Morning Workshop
Start Time: 9:30am
Autistic and non-autistic people often experience the world around them differently. For example, there may be difference in how they seek or respond to sensory input, in how they communicate or how they think. Given that our society – and the church – are usually constructed around non-autistic preferences and needs, this leaves autistic people often feel excluded. In this workshop, we will explore some autistic and non-autistic differences and what causes autistic (and other neurodivergent) people to feel excluded. We will discuss what a theological and practical response may look like.
Special Guest: Dr Léon van Ommen, Senior Lecturer in Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen and Co-Director of the Centre for Autism and Theology.
Cost: $60 per person (in person, including lunch) and $35 online.
Evening Dinner and Lecture
Start Time: 6:00pm
In the evening, you might like to head over to St Mark’s, The Gap for dinner and a free lecture. (Any donation to help cover the costs of catering is greatly appreciated.)
Autistic people are sometimes thought to be less intuitively spiritual or even incapable of having a spiritual life. However, many autistic individuals testify to experiencing a rich and meaningful spirituality.
In this lecture, Dr Léon van Ommen will explore the tension between these perspectives and, drawing on interviews with over 30 autistic people, highlight what seems to be characteristic of autistic spirituality.
Useful Resources
Here’s some material that has been written previously. What questions does this raise for you? Bring them to the workshop!
Welcoming and Including Autistic People in Our Churches - Anglican Focus
How to Create a Safe and Welcoming Space for Autistic People to Worship and Serve - Anglican Focus
About Dr Léon van Ommen
Dr Léon van Ommen is Senior Lecturer in Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen and Co-Director of the Centre for Autism and Theology. Through practical-theological research, he aims to support individuals and faith communities in their spiritual and religious lives. Léon’s research centres on autism, with a particular interest in listening to the perspectives of those who are most excluded, e.g., non-speaking autistic people or autistic people in ethnically minoritised communities.
