Disability and Religion: Scholarly Studies and Papers | Publications
Summary: This database compiles scholarly and practical resources exploring the intersection of disability and religious traditions, including academic studies, theological essays, and community-based research. Publications address topics such as accessibility in worship spaces, interpretations of disability within sacred texts, faith-based caregiving models, and the role of spirituality in coping with chronic illness or aging. By curating diverse perspectives - from historical analyses to contemporary case studies - the collection offers insights into how religious communities can foster inclusion, adapt practices, and address ethical questions related to disability. It serves as a valuable reference for individuals, caregivers, faith leaders, and researchers seeking to navigate the complex relationship between belief systems and disability experiences.
Searching the Database: The data table below lists items that may have been updated or revised, but the table defaults to sorting by descending publication date; you can search and sort by clicking column headers (JavaScript required). Items in this category are also distributed via our Disability and Religion: Scholarly Studies and Papers RSS feed.
| Title and Description | Ed | Publish Revised |
|---|---|---|
| ADA Title III: Why Churches Can Legally Exclude You Religious organizations are fully exempt from ADA Title III, leaving millions of Americans with disabilities without legal protection in faith-based spaces. | ✓ ✓ | 28 Feb 2026 |
| Stoned Preachers: Effects of Psilocybin on Religious and Spiritual Attitudes Peer-reviewed trial shows psilocybin safely boosts spiritual significance, well‑being, and leadership in clergy, with effects lasting 16 months. | ✓ ✓ | 9 Jun 2025 11 Jun 2025 |
| Catholic Hospitals Face Criticism Over Healthcare Policies Catholic hospitals face scrutiny over reproductive healthcare restrictions, conflicts with medical standards, limited access to care, transparency issues, and ethical dilemmas for healthcare providers. | ✓ ✓ | 3 Nov 2024 20 Oct 2025 |
| Psychological Bias Connects Good Deeds to Belief in God Study reveals global bias linking good deeds to religious belief, highlighting stronger association than that of immorality with atheism. | ✓ ✓ | 9 Aug 2024 8 Mar 2025 |
| Predicting Science Denial Through Religious Intolerance Study reveals link between religious diversity and reduced science denial, offering insights for fostering scientific literacy and critical thinking. | ✓ ✓ | 30 Apr 2024 7 Mar 2025 |
| Claims of Anti-Christian Bias: A Cloaked Form of Racial Messaging? Exploring how political claims of anti-Christian bias may serve as subtle racial signals, influencing perceptions among white and Black Christians. | ✓ ✓ | 15 Apr 2024 4 Mar 2025 |
| Places of Worship Linked to More Neighborhood Crime Analysis links places of worship in D.C. to higher neighborhood crime rates, highlighting safety concerns for vulnerable populations. | ✓ ✓ | 9 Mar 2023 3 Mar 2025 |
| How Religion and Race Shape Abortion Opinions Peer-reviewed study links abortion opinions to religious beliefs and racial attitudes, revealing growing ties that transcend political affiliations. | ✓ ✓ | 10 Feb 2023 12 Apr 2025 |
| Teaching Evolution: Beyond Religious Influence in Schools Explores how evolution is taught in schools without religious bias, clarifying its relevance for inclusive, evidence-based science education. | ✓ ✓ | 14 Dec 2022 12 Apr 2025 |
| Churches Must Diversify Usage or Perish Rural churches must diversify their community roles beyond worship to remain financially viable and serve as inclusive community assets. | ✓ ✓ | 15 Nov 2022 3 Mar 2025 |
| Religious Trauma Syndrome: Escaping Toxic Religion Information regarding Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS), pervasive psychological damage resulting from religious messages, beliefs, and experiences. | ✓ ✓ | 30 Sep 2022 12 Apr 2025 |
| How Digital Religion Is Reshaping Millennial Faith Explore how digital religion enriches millennial spirituality by complementing traditional practices and offering accessible spaces for diverse communities. | ✓ ✓ | 27 Jul 2022 12 Apr 2025 |
| Spirituality's Role in Health and Holistic Patient Care How spirituality improves health outcomes, reduces anxiety, enhances recovery, and supports holistic care for patients, including seniors and disabled. | ✓ ✓ | 12 Jul 2022 12 Apr 2025 |
| Religious Intolerance May Predict Science Denial, Study Finds Explore the impact of anti-science attitudes on public health and social progress, and learn why embracing scientific evidence is crucial for an informed society. | ✓ ✓ | 11 Jul 2022 4 Mar 2025 |
