logo
episode-header-image
May 2022
27m 56s

Autism and Faith

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

How easy is it for autistic people to believe in God?

The National Autistic Society describe autism as a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people communicate and interact with the world. They say 1 in 100 of us may be autistic and the diagnosis of autism has risen dramatically in recent decades.

How are religious organisations responding to the needs of a growing number of their congregations?

Ernie Rae is joined by a panel of three autistic guests to discuss their experiences: Professor Grant Macaskill, the co-director of the Centre for Autism and Theology at the University of Aberdeen; Samantha Stein, a YouTuber with over seven million views, who set up an atheist summer camp; and Iqra Babar, a digital artist with a strong Muslim faith.

We also hear from TV quizzer Anne Hegarty, who is autistic and a Catholic, about her relationship with faith.

Producer: Rebecca Maxted Assistant Producer: Josie Le Vay Editor: Helen Grady

Up next
Apr 22
Cultural Religiosity
Giles Fraser meets columnist Giles Coren, who was raised in the Jewish tradition, became an atheist and who now feels at home in a Christian church, to explore what it means to be culturally religious.Is cultural religiosity an oxymoron and totally untenable? Is it on the rise or ... Show More
27m 29s
Apr 15
Claiming Christianity
Giles Fraser meets the Revd Canon Fr Phil Harris, of the Anglican Church in North America, to discuss defending Britain’s Christian heritage.Christianity has been deployed as a tool by those who have been labelled as far-right by their opponents, or by people supporting far-right ... Show More
27m 14s
Apr 8
Faithful Food
We hear from the volunteers serving an average of 1,500 meals a day at the Gurdwara Siri Guru Singh Sabha in Hounslow and explore the significance of langar in the Sikh and wider community. Mona Siddiqui and the panel explore the role food plays in religion. Do all religious trad ... Show More
27m 20s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2011
[Unedited] Paul Collins and Jennifer Elder with Krista Tippett
One child in every 110 in the U.S. is now diagnosed to be somewhere on the spectrum of autism. We step back from public controversies over causes and cures and explore the mystery and meaning of autism in one family’s life, and in history and society. Our guests say that life wit ... Show More
1h 50m
Sep 2023
Inside an autistic mind
Science journalist Sue Nelson shares her personal journey to better understand a condition that affects millions worldwide. Inside her autistic inner world is a cacophony of brain chatter, anxiety and sensory issues - recreated within a 360 degree soundscape - that impact her lif ... Show More
51m 3s
Mar 2022
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Mental Health
Are you curious about autism? Do you wonder about its relationship to mental health conditions? You are not alone, as autism is one of the top search terms on PsychCentral.com. Common questions people ask are “Is autism a mental illness?” and “Are people with autism more likely t ... Show More
27m 53s
Oct 2021
Episode 156: Navigating Autism with Temple Grandin, PhD
Temple Grandin is one of the world’s most well-known and respected experts in the field on autism and animal behavior and livestock. She is an internationally best-selling author and Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Temple’s new book is called Navigating ... Show More
38m 25s
Jan 2023
Autismus
Interview mit Prof. Dr. Leonhard Schilbach Soziale Interaktion bestimmt unser Leben. Wie können wir Menschen mit Autismus erkennen und behandeln? Inhaltsverzeichnis: 00:00 Intro 01:29 Definition Autismus 07:23 (Selbst-)Bezeichnung von Personen mit Autismusdiagnose 08:04 Epidemiol ... Show More
47m 55s
Jun 2021
My life-changing autism diagnosis
As a woman with autism you're likely to receive a diagnosis much later in life than if you are a man with the condition. Why is that and what impact does a late diagnosis have? Kim Chakanetsa is joined by two autistic women who are speaking up about their experience of the condit ... Show More
27m 36s
Jul 2023
A Therapist's Guide to Supporting Authentic, Autistic Social Communication with Rachel Dorsey and V Tisi
We know by now that Autistic adults are the real experts on how Autistic people experience the world. In this episode, Autistic SLPs Rachel Dorsey and V Tisi take us deeper than we’ve ever gone into how we can understand and support authentic, Autistic social communication in any ... Show More
1h 4m
Jun 2023
220. Why So Many Women Don’t Know They are Autistic with Katherine May
Author Katherine May recounts the moment she – at age 37 – discovered she is autistic and recognized herself for the first time.  Living as an autistic person in a world that often misunderstands her, Katherine shares: How the prevailing understandings of autism erase the lived e ... Show More
1h 9m