People who live with mental illness face stigma at every turn. Congregations are filled with the company of the depressed who are seeking help and looking for empathy and friendship, not uneasy silence or pity.

As a young man he wanted to be a priest, until he was told his epilepsy disqualified him. So he found a political calling, and became the primary sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Those who are identified as being differently abled are now asserting their voices in ways reminiscent of other historically excluded groups. They want more than a nod of solidarity; they want measurable action.

The writer’s relationship with her older sister has taught her about the tension between responsibility and freedom, the complexities of giving and receiving, and the gift of acceptance, solidarity, and love.

Disability issues are finding a place in theology, curricula, and congregations, but cultural resistance continues around the value of people’s talents and gifts: People with disabilities hear God’s call too.

Slavery’s cruel calculus—that a Black person’s value came strictly from physical productivity—continues to harm Black bodies, especially those with disabilities.

In an era of ruthless politics and policies, it’s up to people of faith to speak up for people with disabilities and ensure they have a seat at Christ’s abundant table.

As God’s creatures, no matter what their condition, all people are endowed with infinite value. This truth is daily drowned out by an ableist-oriented society driven by competition and conquest.