Inclusive Faith Practices for Children with Autism
Anne Masters, M.A.
A central tenet of the “Abrahamic religions,” Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, is that each person is created by God and therefore part of one human family. However, when a person is marginalized because of autism or any other disability, that marginalization seems to deny this gift from God and our shared human dignity. This has significant implications for the person with autism, his or her family, and the faith community. For these families, the pain of rejection by others can be overwhelming, particularly when that rejection comes from their faith community, a place where we gather to celebrate and draw strength from God’s presence in our lives.
Inclusion of children with autism in the religious education and communal prayer life of a community is the focus of this discussion. However, the process could easily be applied to teenagers and adults, because the human need for inclusion lasts a lifetime. I am writing out of the Catholic tradition, but am grateful for the review of this article by Jane Eisen-Abesh, M.S., OTRL, Special Needs Coordinator for Congregation M’kor Shalom and Maysaa S. Bazna, Ed.D., who specializes in the area of learning disabilities and Islam. When we exclude people from our faith communities because their needs or behaviors are “too different,” we must ask ourselves what we are teaching our children about the validity of those central tenets of faith that form moral behavior. Most likely, what they will learn is, “Follow those teachings… when it is easy.” Is that the message we really wish to teach? Our religious education settings have the opportunity to be apprenticeships of faith that allow for the development of behavior informed by faith. For this to be really effective, children need to see this behavior modeled by the adults in the community. The saying, “Children will do as we do, not as we say,” applies just as easily to the faith community as to the family. Is the public prayer life of a community professing welcome for all? So how does a faith community welcome and educate people with autism into its life and mission? The long answer to this question is to make use of the resources recommended in this booklet and talk to communities who already do so successfully. However, the short answer is, “Welcome one.” Instead of worrying about starting an entire program to welcome people with autism and their families, begin by welcoming one. Many faith communities that have successful programs for inclusive religious education began by determining the needs of the one child first presented to them.
Imhof Family When my son was younger, around 7-years-old, I contacted the CCD department of this parish requesting a viewing of the Special Needs class conducted Wednesday afternoons. After a lot of phone tag, I finally conferred with the sister in charge at the time for CCD. I explained my situation and she felt that they were not equipped to handle my son. Though she said she would get back to me with a possible Special Ed teacher that could come to the home, that never happened and we pretty much gave up on the matter. Matter of fact, we do not attend at all nor contribute to this parish. I guess you can say they lost parishioners because of this blunder.
Is there ever a wonder why we lose faith?
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Autism and Faith
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