See through another lens

ENTERTAINING ANGELS:
Living well with autism as a family, in society
and in church
By Cavan Wood
Authentic. 164 pages. £14.99
ISBN 978 1 788 930 734

As a parent of an autistic son, I might seem the obvious target audience for this book. But part of my hope as I read was that this book might be one I could recommend to those who seek to support our family or others like it – and it didn’t disappoint.

Entertaining Angels is well researched and is set in a UK context, particularly helpful when it discusses areas like diagnosis processes and educational settings.

The book begins by giving a brief history of autism and its terminology, and then lists typical signs and behaviours of autistic people. It helps the reader see why autistic people act as they do and how their actions help them manage life. The book then considers the challenges for autistic people in various areas of life including education, the workplace and the church. Each chapter concludes with some questions for reflection and a prayer which grounds the information in our Christian thinking. The final chapter considers a theology of autism. This includes the point that all autistic people are made in the image of God (a truth that has been reiterated throughout the book) and points us towards redemption and resurrection and how autism impacts our understanding of them.

The book points to the value of having autistic people in our churches, both for the positive contributions they can make and for how they can grow us too in our Christ-likeness as they help us become ‘less selfish and more aware of the needs of others’ (p.132).

Amidst the world’s rhetoric of greater acceptance of autistic people, the book suggests questions for us to consider as individuals and churches about changes or action that we could take to better include autistic people and show God’s concern for the dignity of every person. This book serves as a helpful starting point for those discussions.