Who’s in the team?
The Centre for Autism and Theology involves a couple of different groups. We have an Advisory Group, who meet regularly with our Centre’s co-directors, Grant Macaskill and Léon van Ommen to discuss and plan the ongoing work of the Centre. We also have our researchers who meet once a week online to discuss emerging work in the field of Autism and Theology, and support one another. This group is made up of postgraduate researchers and other academics who are doing related research. While most are at the University of Aberdeen, we are grateful to have members from different organisations and disciplines.
You can find out more about our researchers on the Centre’s website.
What do you do?
The Centre intends to host research that will help to foster positive Christian understandings of autism, drawing on Scripture and theological traditions, and sometimes challenging the misuse of these. In the first instance, this is intended to help churches to respond well to the lived reality of autism. Beyond this, however, the Centre intends to facilitate the sharing of research into the experience of autistic Christians with other communities of faith, associated with other religions and traditions, and with the medical world itself. Thus the Centre has a triple focus: 1) it engages in rigorous theological research, informed and often led by autistic researchers; 2) it seeks to serve and work with autistic people and Christian communities; and 3) it interacts with other faith communities and academic disciplines.
Why is it important?
Autism is now recognised to be common, and most Christian communities or families will include autistic people. However, autistic people often experience barriers to inclusion in churches. Through encouraging research that promotes positive theological understandings of autism that promote thriving, communities can become more welcoming spaces where people are understood and belong.
What are some of your big projects right now?
One of CAT’s co-directors, Léon van Ommen, has secured two grants of £200,000 each to work with two groups that are vastly underrepresented in autism research: non- or minimally-speaking and Black autistic people. One of the projects looks specifically at the spiritual and religious lives of these two groups in the UK and is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The other project is an interdisciplinary study, with Dr Katy Unwin, a psychologist based at La Trobe University, Melbourne, and focuses on the role of language in the spirituality of non- or minimally-speaking autistic people. This latter project is part of a larger project (£1,5 million, funded by the John Templeton Foundation) led by Dr Joanna Leidenhag at the University of Leeds
The Centre is involved with several public engagement and impact activities. One highlight is the recently launched the Autism and Theology Podcast. The podcast is a space for discussions on autism and theology, hearing life stories, and sharing practical advice for making faith and other communities places of belonging for autistic people.
Our main episodes are released on the first Wednesday of every month where we hear from a guest speaker on a topic related to autism and theology. Our guests range from academics, practitioners, and individuals sharing life experiences.
We also have CATChat on the third Wednesday of every month where our hosts will recommend resources and answer questions from listeners.
What’s the best thing about being part of your team?
Something that is mentioned regularly by those involved with the Centre is how beneficial the community aspect is. This is particularly the case for those who attend our weekly researcher meetings. These meetings are great opportunities for people to connect and engage with difficult topics in a safe and encouraging environment.
“The CAT community has been incredibly supportive and helpful. I’ve had a number of communities in my life, but very few that have seemed to ‘get’ me, especially so quickly.” - Ian
“CAT has given me the space to explore autism and theology at a pace that is well-suited to me. I find that my voice is heard even if it takes me a little longer to speak up. My experience of being an autistic researcher is not seen as something I have to overcome. Rather, introspection on my autistic self is encouraged and valued by a group that is genuinely interested to hear about my experience.” – Harry