Multi-faith, interdisciplinary and advocacy network resources
Organizations, Newsletters, Journals, Summer Institute, Networks
Gleanings
A free once-twice a month newsletter with new resources, ideas, projects, and events from a variety of sources pertinent to the intersection of faith and disability. See samples and register for the AAIDD Religion and Spirituality Division Newsletter at http://www.aaiddreligion.org/newsletter. Paid membership in the AAIDD and the Division also brings an electronic subscription to the Journal of Disability and Religion, formerly the Journal of Religion, Disability, and Health.
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Journal of Disability and Religion. Taylor and Francis.
The Journal is now in its 18th Volume with growing numbers of submissions. The site can be searched for articles from different faith traditions as well as different issues related to different kinds of disability.
http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wrdh21#.U_5E3ktcWzA
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Summer Institute on Theology and Disability:
www.BethesdaInstitute.org/Theology Facebook: Institute on Theology and DisabilityVideotapes from 2012 – 2014 are now online and mp3 audiofiles from 2010 and 2011. 2015 Summer Institute in Atlanta, May 26-29. Registration open by the end of February.
Also available there: AAR Session on disability and church history, mp3 file. Parker Palmer keynote, “Merging Two Worlds.” Henri Nouwen Response to the COMISS Award, 1994, “Believing, Belonging, Becoming.” 11 minute video with 4 congregational vignettes.
The vision of the Summer Institute on Theology and Disability is to expand the depth and breadth of theological inquiry and resources that address and include the gifts, needs, and contributions of people with disabilities and their families to theological learning and religious practice.
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Collaborative on Faith and Disability:
https://faithanddisability.org.
A number of University Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities are partnering in starting a national Collaborative on Faith and Disability. The website is based at the Kennedy Center in Nashville.
Current Projects:
- Putting Faith to Work, a four state pilot project to work with and through congregations to help people with disabilities get jobs.
- National Webinar Series on Spiritual Supports. January – June. See website for details and registration. Previous webinars archived.
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Regional and State Networks
There are a growing number of interfaith initiatives in parts of the country in a region or state committed to strengthening inclusive faith supports. Those include New Virginia (Norfolk/Virginia Beach Area), Oregon, Texas, New Jersey
Listing by Bill Gaventa, bill.gaventa@gmail.com
Some Key Online Publications
Spirituality: From Rights to Relationships
Fall, 2012 Issue of Connections, the national TASH newsletter
http://tash.org/about/publications/sample-tash-connections/
http://tash.org/connections-spirituality
Disability and Theological Education: Progress and Possibilities
If you share or reference the issue, TASH has requested that you note the origin and include a link to this page on the website: http://tash.org/connections-spirituality. The title, volume number, issue and volume numbers are on the newsletter. You are welcome to share the link with others.
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That All May Worship
http://www.aapd.com/what-we-do/interfaith/that-all-may-worship/that-all-may-worship-cover.html
Interfaith Guide to Disability Accommodation in Congregations created by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). Classic interfaith resource updated from its publication in the 1990’s.
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Welcoming People with Disabilities and their Families: A Practical Guide for Congregations. http://vkc.mc.vanderbilt.edu/assets/files/resources/CongregationPracticeGuide.pdf
The Kennedy Center itself (see Collaborative above) has a number of excellent resources on faith inclusion at http://vkc.mc.vanderbilt.edu/vkc/resources/religionspirituality/
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Specific Faith Traditions and Denominations
Almost every faith tradition has resources and/or an office or task force that provide resources and leadership in inclusive faith supports. Simply search using the faith tradition name and disability. A Google Search on Faith and Disability will give you quite a list. For example, a search of Judaism and Disability yield 465,000 results. There are also a number of organizations outside of any specific tradition that have extensive websites related to congregational inclusion. For example, some are Joni and Friends, Inc., The Inclusive Church, The Bethesda Institute, and others. For a number of these resources, go to the Congregational Accessibility Network. There are also an extensive number of blogs written by families, clergy and others…too many to try to keep up with.
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Autism and Faith National Initiative and Resources
A 50 pp. interfaith booklet called Autism and Faith: A Journey into Community is available for a free download in both English and Spanish from http://rwjms.rutgers.edu/boggscenter/products/Product_FaithBased.html. The Autism Society of America also has a national initiative in faith-based supports at http://www.autism-society.org/living-with-autism/community-inclusion/autism-and-faith/ as well as an excellent resource listing on autism and faith.
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Mental Health and Ministry
There is an exciting new collaborative project between the Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition and the American Psychiatric Association. National websites on mental health and ministry include Mental Health Ministries, Pathways2Promise, and NAMI FaithNet.
Miscellaneous Resources
Syracuse Cultural Workers
Artwork and posters for display. This art commemorates the ADA, as well as focuses on other forms of social justice advocacy. Available for purchase here.