Panel: PSYCHOLOGY-ENGAGED THEOLOGY



689.7 - REFLECTIONS ON A CHRISTIAN SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY OF NEURODIVERSITY. A CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOG WITH AUTISTIC THEOLOGY

AUTHORS:
Lusser E. (University of Vienna ~ Vienna ~ Austria)
Text:
Singer (2017) identifies neurodiversity as a new political category alongside class, gender, and race. Consequently, neurodiversity studies have been shaped by critical race and queer theory, yet theology has only recently begun engaging with this paradigm (Evers 2017; Leidenhag & King 2023). While New Testament studies and practical theology have produced more work on autism theology (Macaskill 2020; Van Ommen 2023), systematic theology still lacks contributions from neurodivergent perspectives (Jacobs 2023). This paper seeks to address this gap by developing a theology of neurodiversity through engagement with autistic theologian Dunster. Dunster (2022) builds on Silberman's (2015) concept of neurodiversity as "naturally occurring cognitive variations" and Swinton's (2012) disability theology to construct a "neurotribal autistic hermeneutic." This framework reinterprets theology through an autistic lens, using a remythologizing approach that challenges dominant neurotypical narratives. This paper engages Dunster's work through Tillich's theology of culture, which conceptualizes religion as the reflexive structure of consciousness within cultural forms (Tillich 1973). While Tillich's framework assumes a universal religious consciousness, it does not account for the plurality of neurocognitive perspectives. To align his ideas with a theology of neurodiversity, this study introduces religious communication (Danz 2023) as a foundational element, facilitating a discourse between neurotypical and neurodivergent theologians. A theology of neurodiversity must not merely discuss neurodivergence but actively incorporate neurodivergent voices, challenging the dominance of neurotypical theological frameworks. This paper explores how Tillich's theology of culture, reinterpreted through the neurodiversity paradigm, can serve as a foundation for a more inclusive and pluralistic theological discourse.