ERIC Number: EJ959407
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Dec
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0046-9157
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Spiritual Supports and Inclusive Congregational Ministries: Celebrating Gifts beyond the Holidays
Gaventa, Bill
Exceptional Parent, v41 n12 p20-22 Dec 2011
This article describes what is happening in the world of spiritual supports for children and adults with disabilities and their families. The good news is that individuals with disabilities are being seen all year long in many faith communities, families with kids with special needs are being welcomed and supported, and, best of all, there is growing recognition and appreciation for the gifts that they bring into the life of the congregation and community. Faith communities are places where the strengths and gifts of people with disabilities and their families can be used in service to and with others rather than being on the receiving end all of the time. Children with special needs are going through rites of passage like baptism, confirmation, and bar/bat mitzvahs along with (and just like) anyone else. Creative religious education programs, like those in the Archdiocese of Newark are marrying the best of applied behavioral analysis with catechesis in preparation for First Communion and Confirmation for children at any point on the autism spectrum. Advocacy organizations--such as the ongoing Faith and Disability Program of the American Association of Persons with Disabilities--are also recognizing the crucial role of congregations. Programs for children and for adults are recognizing the importance of spirituality and the power of being included in faith communities of one's choice. The Association of University Centers on Disabilities with its University Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Programs (LENDs) and Intellectual and Developmental Disability Research Centers (IDDRCs) are home to a growing number of programs addressing spiritual needs and supports through the four core functions of their missions: (1) interdisciplinary pre-service training; (2) research, evaluation, and policy; (3) community training, technical assistance, and direct services; and (4) dissemination. The initiatives are now coalescing into a newly forming network among a number of UCEDDs, a national Collaborative on Disability, Religion, and Inclusive Spiritual Supports designed to work in partnership with seminaries and other programs toward a vision in which "individuals with disabilities and their families will have compelling opportunities and supports to develop and express their spirituality, engage in congregational life, and share their gifts and talents in ways that are personally valued and that strengthen communities."
Descriptors: Behavioral Science Research, Disabilities, Religion, Technical Assistance, Special Needs Students, Religious Education, Spiritual Development, Children, Adults, Social Attitudes, Interdisciplinary Approach, Preservice Teacher Education, Educational Research, Information Dissemination, Church Role
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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