The Clergy / Caregiver Divide -- Perceptions on Disability: Areas of AGREEMENT

Over the course of the next week, I will continue to publish partial preliminary findings of my research on perceptions between clergy and family caregivers regarding disability issues in congregational settings.  All of these findings will be eventually placed into a formal summary report as well as incorporated into my doctoral project dissertation with the appropriate discussions on significant statistics.

Perceptions on Disability Supportiveness in the Church

Discussion: Perceptions of Supportiveness in their Congregation between Clergy and Family Caregivers of Supports for Children with Intellectual and Development Disability (IDD)

My D.Min research on comparative perceptions of family caregivers and clergy members has yielded a wealth of information.  I will be going through the different data sets for a while, but thought many might like a preliminary snapshot of one of the sections.  Full reports on methodology and further discussion will be available later.

Following the research of Ault, Collins, and Carter on congregational supportiveness,[1]  one section of the survey instrument was developed to measure the caregiver’s perception of the supportiveness of the congregation as compared to the pastor's perception.

This section of the survey was completed by 36 family caregivers (national sample) and compared with responses of 84 clergy members of one denomination (Kansas sample).

Who determines Quality of Life?

Eugenics and Quality of Life

Many women with disabilities identify themselves as feminists, but reject a pro-choice position on abortion, arguing that abortion is too often used as a form of eugenics against disability: this position is difficult for many non-disabled feminists to understand or accept. -- disability theologian, Deborah Beth Creamer (in Disability and Christian Theology, pg 17)

In 2002, as new parents of a daughter with Down Syndrome, we were informed that since our quality of life would be impacted by her potentially low quality life, we had the option of walking away from the hospital without her.

Book Review: Disability in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Disability in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam collects eleven articles organized around two central questions:  First, how does disability fit into the meta-narrative of God among the peoples of the book, and second, how do sacred scriptures challenge discriminatory practices and encourage inclusion.  Editors Darla Schumm (associate professor, Hollins University) and Michael Stoltzfus (professor Valdosta State University) organize the articles into two thematic sections.  The first focuses on textual interpretations of sacred writings and the final section examines social and philosophical concerns which arise from hermeneutic tradition.  

The dark side of prayer for healing - Hearing Shane's voice.

I've got a confession to make.

I get nervous when people pray for healing.

That's problematic on a couple counts.  For starters, I'm a conservative evangelical Pentecostal ordained minister. Our theology implies (but does not dictate) that healing is contained within the atoning sacrifice of Christ.   Healing prayers are part of our century old tradition.