Latest From Inclusive Church

Inclusive Church is a network of churches, groups and individuals uniting together around a shared vision:

"We believe in inclusive Church - a church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate. We will continue to challenge the church where it continues to discriminate against people on grounds of disability, economic power, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity, or sexuality. We believe in a Church which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation; and which, in the power of the Holy Spirit, allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ."

Book Review: Queer Prophets, curated by Ruth Hunt

  You had me at the introduction. It doesn’t quite have the rom-com ring to it that Renee Zellweger mustered in the original quote from the film Jerry Maguire ("You had me at hello")! But that’s the kind of intensity with which I love this book. And, in truth and in shame, I probably wouldn’t have read it if I hadn’t been asked to review it. I would have added it to the pile of ‘I really ought to read’ books - books I have Read More »

The Upside-Down Kingdom: Stories of Disabled and Neurodivergent Christians in Churches

  The Upside Down Kingdom of Heaven: Stories of Disabled and Neurodivergent Christians in Churches is a short nineteen page booklet outlining one aspect of Dr Naomi Lawson Jacobs’ PhD research. This short booklet covers one aspect of Naomi’s research, and perhaps one of the most important aspects, as the voices of disabled and neurodivergent Christians are brought to the forefront of this both her particular study and this booklet. Neurodivergent people hav Read More »

Sermon: Compassion and Anger - the two hands of justice-building

  Sermon for Sunday 5th July 2020, on the lectionary reading Psalm 145 Thank you for welcoming me to your church this Sunday. It’s still your church, even if it’s via Zoom! It will be an interesting exercise for all churches to see what is worth keeping of this brave new online world and what is not. Some disabled people I know have told me ‘welcome to our world’ – they actually feel more included by the online services t Read More »

Trans. Christian. Human.

  ‘So why am I writing this book? Precisely because I think that the question ‘Who looks like you do?’ is at the heart of being human. As a Christian, I believe that we are called to live in relationship and continual, open conversation with both those who mirror us, and those who are other to us.’ Alex Clare-Young, Transgender. Christian. Human. p.14. What does it mean to be human? We will each have o Read More »

Church of England 2020 Synod Elections - update

  Many in the Church of England believe it should be a more inclusive, welcoming and open church. A lot is being done by parishes, voluntary groups and campaigning organisations to promote inclusion, but we all know that there is so much more to be done. This year there is an excellent opportunity to influence the C of E at the highest level as its national ruling body, the General Synod, is holding elections. Progress on inclusion needs the General Synod to be suppor Read More »

What does your God look like?

Cristo Negro (Black Christ) - Iglesia de San Filipe - Portobelo, Panama   Genesis 1.27 “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them.” John 14.9 “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”   What does your God look like? I suspect that for many of us, God looks either a bit like us, or a bit like what we think power looks like. I Read More »

Being prepared to make mistakes

  In the same week that I began work as National Coordinator of Inclusive Church, I went to my choir practice and parked my car right in front of a wheelchair ramp. I was so embarrassed when someone had to come into the practice, find me and ask me politely to move it. I had prevented a wheelchair user from entering and they were still waiting outside! It was a low point in my career with Inclusive Church, made even worse by the fact that some of the choir members knew what my Read More »