Gifts

All of God’s children have both abilities and disabilities.  What is often challenging for congregations is to recognize the abilities of those persons whose disabilities are more obvious.

Some faith communities talk about gifts, gifts of the Spirit, and gift discernment.  To recognize the abilities or gifts of persons who have been labeled “disabled” is both a theological and practical issue.  The focus of this page is on resources that help overcome these attitudinal barriers.

Inclusion Theology and Practice

A Church of All and for All, especially paragraphs 51-55. reflects theologically on disability and capability within the community of faith, and offers practical suggestions for using the gifts of persons with disabilities. This statement is from the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network of the World Council of Churches.

Faith Communities and Persons with Developmental Disabilities, an entire issue of Impact  on the topic of inclusion of persons with disabilities within faith communities. Impact  is the newsletter of the Institute on Community Integration  of the University of Minnesota.