The Resolution
Resolution: Creating a Task Force for Advocating for Neurodiverse People
RESOLVED, That this 150th Annual Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of Newark recognize that all people are children of God and that those who identify as Neurodivergent may require different approaches to pastoral care and reasonable accommodations to participate in worship; and be it further
RESOLVED, that this Convention recognizes that neurodivergence encompasses a large spectrum of diverse chronic conditions, the symptoms and effects of which can be viewed as both gifts and disabilities by the person experiencing them, And be it further,
RESOLVED, that this Convention authorizes the creation of a task force for advocating for neurodiverse people composed of neurodiverse and neurotypical lay and clergy, who will explore accessibility and inclusion as it pertains to neurodiverse individuals and those that care for them to assess our current state and identify unmet needs and gaps in resources. And Be it further,
RESOLVED, that the task force for advocating for neurodiverse people will report plans and progress to the 151st Annual Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of Newark. And be it further
RESOLVED, that The Episcopal Diocese of Newark continue to strive for understanding and awareness of our neurodivergent siblings, respect the rights and dignities of all living with these disabilities and conditions, and boldly demonstrate that every person is valued for their respective gifts by building a faith community that enables all to flourish.
Submitted and Electronically signed by Jewels Quelly, Deputy, St. James Episcopal Church, Hackettstown
Explanation:
1. Neurodivergent individuals are often expected to conform to neurotypical standards in a world that neither consistently accommodates their differences nor fully values their unique gifts.
2. Broadly speaking, the Civil Rights Movement is still relatively young, and Disability Justice has developed at a slower pace. Autism Theology is an emerging field that has been evolving since it first began to be explored in the early 2000s.
3. Language matters, but to avoid getting bogged down in semantics, this resolution embraces expansive language, recognizing that preferences are personal to each neurodivergent individual. The term "disability" is used not to imply pathology but to acknowledge that certain neurological conditions may have disabling effects on one’s ability to function.
4. "Neurodivergent" is a non-medical umbrella term for individuals with variations in mental functions, including conditions like autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, sensory processing disorders, executive functioning disorders, and differences in communication and behavior styles, among others.
5. Firsthand reports and studies reveal a significant gap between how welcoming clergy and churchgoers believe their spaces are and how neurodivergent individuals and their caregivers actually experience them.
6. As the task force explores and develops guidelines and resources, we urge the diocese to support this demographic now. This resolution calls for exploration but also encourages immediate steps toward awareness and inclusion until formal actions are in place.
7. We recognize that there is a division within both the medical community and the autism community on the use of the neurodivergent paradigm, and this is not meant to disregard their concerns.
Citations
Gregory, E. (2024, February 20). What Does It Mean To Be Neurodivergent? Retrieved from Forbes.com: https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/what-is-neurodivergent/
Autism and Worship; A Liturgical Theology by Armand Leon van Ommen; Baylor University Press; 2023
Resolution 2024-D069 - Advocating for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities – Proposed by Mr. Alan Murphy, General Convention, The Episcopal Church, Louisville, KY 2024 - No further action taken by House of Deputies.
Resolution 2015-A077 – Publicize Formation Resources for People with Disabilities, General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Salt Lake City, 2015 (New York: General Convention, 2015), pp. 422-423
Resolution 2012-D068, General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Indianapolis, 2012 (New York: General Convention, 2012), p. 711.
The Reverend Ian Lasch, Rector (ecclesiastical) at St. Francis of the Islands, Savannah, Georgia, conversation and mentorship