Toward Accessible Worship: The Experiences and Insights of Christians with Disabilities

Abstract

The call on churches to be places of inclusion and full participation for people with disabilities is clear. Yet many congregations still struggle to design worship services in ways that are accessible to everyone in their faith community. This qualitative study identified salient aspects of Christian worship services that require consideration within churches that are striving to ensure broad accessibility. Though interviews with 37 people with varied disabilities (e.g., autism, hearing impairments, intellectual disability, physical disabilities, visual impairment), we identified 15 dimensions of worship services that warrant careful attention: postures, communication, sense of community, architecture, contributions, attitudes, expectations, technology, supports, interactions, sensory factors, liturgy, understanding, theology, and transportation. We discuss the implications of these findings for worship leaders and suggest avenues for future research aimed at promoting accessible worship services.