Inclusion or Exclusion: Perceptions of Acceptance by People with Mental and Intellectual Disabilities in Otago and Southland Baptist Churches

Abstract

The author conducted qualitative research with twenty people with mental or intellectual disability who attended Baptist churches in the Southland and Otago regions to determine whether from their point of view the churches were inclusive of people with theirdisabilities or whether people with disabilities were excluded from feeling part of the church. To the researchers surprise and contrary to previously published literature, those churches which identified people with disabilities and provided specialist services under the umbrella of an inclusive church were found to be most inclusive by participants in the study.