Imago Dei: A theological basis for ‘Belonging’?
A Church for Everyone webinar hosted by St James & Emmanuel and streamed on 22 October 2024
In association with the Centre for Autism and Theology, Aberdeen University
Overview
This webinar is for those seeking to help their church improve its sense of belonging.
Sometimes individuals or groups can feel marginalised in a church community. This can be for a variety of reasons, sometimes practical, but sometimes because of ‘taken for granted’, unconscious, ways of thinking. This webinar addresses the key idea of being ‘made in the image of God’. Contributors will provide us with high-quality academic perspectives discussed in terms of their practical application. The aim is to help you identify ways to improve your church’s approach to the benefit of all.
Introducing CFE and CAT
Church For Everyone (CFE) is an initiative from St James & Emmanuel (SJE), an Anglican church in Didsbury, south Manchester, UK. It seeks to provide a guiding vision and framework to support SJE’s values of ‘Belonging, Believing and Becoming’. Whilst it has a strong focus at SJE, it also engages more widely with Christians who share the same vision. The journey started about 10 years ago when a gay teenager took her own life for fear of the community’s reaction should she ‘come out’. Rector, Revd Nick Bundock started to take the community on a journey of ‘inclusion’ that developed into ‘welcome’ and then ‘belonging’.
The Centre for Autism and Theology (CAT) was set up by Grant Macaskill and fellow Director Léon van Ommen at Aberdeen University in 2018. It aims to provide an international hub for research into autism and theology. It recognises the interdisciplinary aspect of this research and collaborates with the third sector and various interested individuals and parties. To this end, CAT hosts interdisciplinary research into autism in Christian faith communities. It aims to encourage research of the highest standards and to engage in dialogue with various faith communities. CAT aspires to work actively together with both autistic people and faith communities.
Why this Webinar?
Whilst much of the practical work to champion and reinforce the Church For Everyone approach is handled within SJE through day-to-day discussions and activities such as the staff team meeting, some foundational topics require a more intensive and focused approach. This webinar is aimed at an audience of those working within the wider church context to establish a ‘Belonging’ culture.
The imago dei is often proposed as the starting point and underpinning paradigm for issues related to belonging, difference, and disability.
Traditional interpretations can, however, create additional problems of exclusion unless handled carefully. Setting this discussion up as a webinar creates three opportunities: 1) to enable us to engage with a much wider audience beyond SJE; 2) to build a link with Aberdeen University, bringing high-quality academic thinking to the church; and 3) to provide an impact/outreach opportunity for the academics.
Contributors
Revd Nick Bundock
Nick is Team Rector at St James and Emmanuel, Didsbury, where he has pioneered work on inclusion and belonging. Church For Everyone was started by Nick to give expression to this work both in SJE and also more widely.
Grant Macaskill
Grant is Professor of New Testament at Aberdeen University. He is autistic himself and, in addition to being the author of the book Autism and the Church, is founder of the Centre for Autism and Theology at Aberdeen University. He is a regular contributor to CFE discussions.
Revd John Behr
John is Professor and Head of Humanities at Aberdeen University – having previously been a seminary teacher. He has a particular interest in the theology of Christian anthropology and is the author of the book Becoming Human: Theological Anthropology in Word and Image. John is giving the 2024 Didsbury Lectures.
Joanna Leidenhag
Joanna is an Associate Professor in Theology and Philosophy at Leeds University and a contributor to CAT. Her interest in autism is family-related. She is currently exploring what neurodiversity (particularly autistic people) can teach the church about what it means to be human and in the Body of Christ.
Revd Ian Lasch
Ian is the Rector at St. Francis of the Islands Episcopal Church, Savannah, Georgia, USA. He is autistic himself and is currently studying for a PhD with CAT on the topic of what it means in practice to be ‘made in the image of God’ (the Imago Dei).
Stewart Rapley
Stewart is a member of the SJE community, and is currently studying for a PhD with CAT, where he is a member of their Advisory Group. He is autistic himself, author of the book Autistic Thinking in the Life of the Church and runs a CFE national support group for autistic Christians.
Format
| Welcome and introduction Stewart Rapley | 5 mins |
| Our vision for Church For Everyone Nick Bundock | 5 mins |
| All in Christ Belong Discussion between Grant Macaskill and John Behr | 20 mins |
| Break | 10 mins |
| A perspective from Christian anthropology Joanna Leidenhag | 15 mins |
| Exploring ways forward for the imago dei Ian Lasch | 15 mins |
| Break | 10 mins |
| Panel Q&A | 30 mins |
| Wrap up and next steps Stewart Rapley/Nick Bundock | 10 mins |