Our pastor is preaching a sermon series on the Ten Commandments. Last week was “Thou shalt not steal.” He did a great job. He explained that all of us are thieves. Sometimes it’s outright, whether that’s the prank of shoplifting as a kid, or the more adult versions of downloading illegal movies or music. And…

Why is it that a pregnant woman’s body becomes an object other people feel free to comment upon? And why is it that people think it’s okay to comment upon how large a pregnant woman looks when it is considered rude to do the same with a non-pregnant person? A few recent examples: “When are…

Researchers are working to identify signs of autism in younger children, according to the New York Times: “At the Age of Peekaboo, In Therapy to Fight Autism.”  My friend Ellen Painter Dollar has begun a series on her blog, Choices that Matter, giving voice to the personal choices women have made surrounding prenatal testing. The…

I’ve written before about the significance of language and my concerns about many words used to describe (and deride) people with disabilities. It can be subtle (even the word disability gives me pause). It can be blatant (“You’re such a retard”). It happens at all levels of culture–from politicians to celebrities to my close friends,…

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Amy Julia Becker

Amy Julia Becker writes about theology, disability, family, and culture. Two major life experiences have shaped her writing and her faith—caring for her mother-in-law as she battled cancer and welcoming her daughter Penny into the world after she was diagnosed at birth with Down syndrome. Both experiences expanded and enriched her understanding of what it means to be human and to receive each and every person as a gift.  A graduate of Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary, she is the author of Penelope Ayers: A Memoir, and the forthcoming A Good and Perfect Gift (Bethany House). Her essays have appeared in First Things, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Christian Century, ChristianityToday.com, and Bloom, among other online venues.

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