A friend asked me recently if I had a recommended reading list about disabilities. The 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act is on July 26, and I want to give readings that provide a broad perspective of disability history and why people with disabilities remain so passionate about civil rights today.
I have begun with the books concerning historical issues that are not generally part of disability awareness discussions. These are not pleasant books to read, but the things they discuss still have an impact on our experiences today.
I have given plenty of theology recommendations. I am a member of the clergy and a theologian. Perhaps one day I will be able to add my own books to this list. Today I honor the work of others. I hope that it will empower the Church to reconciliation with people with disabilities.
Last, I have given my best general resources on reconciliation. Sometimes it is necessary to look outside our own experiences to find wisdom. I hope these are helpful.
At the bottom of the list, I have linked to articles and blogs online that can help you to learn about disability. This list will grow as I find additional resources. If you like it, please bookmark this page.
Note: I could recommend numerous other books like these. If you like something on this page and want more recommendations like it, or if there is a type of resource missing that you would like to see, please leave a comment and I will be happy to expand the recommendations.
Books
Historical/Legislative Issues
The Ugly Laws is a discussion of historical legislation (primarily in America) that was designed to keep people with abnormalities off the street. These laws were designed to prevent begging by people who were unable to obtain employment or perform work to provide their own support; but their wording was severely stigmatizing. While most of these laws have been done away with, people with stigmatizing conditions still feel the effect of the attitudes that gave rise to them in the interactions that people with disabilities have as we go about our business. Portions of the discussion in this book overlap with other minority issues; and I highly recommend it as an educational piece along with other historical works that examine nationalism, sterilization and euthanasia, etc.
The Imprisoned Guest demonstrates the exploitation that occurred in residential schools, especially with children who were deaf and blind. Especially in the 19th century, there were no established methods of education. Therefore, school staff were regarded as miracle workers and wonderful people even while they experimented and exploited children without being honest with families about what they were doing. The education that Laura was denied through sheer lack of access to information shaped her moral and spiritual development and caused deep psychological trauma. This should speak to our practices with regard to providing access to religious education today.
The Disability Rights Movement: From Charity to Confrontation is now about 20 years out of date, but it provides a good general introduction to the history of disability advocacy and legal issues that people with disabilities are working to keep up with. The general issues introduced in this book remain things that we advocate for. The way that laws are constructed to maintain access change over time; so legislative advocacy continues to be a high priority for people with disabilities.
Make Them Go Away discusses the backlash against the Americans with Disabilities Act (passed in 1990) and lack of support for reasonable requests for accommodations. In addition to reading this book, I encourage research into the most recent amendments to the aDA which require people to report to businesses regarding lack of compliance and wait for a period of time before filing a civil rights complaint.
General and Philosophical Issues
The Difference Disability Makes is written by a Canadian author and confronts the question of whether disability is suffered or whether it can be an identity that one chooses. The author writes from the poing of view of one who has recently lost his sight. The book is a good blend of academic discussion and personal narrative. Many people do not consider disability something that they suffer. This is a new way to think for people whose only way to understand disability is to imagine it through fear.
Beginning With Disability contains numerous “thought-starters”. This is a text designed for use in disability studies courses. This is definitely not a book for one sitting, but it will introduce you to the ways that people with disabilities are thinking about life and culture.
Disability and the Church
In Disability and the Way of Jesus, Bethany mcKinney Fox examines approaches to the healing narratives taken by traditional scholars, people with disabilities, and pastors and suggests a new “wholistic” approach to these narratives that honors the lived experience of people with disabilities.
Copious Hosting has been a resource for me for many years. Jennie Weiss Block writes in a very readable style without dumbing down the educational aspects of disability awareness that are part of every work about disability or the theology that follows. Her premise is that access is liberation for people with disabilities. This book has been refreshment for my soul because it moves past demonstrations of intent and straight to the work of doing the things that liberate.
Beyond Accessibility goes beyond the general recommendations about how to make a church physically accessible and discusses the difficult issues of hospitality–things that make a difference in whether a person with a disability stays or leaves, even when all the right things are done physically.
Vulnerable Communion is the best teneral theology that weaves disability into everyday issues that we all face: What is the good life? What about the ability to provide for our needs? What about health and prosperity? What about beauty? What about spiritual well-being?
This book contains an archive of entries from Jeff’s blog by the same title. There is a second book: The Church and Disability 2.
Books on Reconciliation
In Fear of the Other, William Willimon takes a pastoral approach toward encouraging readers to examine attitudes about people who are “other” than themselves. This is an excellent resource for any reconciliation situation.
In Exclusion and Embrace, Miroslav Volv poses deep theological questions about the concept of otherness, the self, inclusion, and how these relate to the cross. This is deep reading and I highly recommend it.
The most poignant part of From Hurt to Healing is the place where Park says that whenever we preach, we may be preaching to both the sinner and the sinned-against (my paraphrase). Most of our preaching is targeted toward the sinner without sensitivity to the sinned-against. Park’s work helps to build awareness of how to hold the two seekers in mind in ministry context. I have kept this booklist as short as possible, but truly I recommend putting all of Park’s books in your library.
The Other Side of Sin is edited by Andrew Sung Park. Several authors discuss aspects of the experience of being sinned against. The book concludes with two chapters that are vital to the task of reconciliation: “TEACHING JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION IN A WOUNDING WORLD” and “HOSPITALITY TO VICTIMS: A CHALLENGE FOR CHRISTIAN WORSHIP”.
Inclusion: Making Room for Grace has nothing overtly to do with disability. It is a down-to-earth Scriptural perspective about building a community thaat is inclusive of the “other”. There are numerous places in Scripture where the community sought to exclude based on some aspect that they found intolerable: a person’s sin, a person’s non-Jewishness, etc. Eric Law applies lessons from these narratives to situations the Church faced regarding the need to become inclusive.
Articles and Blogs
FDA Bans Electroshock Treatments Used as Aversive Therapies
Electroshock therapy was used to keep people with certain disabilities from engaging in behaviors that were considered dangerous until as recently as early 2020 at one institution in the United States. The treatment itself caused injury and trauma and is now banned. The article explains why the treatment was used, its consequences, and what alternatives are being used.
DisabledChristianity
This is the live blog from Jeff McNair. Whatever is new after his books you will find heere.
My blog posts on disability
This is the category page for my blog specifically dedicated to disability awareness. It is updated as I post anything new related to disability.
- Learning From My Younger Self - February 10, 2024
- more reflections on ITD - June 30, 2023
- On travel while at ITD: reflections after day 1 - June 27, 2023
- ITD day 1 - June 27, 2023
- ITD day 1 - June 27, 2023
- Job Descriptions, Inclusivity, and Equity for People with Disabilities - October 15, 2022
- Traveling without a Guide Dog: Experience with Cane and Walker - October 14, 2022
- Disability and Church, Intersection - June 11, 2022
- Review: When Chronic Pain and Illness Take Everything Away - June 11, 2022
- Grammar and Style Resources for Writers - June 9, 2022
