to to hear your stories.

Education is about the process of transforming the minds and the lives of the learners. I believe that bell hooks puts it best in the following quote:

To educate as the practice of freedom is a way of teaching that anyone can learn. That learning process comes easiest to those of us who teach who also believe that there is an aspect of our vocation that is sacred; who believe that our work is not merely to share information but to share in the intellectual and spiritual growth of our students. To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin.

For hooks there is something deeply sacred about learning. I think that this comes about because she believes that education is not simply about sharing information, but ultimately education is about giving students tools to encounter their world with hope, love and grace.

I think about hooks definition of education when I think about the purpose of disability awareness education. This education is offered to invite learners to approach difference with the ability to have empathy for someone whose life experience is different than ours.

There are many helpful resources out there for beginning the process of this education. I want to point you in the direction of a two of them.

A Unitarian Universalist Disability Awareness Curriculum for Adults

A Curriculum for School Age Children from the Anti-Defamation League

The key to this education is that it must be about more than a list of “dos” and “don’ts.” I find that all those lists do is confuse people and convince them that all people with disabilities want is to be treated with the niceties of political correctness.

Disability Awareness Education (Diversity Education) if it is to be successful should be focused on at least the following:

1) Raising awareness about the lived realities of people with disabilities and the people who love and support them.

2) Giving participants opportunities to see that there are hopeful possibilities for life lived in community with people with disabilities (and their families.)

3) Opening up the possibility that participants could be in relationships with people with disabilities. (Relationships break down barriers.)

Are there other things I have missed?

Do you know of other resources that are helpful in educating congregations and communities about people with disabilities? Are there ways that your community has engaged in this conversation that you have found to be particularly helpful?

I had lunch with a colleague on Friday. I spent a significant portion of the meal inquiring about training my colleague has completed to become a catechist for a fascinating approach to teaching confirmation. The approach is called the Catechesis of The Good Shepherd.

The approach to learning about the Bible, tradition and the church is based on the Montessori Method of education. My colleague became involved because this way of teaching and learning is ideal for people with Developmental Disabilities.

Because of the way The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is taught it allows for inclusion of people with a wide diversity of learning styles.

One other thing that impresses me about the way the information is shared with the catechists is that the method is equally appropriate in Protestant and Catholic settings. I have heard a couple of stories of Protestants and Catholics collaborating to provide instruction together. Collaboration is good!

I was wondering if anyone has personal experience with thid method? Please consider sharing your stories.

At the last meeting of the IDC Advisory Board in August one of the board member’s talked about the congregational response to soldiers coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. I am interested to continue thinking about how our program can assist congregations in supporting veterans. If you have ideas or suggestions please contact us.

I read this story form the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about the ways that Traumatic Brain Injures are being treated in veterans of the most recent wars.

If you know about ways that your congregation or denominational body are responding to soldiers and veterans please leave a comment or send me an e-mail. I would love to post some links to programs and information about was this support is happening.

Last night at sunset the Islamic holiday known as Ramadan began. Ramadan is a 30- day period of fasting, praying and reading Quar’an. Ramadan is a month when prayers, charity and accountability are stressed. The observance of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Ramadan also  celebrates the beginning giving of the Quar’an to the Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him.)

The fast during Ramadan is required of every Muslim who can participate but the are a few exceptions. These include elders, people who are sick, women who are pregnant, mothers who are nursing, and travelers do not have to fast but they must fast at a convenient time later on.

Ramadan Mubarak (Blessed Ramadan) to the Islamic Community!

Last night a sunset the observance of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year Began. This begins a time of introspection and planning for the year ahead for members of the Jewish community.

This article about a group of Jews with disabilities that came together to observe Rosh Hashanah was an interesting one. The part that I want to lift out from the article comes from a book titled Disability and Jewish Law written by Rabbi Tzvi Marx Says:

Biblical culture…is inclusive, and does not regard the individual as dependent on specific mental or physical endowments. Its heroes, the patriarchs and matriarchs of Israel - Isaac, who is blind; Jacob, who limps; the initially childless matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca and Rachel; and the speech-disabled Moses - are no less esteemed because of disability.

Torah offers many stories of people with disabilities who are actively engaged in doing G-d’s work. May we be reminded of the stories of the heroes and heroines of our traditions as we seek to build communities that include people with disabilities and their families.

L’Shanah Tovah (Happy New Year!) to those observing this sacred day.