https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/1756073X.2025.2553263?domain=p2p_domain&token=J68VSGNXJVKV26S3PMA4
This is the abstract below-
This study explores what autistic Christians who attend evangelical churches in the UK find both valuable and challenging about how they experience faith, worship, and community within these contexts. The aim was to enable autistic people’s voices to be heard, and to explore the interaction between autistic experience and evangelical church environments. In-depth semi-structured interviews with seven autistic Christians from evangelical churches were conducted, and the data analysed by thematic analysis.
The participants expressed highly positive views of God, and demonstrated that they deeply value their faith and church involvement. However, the significant personal costs for them in participating in these communities were also evident. Although which aspects of church life were difficult or enjoyable varied greatly among the participants, there were common experiences of exhaustion, overwhelm, and a sense of failure. The significance of the presence of autistic people within the body of Christ, and what it means for autistic people to live as disciples of Christ are also considered.
My comments
Seven participants from Evangelical churches took part in this study, 6 were diagnosed with autism and one was waiting an assessment for autism. The criteria was to be diagnosed with autism or self identifying as autistic and worship in an Evangelical church. The participants were between 20 and 60 years old. The participants were female to. I do fit this criteria for diagnosis as I am diagnosed with autism but I attend an Anglican church as a non denominational Christian and have a background of Catholicism.
I recognise that this study does not have many participants and this study was semi structured interview in method. I wanted to comment on some of the experiences that the participants had and see how they compare to mine and the church I attend which is an Anglican Holy Communion service.
All the participants had positive views about God, which I to share. Some participants also expressed that God understood their neurodivergence which I also do think. The world seems fast and unchangeable to me and I like that God is not changeable.
Some participants found it difficult to be an active participant in church and attend church and be engaged in extra church activities. Some found that the church was too harshly lit although they enjoyed having a faith. Myself, I have not been involved in church activities other than attending a midweek morning coffee group after mid week mass at times and this was a good social routine for me helping me to mix with others only when I felt able to do it. I do have a small job at church which I offered to do which is to water the church garden in the summer and I do that alone and there is no pressure on me. I enjoy doing it as I like to be around water and I like to look after nature.
My advice is to only take on what you can manage. I have read a reading once at church Psalm 139 which is often used for neurodivergence.Nobody puts pressure on me to take on any activities at the church I attend. One participant mentioned that they found having a meal noisy at church-I have taken part in a Christmas meal and also found it noisy but it was once a year and I put up with it and enjoyed being there and did other things like play some games. I look forward to it every year.
The church I attend is quiet no music and well lit and is at 8am in the morning and nobody is really social at that hour and it lasts for 30 minutes. The church I attend once a month hosts an autistic group on its premises which is run by a London Autistic charity. I have taken part previously and hope to again in the future. I used to be involved in another church a chronic disabilities group and it was small and I found it helpful.
Most participants felt that their faith benefitted them. Some said their faith and their condition made them have greater sense of compassion for others. Some benefitted from feeling God's presence in their lives day to day. Some found the church helpful for them sensory wise.
I also have had another diagnosis in my life, an eating disorder and the faith and feeling God's presence too does make me feel less alone . I like that I can take scripture literally well when it needs to and it gives me a sense enjoyment from the Bible and it can feel it comes alive. Church life also helps me with routine and helps to give me focus in life.
The participants who spoke were aware that their contribution to the body of Christ was valuable but felt a sense of inadequacy, failure or inability to able to live up to an ideal about a Christian standard of living. Some felt a sense of inadequacy not being able to act as expected. Some participants struggled to pray and some didn’t feel that they could be very welcoming to others.
Myself, when my autism has been overwhelmed or I had a meltdown it has said things which I felt have been harsh, it took some time to recover from this. I knew though through being diagnosed especially that God understood that it was not my doing and I had this helpful advice which really helped me. I also have an allergy which can act like tics to they may express words more bluntly when distressed.
A priest told me this which I found very helpful-
“"If your body experiences involuntary conditions or
actions that express harsh words or thoughts-without your personal belief or
intent—those are not counted because of God’s mercy.
Remember, God looks at the heart and understands our struggles beyond mere
words".
I enjoyed reading the study and it is was good to see the comments by the participants. Whether you go to an Evangelical church or another type of church. There should be a right church for everyone and I wish you all well.