| You Are Indispensable! God Needs You Marcy Hernandez shares her journey with polio and faith, illustrating how life's challenges reveal our unique purpose and indispensable value. | ✓ ✓ | 24 Jul 2021 23 May 2025 |
| Religion's Role in Restoring Purpose Amid Social Isolation Peer-reviewed study reveals how religion helps socially disconnected people, including those with disabilities, find purpose when social ties are lacking. | ✓ ✓ | 13 Jun 2021 23 May 2025 |
| Religious Freedom Laws Linked to Poor Health in LGBTQ+ Study links Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act to increased poor health reports among sexual minorities, highlighting potential public health implications. | ✓ ✓ | 21 Oct 2018 3 Mar 2025 |
| Disabled God: Disability Ethics Research Paper Disability Ethics research paper by Rev. S. Manohar Pradeep from Bangalore India regarding well being of persons with disability for moral theologians and ethicists. | ✓ ✓ | 6 May 2018 23 May 2025 |
| Belief in Gods Not Linked to Rational Thinking Peer-reviewed study finds no link between cognitive style and religious belief, highlighting the influence of upbringing and culture over intuition or logic. | ✓ ✓ | 8 Nov 2017 23 May 2025 |
| Religion is ALL in Your Head! Religious Experiences and Epilepsy Peer-reviewed study explores neurological links between epilepsy and philosophical religious thoughts, offering insights into the brain's role in spirituality. | ✓ ✓ | 9 Mar 2017 9 Jun 2025 |
| Creation, Evolution, and the Handicapped: Crushing the Death Image Pastor Richard Luther Corwin critiques evolutionary theory's impact on perceptions of disability, advocating for a biblical worldview that affirms inherent human dignity. | ✓ ✓ | 23 Jun 2016 23 May 2025 |
| The Delusional World of Man Made Deities Paper examines the delusional world of man-made Gods, the uselessness of prayer, and the primitive barbaric legends in the Bible. | ✓ ✓ | 24 May 2016 14 Apr 2026 |
| Conflict Between Science and Religion is All in Our Mind Researchers discover the conflict between science and religion may have its origins in the structure of our brains. | ✓ ✓ | 24 Mar 2016 3 Mar 2025 |
| Challenges Facing Muslims with Disabilities in Western Nations Examines challenges faced by Muslims with disabilities in UK, US, and Canada, highlighting the need for greater inclusivity in faith communities. | ✓ ✓ | 13 Dec 2015 23 May 2025 |
| Northland Online Church for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Accessible online church services with ASL interpretation offer inclusive worship for deaf and hard of hearing individuals on any device, every Sunday at 11 a.m. | ✓ ✓ | 31 Jul 2015 23 May 2025 |
| People Believing They Were Born that Way Inclined to Blame God for Bad Behavior Study reveals those attributing bad behavior to innate traits are more likely to blame God, highlighting implications for mental and spiritual health. | ✓ ✓ | 18 Feb 2015 23 May 2025 |
| How Spirituality May Help Speed Up Patient Recovery Explores how spirituality may improve patient recovery time, offering insights useful to those with disabilities, chronic illness, or in rehabilitation. | ✓ ✓ | 10 Nov 2014 12 Apr 2025 |
| Mental Illness: Churches Are in the Dark Churches must address mental illness with compassion, education, and practical support, moving beyond stigma to create inclusive, supportive faith communities. | ✓ ✓ | 12 May 2014 23 May 2025 |
| Family Tensions and Spiritual Turmoil in End-of-Life Care This article examines faith, family, and palliative care, offering insights into spiritual struggles and comfort for seniors and the disabled at life's end. | ✓ ✓ | 18 Feb 2013 24 Feb 2025 |
| Face to Face with God by Jim Maxim Jim Maxim's journey from addiction to faith after a life-altering crash illustrates the transformative power of spiritual encounters. | ✓ ✓ | 10 Jan 2013 23 May 2025 |
| U.S. Supreme Court Considers Religious Exception to Anti-Discrimination Laws Exploring a U.S. Supreme Court case on the ministerial exception's scope concerning disability discrimination in religious institutions. | ✓ ✓ | 25 Nov 2011 3 Mar 2025 |
| Physicians Face Ethical Conflicts With Religious Hospitals Study reveals ethical conflicts faced by physicians in religious hospitals impacting patient care decisions in reproductive and end-of-life treatment. | ✓ ✓ | 9 Apr 2010 24 Feb 2025 |
| Faith Communities and Respite Care Fact Sheet Faith communities can ease caregiver burdens with respite care, using facilities and volunteers to support seniors and disabled folks effectively. | ✓ ✓ | 28 Apr 2009 24 Feb 2025 |
Note: Disabled World compiles disability-related publications as a resource. Inclusion does not imply endorsement by Disabled-World.com. To submit disability-related articles and peer-reviewed manuscripts and papers, ensure submissions comply with our guidelines. For questions, please contact us.
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