Autistic Christians and their experiences of faith, worship, and community in Evangelical churches in the UK

Bibliographic Data

ID20242539
AuthorsElizabeth L Peach (Sheffield Hallam University, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume18
Issue5
Pages406-419
Publication date2025-09-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePractical Theology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1756-073X • E-ISSN: 1756-0748
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/1756073x.2025.2553263
OpenAlexW4414524863
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited24

This study explores what autistic Christians who attend evangelical churches in the UK find both valuable and challenging about how they experience faith, worship, and community within these contexts. The aim was to enable autistic people’s voices to be heard, and to explore the interaction between autistic experience and evangelical church environments. In-depth semi-structured interviews with seven autistic Christians from evangelical churches were conducted, and the data analysed by thematic analysis. The participants expressed highly positive views of God, and demonstrated that they deeply value their faith and church involvement. However, the significant personal costs for them in participating in these communities were also evident. Although which aspects of church life were difficult or enjoyable varied greatly among the participants, there were common experiences of exhaustion, overwhelm, and a sense of failure. The significance of the presence of autistic people within the body of Christ, and what it means for autistic people to live as disciples of Christ are also considered

Christianity · Ethnography · Narrative · Family and Disability Support Research · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology

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