Disability and the Church (Video)

by Benjamin T. Conner

Publisher:

Seminary Now

, 2024

Overview

People with disabilities make up 18 to 20% of the population in the U.S. They find representation in every gender and ethnicity, but it’s a group that is often overlooked or not acknowledged in our churches. How can our churches come alongside and minister to and with people with disabilities?

In this course, Dr. Ben Conner along with Dr. Carlos Thompson explore some ways that the lived experience of disability can help us to reimagine and enrich the ways we read the Bible, the ways we engage in theological reflection, and the ways in which we gather to worship and practice our faith together. You will come away with a better appreciation of how to speak about disability, how to center the insights of people with disabilities, and how to imagine a more inclusive and faithful church.

Presented with Western Theological Seminary.

Key Features

• Addresses the significant oversight of people with disabilities within church communities
• Explores how the lived experience of disability can profoundly enrich theological reflection
• Equips participants to imagine and build a more inclusive and faithful church

Contents

• Introduction (2 min)
• Session 1 (15 min)
• Session 2 (13 min)
• Session 3 (23 min)
• Session 4 (17 min)
• Session 5 (18 min)
• Session 6 (14 min)
• Session 7 (12 min)
• Session 8 (13 min)
• Epilogue (1 min)
• Speaking in My Own Voice: An Interview With Seth (12 min)
• Defining in My Own Calling: An Interview With Meg (12 min)
• The Emotional Power of Belonging: An Interview With Kurtis (13 min)
• Autism and Transformation: An Interview With Connor (11 min)

Product Details

• Title: Disability and the Church (video)
• Author: Benjamin T. Conner
• Publisher: Seminary Now
• Print Publication Date: 2024
• Logos Release Date: 2025
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Disabilities › Religious aspects--Christianity; Church work with people with disabilities
• Resource ID: LLS:DSBLTYCHRCHVD
• Resource Type: Media
• Metadata Last Updated: 2025-07-17T15:07:40Z

About Benjamin T. Conner

Benjamin T. Conner (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is professor of practical theology at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, where he is director of the Graduate Certificate in Disability and Ministry. He is the author of Amplifying Our Witness: Giving Voice to Adolescents with Developmental Disabilities and Practicing Witness: A Missional Vision of Christian Practices.