My Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church

Midwest Book Review 2023 Silver Book Award (Nonfiction - Religion/Philosophy)

"A convincing case for all Christians to do more to meet access needs and embrace disabilities as part of God's kingdom. . . . Inclusivity-minded Christians will cheer the lessons laid out here."--Publishers Weekly

"A book the church desperately needs."--Sojourners

Much of the church has forgotten that we worship a disabled God whose wounds survived resurrection, says Amy Kenny. It is time for the church to start treating disabled people as full members of the body of Christ who have much more to offer than a miraculous cure narrative and to learn from their embodied experiences.

Written by a disabled Christian, this book shows that the church is missing out on the prophetic witness and blessing of disability. Kenny reflects on her experiences inside the church to expose unintentional ableism and cast a new vision for Christian communities to engage disability justice. She shows that until we cultivate church spaces where people with disabilities can fully belong, flourish, and lead, we are not valuing the diverse members of the body of Christ.

Offering a unique blend of personal storytelling, fresh and compelling writing, biblical exegesis, and practical application, this book invites readers to participate in disability justice and create a more inclusive community in church and parachurch spaces. Engaging content such as reflection questions and top-ten lists are included.

Author: Amy Kenny
Publisher: Brazos Press
Published: 05/17/2022
Pages: 208
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.62lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.50w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781587435454


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 03/07/2022

About the Author
Amy Kenny (PhD, University of Sussex) is a disabled scholar and a Shakespeare lecturer whose research focuses on medical and bodily themes in literature. Her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, Huffpost, The Mighty, The Audacity, and Sojourners. Kenny is the inaugural associate director of the Disability Cultural Initiative at Georgetown University and a scribe for Freedom Road Institute for Leadership and Justice. She has served on the mayor's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce in California, coordinates support for people experiencing homelessness in her neighborhood, and cofounded Jubilee Homes OC, a permanent supportive housing initiative in her local community.