Amy Kenny: 'My Body is Not a Prayer Request'

Spiritual Misfits Podcast

Amy Kenny, author of 'My Body Is Not A Prayer Request,' joins Will for a discussion about disability justice and ableism in the church. She shares her experiences of being prayed over for her disability to be erased and the harmful treatment she received in the church. Amy emphasizes the importance of recognizing the image of God in disabled bodies and reframing our understanding of healing and curing. She challenges the ableist language, assumptions, and practices that exist in churches and calls for a more inclusive and holistic approach to faith. The conversation explores the themes of inclusivity, disability in scripture, and creating communities that fully receive the gifts of all members. Amy Kenny shares her journey of accepting and being proud of her disabled identity and how her theology has evolved to embrace disability. She emphasizes the need to move beyond tolerance and charity towards celebrating and learning from disabled individuals. Amy also discusses the importance of unlearning ableism, creating cultures of access, and developing a community care network for disabled members. The conversation concludes with final thoughts for both disabled and non-disabled listeners.
Amy's website: https://amy-kenny.com/
Amy's book: 'My Body is not a Prayer Request'

Keywords
disability justice, ableism, church, disabled bodies, healing, curing, image of God, inclusive faith, inclusivity, disability, scripture, theology, identity, acceptance, pride, ableism, access, community care, unlearning, celebration

Chapters

00:50
Introduction and Background of Amy Kenny

04:02
Feeling Like a Spiritual Misfit

08:00
Encountering Jesus in Unexpected Places

11:03
The Harmful Ableism in the Church

17:40
Reframing Our Understanding of God and Disability

31:54
Reshaping Conceptions of God for Inclusivity

38:18
Moving Beyond Tolerance to Fully Receiving Gifts

44:11
Developing a Community Care Network for Disabled Members

48:43
Architecting Life and Community for Co-Flourishing

50:47
Learning from and with Disabled Individuals

58:29
Embracing Divine Identity as Disabled Individuals

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