the start of 2020

I wasn’t nearly as regular posting last year as I would have liked. I’m hoping to do better in the coming year.

January is going to start off the year with a fair number of speaking engagements. My primary work responsibility is a three-week intensive class on disability for first year students. I taught a similar class last year, and it was successful enough that they asked if I’d do it again. In addition to what I think is a set of great readings, we’ll be watching three films, all of which I think are worth your time:

Lives Worth Living
Far From the Tree (featuring my friend and co-philosopher Joe Stramondo and family)
Deej

And I’m having two guest speakers come in to talk with my students, my friend and autistic self-advocate Carlyle King and Ellen Stumbo, whose writing for the Mighty I’ve enjoyed for a number of years.

Later this week, I head east to give two presentations at conferences. The first is for a symposium on Eva Kittay’s newest book, Learning from My Daughter, at the Eastern APA, and then one on disabilities that impact emotions and their relationship to well-being at a Society of Christian Ethics conference.

I’m also doing two weeks on disability and theology in our church’s adult education program. And then at the end of the month, I’m presenting twice at the wonderful Calvin Worship Symposium; once on “Autism and the Church’s Mission” and once as part of a panel on “Universal Design for Worship.”

I’m thankful for these opportunities at the start of the new year.