Meet Bishop Talley.. #SITD15

I had the privilege of meeting Bishop David Talley of the Archdiocese of Atlanta this morning (Thursday).  As he told me of his long time ministry leading Toni's Camp -- a faith formation experience for people with ID with high school senior volunteers, I could tell he was a passionate servant.

He then volunteered to help me relocate the display table I was at too another room -- and quickly picked up the other end.  Together we made something small happen.  An accumulation of small changes eventually transform the world.

His work in Atlanta is unmistakable.  A fully architectural accessible parish so everyone would have access to the full life of community.  A commitment to serving all people as mutual co-laborers for the gospel. A passion for young people to live out the gospel message.  I look forward to hearing him speak later today.

#SITD15

Thoughts from the Summer Institute on Disability #SITD15

Welcome to Atlanta!

This week I am attending the Summer Institute on Theology and Disability #STID15.  This annual conference brings together an international array of theologians, educators, thinkers, writers, activists, and advocates from around the world.  Every habitable continent is represented. The attendees range from many diverse denomination, religious, and secular traditions.  One goal of the week is to find out our where interests overlap so we can advance change in our society.

(for some of last years posts, click here)

This year, the first day was set aside for local area clergy and other representatives to get a taste of the upcoming week and attend practical workshops.  It fascinates me that the many of the local people I interacted with were from conservative evangelical traditions, seeking to further their knowledge of disability ministry; yet notably absent this year were the voices of many of the conservative evangelical American leaders and writers.  I know they had been invited, but many opt not to have their seat at this table, to our mutual detriment.

Several intriguing discussions arose during the day.  As theologians are prone to do, words are re-purposed to fit a category of thought.  Catchy phrases, which I live tweeted through the event, do not necessarily have the same weight in different parts of the country.  I’m finding that our uncommon language among regions and disciplines make for great journal articles but have little impact on local ministries.  At the heart of this issue is that no matter how we term it, before full inclusion, belonging, or becoming can ever take fully hold (past mere access and integration), mutual relationships must be formed with the other.  This is the true hospitality – which by definition should pull even the most progressive one of us into uncomfortable situations.

As a Christian, I desire to be challenged in my faith formation – it furthers my development towards the full image of Christ.  As an outgrowth of my personal faith, I am unable to comprehend disability ministry as anything but originating from the heart of Christ – that is what drives me.

As a Classical Pentecostal who acknowledges that occasional abuses occur by mortal humans attempting to find their place within the economy of faith, I am not quite as willing to throw away the doctrine of healing.  I will confess, however, that my doctrine of healing does not begin nor end with it being defined solely as a cure – yet I am willing to allow the gap in time and space (Reinders) to have a place for the miraculous.  Furthermore, as a Pentecostal who hears the critiques of others, I fully understand the cry to pray for the gift of ears for JUST listening, over that of tongues.  But I have never found them mutually exclusive.  In fact, in my Pentecostal tradition, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the often accompanying glossolalia allows me to be even more attune to the lament of God’s people.

I look forward to another day of stretching, growing, and thinking!

I invite you to help me grow!

Rev. Marvin J. Miller, D.Min (cand)

mjmiller@abilityed.com

T: @MarvinMiller

#STID15

Happy Easter! He is Risen Indeed!

For those affected by disability who are unable to attend a service today, please feel free to connect with the FRONT DOOR -- Key Ministries Hosted Interactive Online Church for Families with Disability.

http://go.mediasocial.tv/cbcfrontdoor

Beyond the Letter -- Inclusion and Varsity Letters

In the last few days, a news story on varsity lettering and inclusion in a local high school has been the top trending topic in Wichita, Kansas.  While focused on the education sector, this presents an opportunity for us in the church to re-examine our own inclusion practices. 

• Are we including all students in our churches?  
• What church traditions which were once progressive, now serve as barriers for full inclusion?
• How can we welcome those with hidden disabilities?
• What church systems are in place which make it harder for our families with disabilities to engage in meaningful worship and discipleship?  How can we remove those?

For more information on inclusive church practices, please check out Key Ministries' Inclusion Fusion web archives.  A number of Christian disability ministries are also available to help you transform your church into an inclusive community which celebrates every unique ability God has provided.

For those looking for my public comment presented at the 30 March 2015 Wichita USD 259 Board of Education meeting, the text and a pdf file is provided below.

