Autistic researcher and podcaster Jonathan Machnee is on Theology Meets World with host Jake Doberenz to discuss the intersection of autism and Christianity. Jonathan shares his personal journey from being raised in a Christian environment to becoming an atheist and eventually returning to Christianity. Based on his extensive research, he outlines the unique ways autistic individuals engage with faith, suggesting how their experiences, like preference for 'discipleship' over 'personal relationship' with Jesus, can impact the faiths of non-autistic individuals. This podcast conversation highlights the need for churches to educate themselves about autism and to listen to the experiences of autistic individuals, fostering a more inclusive environment for all believers.
Important Links
This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen by Tadeusz Borowski
Christianity on the Spectrum Podcast
Jonathan Machnee is an autistic researcher who has conducted the largest English language ethnographic study of Christians and ex-Christian autistics (autism 1, or what was formerly known as Asperger's Syndrome or high-functioning autism). His research has included data mining over 26,000 autistic adults and conducting over 500 interviews with autistic Christians and ex-Christians in order to understand the unique intersection between autism and the practice of Christianity. Find him on X and at christianityonthespectrum@gmail.com.
Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at jakedoberenz.substack.com.
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