My Body Is Not a Prayer Request - by Amy Kenny

About the Book

A disabled Christian reflects on her myriad experiences inside the church to expose unintentional ableism and cast a new vision for Christian communities to engage disability justice.

Book Synopsis

Midwest Book Review 2023 Silver Book Award (Nonfiction - Religion/Philosophy)

"A convincing case for all Christians to do more to meet access needs and embrace disabilities as part of God's kingdom. . . . Inclusivity-minded Christians will cheer the lessons laid out here."--Publishers Weekly

"A book the church desperately needs."--Sojourners

Much of the church has forgotten that we worship a disabled God whose wounds survived resurrection, says Amy Kenny. It is time for the church to start treating disabled people as full members of the body of Christ who have much more to offer than a miraculous cure narrative and to learn from their embodied experiences.

Written by a disabled Christian, this book shows that the church is missing out on the prophetic witness and blessing of disability. Kenny reflects on her experiences inside the church to expose unintentional ableism and cast a new vision for Christian communities to engage disability justice. She shows that until we cultivate church spaces where people with disabilities can fully belong, flourish, and lead, we are not valuing the diverse members of the body of Christ.

Offering a unique blend of personal storytelling, fresh and compelling writing, biblical exegesis, and practical application, this book invites readers to participate in disability justice and create a more inclusive community in church and parachurch spaces. Engaging content such as reflection questions and top-ten lists are included.

From the Back Cover

How Christian Communities Can Better Engage Disability Justice

Much of the church has forgotten that we worship a disabled God whose wounds survived resurrection, says Amy Kenny. In My Body Is Not a Prayer Request, she exposes unintentional ableism in the church and casts a new imagination for Christian communities to engage disability justice. Kenny shows that it is time for the church to start treating disabled people as full members of the body of Christ who have much more to offer than a miraculous cure narrative and to begin learning from their embodied experiences.

"Kenny writes with devastating humor and uncommon depth that will remind readers of Anne Lamott. All hail this new and necessary voice."
--Lisa Sharon Harper, author of The Very Good Gospel and Fortune: How Race Broke My Family and the World--and How to Repair It All

"I found this book to be not only a call to justice but an invitation to deep blessing. I will be pressing this book into the hands of every ministry leader I know."
--Sarah Bessey, editor of the New York Times bestseller A Rhythm of Prayer and author of Jesus Feminist

"Kenny issues a convicting invitation to the people of God to live up to our deepest values. I will be giving this book to my disabled and nondisabled friends alike."
--Bethany McKinney Fox, author of Disability and the Way of Jesus

"Kenny is among the sharpest writers and thinkers, and she offers the truth through beautiful writing, wit, wisdom, and grace while showing us the way forward."
--Marlena Graves, author of The Way Up Is Down: Becoming Yourself by Forgetting Yourself

"This work is sure to be a balm for those who have ever felt sidelined because of ableist theology and sure to be a redemptive kick in the pants for the rest of us."
--Andre Henry, award-winning singer-songwriter, writer, and activist

About the Author

Amy Kenny (PhD, University of Sussex) is a disabled scholar and a Shakespeare lecturer whose research focuses on medical and bodily themes in literature. Her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, Huffpost, The Mighty, The Audacity, and Sojourners. Kenny is the inaugural associate director of the Disability Cultural Initiative at Georgetown University and a scribe for Freedom Road Institute for Leadership and Justice. She has served on the mayor's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce in California, coordinates support for people experiencing homelessness in her neighborhood, and cofounded Jubilee Homes OC, a permanent supportive housing initiative in her local community.