#beyondtheletter

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PUBLIC COMMENT WICHITA USD 259 

My nearly teenage daughter has Down syndrome.  When we moved into Kansas five years ago, we met with special education officials to discuss our daughter’s specific needs.  Because of their helpfulness, we opted to purchase a house in the Northwest high school area.  Over the years, I have had positive interactions with many special educators, volunteers, and others who have helped our daughter progress.  I would like to thank the district for being attentive to our needs in the past and hope they hear our communities concerns for the future.

Recent news stories have revealed an opportunity for the greater Wichita community to embrace the special needs students who are often present, yet ignored or not included in our society.  Inclusion is about social capital, maintaining a sense of belonging, and developing meaningful relationships with peers. 

As a varsity high school letter holder myself, I am grateful those with special needs who enjoy sports have an outlet provided to show their school pride.  They are as much of an athlete as the East High state championship basketball team we are proud of and the Shockers we root for.  Yet so is the tuba player in the marching band practicing on a hot field 3 hours a day, or any number of other students who put in extra hours in clubs and while representing their school.  My question is this – what is the purpose of a letter?  Is it not to indicate accomplishment and express school pride?

I also understand we have a large city, comprised of younger and older schools, all with their own traditions – which is why local building policy is often a good thing – it allows us to celebrate our diversity.  Some schools have letters for KSHAA approved sports and allow clubs to design their own.  Other sites use one letter for all sports and clubs.  I have been informed, letters had already been approved and are in the design phase for the Tri-County special needs league (comprised of numerous schools from several districts) this year and were to be presented at the end of the season.  These processes take some time, but seek to be fair to all.

Are any of these policies intrinsically wrong?  -- Only if the letter is used as a marker to promote exclusion.  If this is the case, then absolutely, there must be a district wide policy.  If not, I am fairly confident that our student stakeholders, as evidenced by the online petition we see, would come to the same conclusion – because we’ve done a good job of educating them.

I would suggest that the board of education encourage local buildings to put together a task force of all stakeholders, students, teachers, and administrators involved in all lettering activities and re-examine any lettering or dress code policies which do not equally treat students who demonstrate school spirit.

Whichever decision this board makes on the lettering issue, will it automatically address all our inclusion issues?  Probably not.  We haven’t even begun to address our medically fragile students who expend more physical effort just getting dressed every morning. The frenzy that has surrounded this topic will move on to the next bit of sensationalist reporting.  As a parent, I have observed that it is easier for students, educators, and the community at large to like something on Facebook, rally for a local cause, yet never take true action. 

• For every student that signed this petition – have you sat down at a lunch table, or attended a game, or become a friend of a person with special needs outside of class?
• For every educator that “leaves their work” at school, have you sought to include persons with disabilities in your own neighborhood?
• For every member of the public who rallies here tonight, have you sought inclusion in your work site-- because our high school graduates need a place to earn a living and co-workers to hang out with.
• For our legislators who say “give the letter”, have you not recognized that slashing the educational budget actually makes it much harder to create environments of inclusion and will hurt our special needs students?

It’s time to take this conversation beyond the letter.

Regards,

Rev. Marvin J. Miller

Parent Member, KSDE Special Education Advocacy Council (SEAC) – District 10

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this letter are mine and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency or organization with which I am associated.

Beyond the Letter (pdf)

Save the Date -- SITD 2015

Book Review: Disability and Christian Theology

Book Review

In the last dozen years, theologians have seriously attempted to examine human disability and its implications on anthropology, culture, religion, and society.  Deborah Creamer (director, accreditation and institutional accreditation for ATS) tackles these issues head on in Disability and Christian Theology, first by rejecting traditional perspectives on disability, both medical and social, considering recent proposals of liberation theology, and then introducing a newly constructed theology of limits. Her target audience is the theological academy – she calls for a re-examination of long held assumptions informed by the normalcy of disability.  Only once humanity is seen within its finite scope, does the experience of disability become a normative lens through which to examine all other inquiries.

Inclusion Fusion

In just 4 weeks, one of the best training events for Christian disability ministry leaders will occur in the comfort of your own home or office.  Key Ministries has put together a free two day long webinar with live chat. 

 Registration is FREE!

If you wonder what it's like, watch last years sessions in the  Inclusion Fusion archives.

Young leaders making a difference...

It took a year, but I finally connected with a group doing fabulous disability ministry on the East side of Wichita.  Amanda Brandt and her team of dedicated volunteers lead Young Life Capernaum groups at Andover High, East Wichita High, and Robinson Middle School.  At a recent parent's meeting she continually reminded everyone that this is not just disability ministry -- but an opportunity to jointly minister (and receive ministry) from their many friends.

