I am from the states. The biggest aspect of my question was dealing with how to understand a number of the theological concepts in Christianity. The teaching that is done is usually in a very linear fashion that is difficult for me to understand without translating it into pictures. This is a very difficult process and I was wondering if there were any scholars who had written from an aspie perspective about this

Are you in a seminary which teaches from a particular theological perspective, or are a variety of theologies studied and taught?

What are the particular areas which you are finding difficult?

I'm not aware of any theologians who write from a particularly Aspie perspective, but if you were to email John Swinton he may be able to point you towards studies or research which would be helpful for you.

Another, exciting I think, option, would be for you to research and write on this area yourself.

This post was last modified: 02-13-2011 02:01 AM by Marcia.

I am at a seminary that teaches a particular perspective but I research a large variety of different perspectives.

It is not so much a particular area, it is just that I am studying to become a pastor so in order to preach on a particular subject, I need to understand it to the point of explaining it. This requires me to research the current discussions on the subject, understand it in my perspectives and then translate it back into NT speak. This is quite time consuming and I was hoping to find scholars who write similar to how aspies think which would make it easier to develop my thoughts.

I will email John Swinton in the hopes that I can find a theologian, but as I have a number of different subjects that I am working on right now, I do not think I will be able to write about it myself.

Ah, ok, I get you now.  I'm in the very final stages of training for ministry myself, and will, God willing, be ordained at the beginning of May.  I'm currently in the process of being called to a charge.

I know of one minister who uses mindmapping software to organise his thoughts, and he preaches from his laptop.  Maybe that would be something which you'd find helpful.

Hmmm.... this is a huge area.  There are so many variables which affect how you preach, not least your own natural style.  

I recently attended a day seminar organised by the UK's College of Preachers.  I haven't had time to look at their website, but you might find some helpful resources there.  At the seminar I went to, speakers had varying approaches to how they prepared and preached a sermon.  They spoke about using film, music, fine art etc both in preparation and in delivery - what you use and how you use it will depend on you, your congregation and your church, of course.

A word of caution - don't assume that you are necessarily preaching to a congregation of "NTs".  It is important to know your congregation well so you can preach to them most effectively.  For example, I am currently with a congregation in which there is a significant number of people with mental health difficulties, two or three with moderate to severe learning disabilities and at least one that I reckon is Aspie.  I have to bear that in mind, as well as what is happening in the life of individuals and the congregation as a whole when I am preparing worship.

Also, the sermon is only one means by which you communicate information.  You have to think about how your message can be communicated in the sung praise and prayers.  Maybe involving the congregation in some kind of participation by movement or sensory stimulation could also form part of worship.

Edited to add:  If I'm telling you what you already know, I apologise.

This post was last modified: 02-13-2011 02:42 AM by Marcia.

Good stuff thanks for the thoughts, I emailed swinton but he is on sabbatical.

That's a pity that John Swinton's away just now.  I'll have a think and see what I else I can come up with.

I was wondering at what stage you are in your training, and how it is organised.

I'm with the Church of Scotland and my training involved studying at university (no seminaries here) for a Bachelor of Divinity degree while also undertaking church placements working alongside and being supervised by the ordained minister.  I had two 25 week part-time placements while I was at uni, one 10 week full-time placement, and am now coming to the end of my probationary placement which was 15 months full-time.  I also had to attend a total of 9 compulsory training conferences which each lasted between 3 and 5 days, and there was usually at least one session on preaching or conduct of worship at most of those.

For me, and many of my colleagues, the hardest part initially about preaching was the temptation to try to say everything all in one go.  Learning how to focus your research and then pare it down again, and again, and maybe again, for a sermon is really difficult, but it's a valuable skill.

This post was last modified: 02-13-2011 03:14 AM by Marcia.

I'm not a Christian, but the way that I process concepts is the same as you. It can make me appear a bit thick at times, but over the medium to longer term I find that it is an advantage. It might take me longer to grasp a new concept, but once I do I tend to understand it on a deeper level than most people seem to.

I read a quote recently (attributed to Temple Grandin) that NTs learn general to specific, while autistics learn specific to general. That pretty much sums it up for me.

Well the states are a lot less organized plus I go to a baptist seminary but my beliefs are more aligned with presbyterian. I am planning to work overseas for a couple of years in Japan and Korea and then come back to america to work in smaller house churches.

I have about 1 year left until I graduate.

and with the concepts I find that is true. When I study theology, I think of it kinda like the death star and each element of theology is a single aspect of the larger sphere and they are all connected and I am trying to find out what each part looks like and how it connects with the other parts

This post was last modified: 02-13-2011 03:55 AM by jokester4079.

Hopefully it works out for you... keep us posted if you want.

Don't let cattle graze with other kinds of Cattle (Leviticus 19:19)

Don't have a variety of crops on the same field. (Leviticus 19:19)

Don't wear clothes made of more than one fabric (Leviticus 19:19)

Don't cut your hair nor shave. (Leviticus 19:27)

Any person who curseth his mother or father, must be killed. (Leviticus 20:9)  
If a man cheats on his wife, or vise versa, both the man and the woman must die. (Leviticus 20:10).  

If a man sleeps with his father's wife... both him and his father's wife is to be put to death. (Leviticus 20:11)

If a man sleeps with his wife and her mother they are all to be burnt to death.  (Leviticus 20:14)

If a man or woman has sex with an animal, both human and animal must be killed. (Leviticus 20:15-16).

If a man has sex with a woman on her period, they are both to be "cut off from their people" (Leviticus 20:18)

Psychics, wizards, and so on are to be stoned to death.  (Leviticus 20:27)

If a priest's daughter is a ***, she is to be burnt at the stake.  (Leviticus 21:9)

People who have flat noses, or is blind or lame, cannot go to an altar of God (Leviticus 21:17-18)

Anyone who curses or blasphemes God, should be stoned to death by the community.  (Leviticus 24:14-16)

Don't let cattle graze with other kinds of Cattle (Leviticus 19:19)


As good today as whan it was first written!

This post was last modified: 02-13-2011 10:58 PM by piePIEpie.

Thats the KJV version

This post was last modified: 02-13-2011 11:10 PM by Genesis.

piePIEpie - please try not to spam other threads with those quotes all the time.

Thought I would update the forum on what I have heard. I have been in contact with a number of the people dealing with Autism and Faith.
Some insight:

I guess the biggest thing is that I have kinda altered my focus to the question of whether there could be some kind of structure or formula that an Autistic can use which will allow them to understand some of the abstract concepts such as sin and sanctification, while also allowing others to understand what the Autistic sees?

If anyone is interested, I just finished a paper somewhat proposing a solution, PM me if you are interested and I can send it.

It is a thread on Christianity, not Judaism, bro.

Not that I am a seperatist, but I often think that plenty of aspies will benefit more from some denominations over others. Furthermore, I have entertained the thought that perhaps we could benefit from our own religious services.