There are three areas in particular I shall be looking at:
- How we enable access to buildings for people with physical disabilities
- How we help people with learning difficulties to worship and draw closer to Jesus
- How we help people with dementia to worship and maintain/discover a relationship with Jesus.
Some of you will be concerned already about my use of language. There is no way to talk about these issues without either offending some or making others laugh with scorn at convoluted efforts to say the right thing. So may I make it clear that I agree with the trailers for the new BBC1 series on how people live full lives with their disabilities (Tuesdays, 10.35 pm) that we should be about removing limitations, focusing on abilities, and so on.
The sabbatical will involve reading, interviews, observation and visits. I shall also be doing a lot of reflecting on what I have observed over the years of both good and bad practice in the Church. I believe I'm at times going to find things uncomfortable, and will try to be honest about those times.
More detail on my plans soon. Meanwhile, let's get this posted and see if it actually works.
I agree also with the BBC trailers. I suppose that some might have a real problem with the language and various terms, but I hate the term "differently abled" and think there is much to be said for telling it how it is. Saying "learning difficulties" instead of "mental handicap", for example, hasn't actually got rid of the prejudice; it just confused people.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gill. Continuing my research, I came across the following blog which says what matters. Your "hasn't actually got rid of the prejudice" is key in this. http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/how-do-we-know-the-words-to-speak
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