Thanks to the generosity of several east side churches and Christian businesses who support them, Amanda and her team not only visit students during the week at school, but also lead a weekly club gathering (hosted by Eastminster Presbyterian Church) and raise funds for a camping experience in the summer.

As a parent,  I look for different qualities when deciding if a group or activity is right for my child. Capernaum had them all: welcoming environment, excellent training, boundless enthusiasm, and endless vision.  I was particularly impressed that the entire volunteer team had taken Mandt training - making the Wichita group one of the few Christian ministry organizations with that level of behavioral deescalation and safety training.

Grace Powell - volunteer, Amanda Brandt - coordinator

I was excited to hear the stories of some of the young volunteers -- some of them graduates of Trinity Christian School and others hoping to make a career in special education or human services.  Their enthusiasm is contagious!

Amanda shared her vision the other night.  While Young Life has a presence at over a dozen schools in the Wichita area, Capernaum is only available at three.  For them to expand will require more volunteers and pastors willing to welcome her share the vision from the pulpit.  She reminds everyone that Capernaum is not a replacement for churches inclusion programs but a missional supplement.

After my first meeting several weeks ago with Capernaum, I contacted youth disability ministry specialist Ben Conner (Western Theological Seminary) and inclusion specialist Erik Carter (Vanderbilt University) who both serve on Young Life Capernaum's national board of directors.  From what I understand, the small representation of Capernaum groups are not unusual -- even though the need is great.

I would encourage my pastor friends to contact Young Life Capernaum groups in your community and find out ways you can partner alongside them.

To reach Young Life Capernaum in Wichita, please contact Amanda at:

Amanda Brandt
Young Life Capernaum Coordinator - Wichita
6505 E Central #318  Wichita, KS  67206
661-428-0713 | ylbrandt@hotmail.com

Theological Foundations Influencing Disability Ministry

My recent doctoral research on comparative perceptions between clergy members and family caregivers of persons with IDD have revealed similarities and differences.  It is imperative for clergy and caregivers to understand each other's perspectives for  persons with IDD to flourish in local worshipping communities.  

Statements were answered utilizing a 4 point Likert scale (strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree). The bars on the following charts indicate majority agreeing or disagreeing to statement, while the markers indicate the level of strength in agreement or disagreement (mean).  This report utilizes the validated responses of 84 clergy members and 36 caregivers.

Caregivers and clergy, while both overwhelmingly agreeing on two value statements, have a radically different opinion of how their belief impacts their practices, as observed by both the amount of persons agreeing as well as the strength level of their agreement.  The praxis question “Places of worship should pray regularly for persons with IDD to be made normal” was an inverse correlate of the theological question regarding the image of God; the responses should have been identical. 

There was, however, a significant gap between the two in both frequency and strength of clergy opinion. Caregivers overwhelmingly regard children with IDD created in the image of God as normal, in contrast to the clergy. This can lead to the often reported caregivers’ perception non-normal is equated to “sinful” or “evil”. 

Clergy’s practices significantly contradict their belief: either clergy have not reflected on the implications of the two, or they may be falsely assenting to a value statement. A small group of caregivers’, perhaps reflecting their perceptions of clergy opinion, hold a minority position that normalcy is desired.

In part, these discrepancies may result from improper distinction between healing and normalization: healing is the restoration of one to full participation in God’s image (physical, mentally, socially, relationally, and spiritually), while normalization is placing human notions of God’s likeness upon all humanity. People with disabilities also get sick, injured, divorced – they too need healing. Healing appropriated for a person with or without disability, does not alter any persons’ identity as a limited human being created in God’s image.

Most clergy do not see healing as primary necessity, although the strength of their agreement is not strong. Furthermore, a significant amount (23%) do think it is the primary need. The strength between levels of (dis)agreement is significant between caregivers and clergy, to the point that caregivers are accurate in their perception clergy’s primary goal is to see their child healed. In addition, the primacy of healing seemed to supplant the necessity of salvific grace. Based upon clergy’s inactive expressions, caregivers tend to conclude just the opposite of clergy’s actual values.

Not every clergy member indicated the necessity of salvific grace for people with IDD. Perhaps it is due to how soteriology (theology of salvation) is often interpreted in the Christian community as cognitive assent to doctrinal statements. Twenty-five percent of caregivers perceive clergy believe healing is as high a priority as salvific grace. This united combination of healing and salvation tends to further the perception that grace is only extended to those experiencing healing.

I would encourage clergy and caregivers to engage in mutual dialog in order to better understand each other.

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.