SPIRITUALITY, SPIRITUAL CARE AND THE NEEDS OF THOSE WITH AUTISTIC SPECTRUM CONDITIONS

Chris Barber and Peter Kevern

Is ‘religion’ giving way to ‘spirituality’?

1987 2000 20090

1020304050607080

Claiming to belong to a religionClaiming awareness of "a spiritual di-mension to their ex-perience"

Sources: Hay (2002); British Social Attitudes Survey (2011)

. . . and what is ‘spirituality’ anyway?

Defined in contrast to ‘religion’: ‘internal’ v. ‘external’ Individual v. corporate Experiential v. dogmatic Subjective-life v. life-as-religion

(Heelas & Woodhead 2004)

. . . But. . .

• The turn to ‘spirituality’ reflects late capitalist culture (Carrette & King)

• ‘Spirituality’ becomes Religion; religious structures remain by far the most important vehicle for (Pearson)

• The prevailing ‘spiritual landscape’ of affective experiences of love and ‘connectedness’ (Percy) may unintentionally exclude some vulnerable people

Example: people with ASC may find comfort and meaning in structured,

repetitive religious rites but, given their reduced empathy and ‘theory of mind’

may find personal and experiential spirituality difficult

By listening to marginalised voices we have the opportunity to develop

a richer palette of resources for spiritual care

Case study – Chris’ experience

“A middle-aged Catholic with High Functioning Autism/Aspergers Syndrome”

“To connect is, arguably, one of the most fundamental of all human needs. One’s ability to connect spiritually with the Divine, with ourselves, with others and with the natural world helps to define who and what we are.”

“Three ways in which I discover a ‘connectedness’ to the Divine which is not dependent on an

affective or erotic relationship”

Devotion to the Infant Jesus Ritual Prayer Centring Prayer and Lectio

Devotion to the Infant Jesus

Ritual

Centring . . .

. . . and Lectio: meditation on a text

So is there a place for an “autism friendly” spirituality?

Summary People with ASC are unlikely to benefit from

vague and generic ‘spirituality’ They may however gain significant support

from established, routinized and socially-embedded practices

Providing spiritual care for people with ASC may therefore require engagement with the ritual and historical elements of faith-communities

There are implications here for diversity and disability policies

ReferencesCarrette, J. and King, R. (2004) Selling Spirituality: the silent takeover of religion

London: RoutledgeHay, D. (2002)The Spirituality Of Adults In Britain – Recent Research Scottish Journal of

Healthcare Chaplaincy Vol. .5 No 1 2002 , 4-9Hay D. & Heald G. (1987) ‘Religion is good for you’, New Society, 17 April.Hay D. & Hunt K. (2000) Understanding the Spirituality of People who don’t go to Church, Final

Report of the Adult Spirituality Project, Nottingham University.Heelas, P and Woodhead, L. (2004) The Spiritual Revolution: why religion is giving

way to spirituality Cambridge: BlackwellPearson, J. (2003) ‘Witchcraft will not soon vanish from this earth’: Wicca in the 21st century in

Davie, G., Heelas, P., & Woodhead, L. Eds, Predicting Religion: Christian, Secular and Alternative Futures Aldershot: Ashgate 170-182

Percy, M. (1998a) ‘Erotic ideology in experiential religion’ Power in the Church. Ecclesiology in an age of transition London: Continuum 141-162

Percy, M. (1998b) ‘Things Fall Apart II: experiential religion and the absence of theology’ Power in the Church. Ecclesiology in an age of transition London: Continuum 183-204

Schrock, K. (2010) People with Asperger's less likely to see purpose behind the events in their lives. Scientific American May 29, 2010 http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=people-with-aspergers-less-likely-t-2010-05-29