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Overview"An estimated 76 million people worldwide are affected by autism—current figures suggest that 1 in 100 people live somewhere along the autism spectrum, though many remain undiagnosed. Frequently, autism occurs alongside other conditions, such as anxiety or depression. Yet despite autism's prevalence and impact, the church remains slow to adapt, with responses that are often poorly informed and irresponsible. In Autism and the Church Grant Macaskill provides a careful, attentive, and sustained analysis of the reality of autism within the church and how this should be approached theologically.Macaskill demonstrates that attempts to read the Bible with reference to autism are often deficient because they move too quickly from the study of particular texts to claims about the condition and how it should be viewed. This leads some Christians to see autism as something that should be healed or even exorcised. Macaskill instead invites readers to struggle with the biblical canon, in ways shaped by the traditions of the early church, to a process of interpretation that calls upon the church, following Christ's teaching, to cherish those who experience autism as part of the diverse gifting of Christ's body. Accordingly, he calls churches to consider the implications of autism in their congregations and to explore how best to accommodate the particular needs of persons with autism in public worship and pastoral care, while valuing their distinctive contribution. In short, Macaskill challenges the church to ""think biblically"" about autism. Autism and the Church teaches readers that those with autism belong to the church, demonstrating that, if responsibly read, the Bible provides a resource that enables the church to recognize the value of those with autism. Macaskill shows how the Bible can help both individuals and church bodies flourish, even as the church deals faithfully with the opportunities and challenges that come with understanding autism. He writes as a biblical scholar intimately familiar with the experience of autism, dealing honestly with the real difficulties that can accompany the condition, while challenging misconceptions." Full Product DetailsAuthor: Grant MacaskillPublisher: Baylor University Press Imprint: Baylor University Press Weight: 0.333kg ISBN: 9781481311250ISBN 10: 1481311255 Pages: 239 Publication Date: 15 February 2021 Audience: Professional and scholarly , Professional & Vocational Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: Manufactured on demand We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier. Table of ContentsIntroduction: Autism and Church 1. Real Autism: Characteristics and Explanations 2. Autism and the Bible: The Challenge of Reading Responsibly 3. Autism and the Body of Christ: Incarnation for the Church 4. Autism in the Church: A Sensory Space for All God's People 5. The Dark Side of Autism: Anxiety, Depression, and Addiction 6. Autism and Christian Practices: The Challenge of Pastoral Care Conclusion: Toward a Theology of AutismReviewsGrant Macaskill's Autism and the Church is a timely and comprehensive book for a range of readers, including autistic people, parents and carers of autistic people of differing support needs, scholars and clergy. --Krysia Waldock Modern Believing In sum, a terrific book, necessary for anyone who has autism, who has family with autism, or pastors a church with autistic people and their careers. Five stars from me! --Mike Bird Patheos In sum, a terrific book, necessary for anyone who has autism, who has family with autism, or pastors a church with autistic people and their careers. Five stars from me! --Mike Bird Patheos In sum, a terrific book, necessary for anyone who has autism, who has family with autism, or pastors a church with autistic people and their careers. Five stars from me! Author InformationGrant Macaskill is Kirby Laing Chair of New Testament Exegesis and Director of the Centre for the Study of Autism and Christian Community at the University of Aberdeen. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |