RT Article
T1 Addressing Accessibility Within the Church: Perspectives of People with Disabilities
JF Journal of religion and health
VO 62
IS 4
SP 2474
OP 2495
A1 Carter, Erik W.
A1 Tuttle, Michael
A1 Spann, Emilee
A1 Ling, Charis
A1 Jones, Tiffany B.
LA English
PB Springer Science + Business Media B. V.
YR 2023
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1858666384
AB People with disabilities often lack full access to corporate worship and participation in their faith communities. Yet many church leaders experience uncertainty about the steps they should take to remove barriers and widen the welcome for members of their community who are impacted by disability. This study examined the recommendations of people with disabilities regarding how churches should pursue greater accessibility. We interviewed 37 Christians who were members of a local church in Tennessee and who experienced various disabilities (i.e., visual impairments, intellectual disability, autism, physical disabilities, hearing impairments). Their guidance coalesced around nine primary actions: advocating, reflecting, asking, researching, equipping, embracing, proacting, including, and praying. We address key implications for churches striving to be inclusive of people with and without disabilities, as well as offer recommendations for future research.
K1 Accessibility
K1 Christianity
K1 Disability
K1 Inclusion
K1 Worship
DO 10.1007/s10943-022-01508-6