Published on 12, July, 2020
Is there anybody out there who feels they so much want to fit in with everyone else but struggles to at church. Does your church open and understand your autism. What can we do to change struggles we have in a busy church environment? Autism christian bible study groups etc? I am thinking at random. What are your thoughts and what are your struggles?
https://the-art-of-autism.com/an-interview-with-lamar-hardwick-the-autism-pastor/
I'm a Spiritualist not a Christian, but am generally interested in faith and autism. You might be interested in this chap. He wrote a book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N6U4W1C/ref=dbs_a_def_awm_bibl_vppi_i1
It's part bio about his childhood and career as a Pastor and as an autistic person, and part a lovely theological response to autism. Nice perspective on the Shepherd and the lost sheep: not a naughty sheep who needed to be fetched back to the flock, but a flock that shouldn't ostricise the one sheep who was a bit different such that it felt it had to wonder off.
That's not quite a response to the question you asked, but my friend is an C of E vicar who did post me a link to a youtube lecture by a Scots guy talking about adaptations to church environments to be more accessible for autistic people...trying to think of his name now. He talked about all the sensory and social dimensions which can impact on participation in services and christian community. If I find him again, I'll post the link.
Personally, I don't struggle with my church. I find I can't engage much with small talk about the flowers or tea rotas, but otherwise I'm ok when on the big topics