More Than Awareness: A Christian Response to Autism
Autism Acceptance Month Article
Imagine with me, if you will.
You walk into a room filled with people you do not know. The lights above you flicker—bright, fluorescent—and you can hear the steady hum of the electricity keeping them on. The air conditioner kicks on and off in rhythmic intervals, but the room still feels warm.
You try to move across the room, but there is no space. People press past you, shoulders brushing against yours. Some glance at you—too long, too directly—and you feel exposed, as if every movement is being watched.
The volume of conversation rises and falls like waves, crashing over you. You catch pieces of words, fragments of meaning, but nothing stays long enough to make sense.
A trickle of sweat runs down your back.
Your shoes are new, and with every step you feel the contour of your foot pressing against unfamiliar edges. Your stomach growls. You just want to get across the room. You just want an exit.
And now you realize, you need to find the bathroom.
You reach for the hand of someone you recognize, but even their voice is swallowed by the noise. You only catch every other word, as if they are speaking your language—but just barely.
The signs around you blur. Your eyes struggle to focus. You cannot tell where to go or what to do.
You try to speak, but the words will not come.
You repeat yourself. Again. And again. And again.
But your mind cannot seem to connect thought to language.
What you have just experienced is not an exaggeration or a thought experiment—it is, in many ways, a small glimpse into how the world can feel for someone living with autism.
Autism Awareness
While many people have sought to express their thoughts and opinions on Autism Spectrum Disorder, I have found that very few people actually understand it.
Autism is a neurological condition that affects how the brain receives and processes stimuli.
While research is still needed, there is much we currently understand. Autism is widely associated with atypical brain connectivity, characterized by a mix of hypoconnectivity (long-range under-connectivity) and hyperconnectivity (local over-connectivity). Essentially, this means that the brain is wired differently from that of a neurotypical person.
Hyperconnectivity can lead to both strengths and challenges in attention or sensory processing. Hypoconnectivity can lead to difficulty integrating information, particularly in social settings. To put it in computer terms, an autistic brain often experiences something like network connectivity problems.
These differences exist along a spectrum and are currently diagnosed in three levels based on support needs:
Level 1 – Low support needs
Level 2 – Moderate support needs
Level 3 – High support needs
Causes
We do not fully know the causes of autism. That is a statement of fact. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not fully informed.
Attempts to assign blame to vaccines, Tylenol, diet, or other medications ignore both the historical data and the complexity of the condition. Autism is not the result of a single cause.
Genetics and epigenetics are believed to play a significant role, but they are not entirely determinative. Autism appears to arise from a complex interaction of biological and environmental factors that researchers are still working to understand.
While research continues to advance, we must be cautious not to speak with certainty where there is still ongoing study. Confidence without clarity can mislead—and in a subject like autism, that can do real harm.
Personal Note
This spectrum is broad and wide.
As a child, I was diagnosed with ADHD and later with Asperger’s Syndrome. I was in the gifted program in school, generally earned good grades, and went on to graduate from both college and graduate school.
Very few people are aware of this about me, and until now, I have not written about it, honestly, out of fear of judgment and misunderstanding.
Asperger’s has since been reclassified, and those previously diagnosed with it are now considered to fall within Level 1 or Level 2 on the autism spectrum.
My oldest son is Level 3. His story is much more complex than mine. He is nonverbal and struggles deeply with communication and social interaction. We truly believe he is highly intelligent, but because of his communication challenges, it is incredibly difficult to access and understand what he knows and feels.
Risks and Concerns
Safety
Autistic individuals, especially those who are nonverbal, often face increased risks in everyday environments. They are more likely to wander into dangerous situations, more vulnerable to abuse, and, tragically, at higher risk of drowning. Many require constant, attentive supervision. This is not alarmism—it is reality.
Education
While many autistic individuals are highly intelligent, the traditional education system often fails to meet their needs. Parents frequently spend countless hours advocating for appropriate accommodations, yet even then, what is provided can fall short of both legal standards and ethical responsibility.
Isolation
Both autistic individuals and their caregivers often experience deep isolation. Outings can feel overwhelming or unsafe, and social environments can be unwelcoming. Over time, this leads to withdrawal—not out of disinterest, but out of necessity.
Ignorance
One of the most exhausting realities is the constant stream of unsolicited and often contradictory advice. Suggestions range from uninformed to outright harmful. This misunderstanding—of causes, treatments, and lived experience—only deepens isolation and frustration.
What Is a Christian to Do with Autism?
Love
Love is defined by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13. We are to be patient and kind. We are not to insist on our own way.
We are called to go out of our way to show every person—regardless of how their brain is structured—that they matter and are cared for. Love never ends. It is one of the gifts God has given to the church that does not cease. As individuals with disabilities both give and receive love, they participate in something eternal at the very heart of who God is.
Know Your Limitations
If you are reading this, you are most likely not an expert in autism. You are not a neurologist, a speech therapist, or a behavioral specialist. You may have read articles or watched videos, but you are not living in or professionally studying this reality.
This applies far beyond autism, but one of the most dangerous phrases in our modern landscape is, “I have done my own research.” As humans, our capacity for knowledge is limited. We cannot be experts in everything—and that is okay.
As a parent of a child with autism, I do not look to Facebook or TikTok for answers. I speak with my son’s doctors and therapists. I trust those whom God has gifted and called in their fields.
Avoid Eugenic Arguments
Eugenics is the attempt to improve the human population through selective breeding or by removing individuals with disabilities or differences.
As Christians, we reject this entirely. Every human being bears the image of God and has inherent dignity and worth.
We can acknowledge the real pain and difficulty that often accompany severe disabilities without seeking to eliminate those who bear them. Rather than pursuing eradication, we should pursue care, treatment, and faithful presence.
There is ongoing tension in the broader autism conversation—between those with lower support needs seeking recognition and those with higher support needs advocating for safety and care. Both realities matter.
As Christians, we are uniquely equipped to hold this tension. We can affirm that autism reflects both the goodness of God’s creative design and the brokenness of a fallen world. This allows us to pursue inclusion, compassion, and meaningful support—without ever devaluing the person.
The Church
The church should be the most accessible and welcoming place for individuals with autism and their families—but often, it is not.
Many families feel more isolated in church than anywhere else.
Churches may not be legally required to provide accommodations, but we should not need laws to compel love. We are a people who are meant to be known by our love.
The question is not, “What are we required to do?”
The question is, “What does love require of us?”
Conclusion
Autism isn’t something to talk about from a distance. It’s something people live with every day. These are people made in the image of God.
We’re not going to have all the answers. That’s just reality. But we are called to love.
To be patient. To make room. To show up. To walk with people who are tired and often feel alone.
At the end of the day, this isn’t just about autism. It’s about whether the church is actually going to love people the way Christ has called us to.