The Contributors
Meet the Editors
Justin Forbes
Rev. Justin Forbes, PhD
Director, Center for Religion and Culture | Assistant Professor of Religion, Flagler College
Justin Forbes is Director of the Center for Religion and Culture and Assistant Professor of Religion at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. His interest in youth ministry, practical theology, and contextualized experiences of marginality have led him to working with and researching alongside young people who have been marginalized by society and the church.
Justin's journey into disability ministry began through relationships—particularly with Michael, a young adult with Down Syndrome who became one of the most significant ministers in his church community. Over the years, Michael's ministry and presence redefined what Justin believed about the body of Christ, the church, and how he thought about ministry.
This book emerges from years of listening, learning, and being transformed by disabled young people and the adults who walk alongside them. It represents a collective effort to create the resource Justin wished had existed when he first began this work.
Erin Raffety
Erin Raffety, PhD
Practical Theologian, Princeton University
Erin Raffety is a practical theologian and anthropologist who teaches at Princeton University and researches Christian congregations at Princeton Theological Seminary. She is a Presbyterian pastor, a disability advocate, and the author of Families We Need and From Inclusion to Justice.
Erin's scholarship bridges the worlds of theology, anthropology, and disability studies. Her work explores how faith communities can move beyond mere inclusion toward genuine justice—where disabled people are not guests to be accommodated, but essential members whose gifts shape the entire community.
As co-editor of Cripping Youth Ministry, Erin contributed four substantial interludes that provide foundational frameworks for understanding disability, intersectionality, neurodiversity, and the integration of body-mind-spirit. These pieces offer readers the conceptual tools they need to engage deeply with the chapters that follow.
Their Collaboration
Justin and Erin brought complementary gifts to this project. Justin's deep experience in local church ministry and his relationships with disabled young people grounded the book in practical reality. Erin's scholarly expertise in disability studies and her theological precision ensured that the book would contribute meaningfully to the field.
Together, they assembled a remarkable group of contributors—scholars, pastors, practitioners, and disabled young people themselves—creating a resource that is both academically rigorous and immediately usable.
Contributors & Artists
| Contributor | Role / Expertise |
|---|---|
| Justin Forbes | Director, Center for Religion and Culture | Assistant Professor of Religion, Flagler College |
| Erin Raffety | Practical Theologian, Princeton University |
| Avery Arden | Neuroqueer ministry; Binary Breaking Worship |
| Carmelle Beaugelin Caldwell | Associate Director, Missing Voices Project |
| Erik Carter | Intellectual/developmental disabilities; Baylor University |
| Michael Paul Cartledge | Neurodiversity and mental health; Flagler College |
| Morrigan Clarke | Youth advocate |
| Zach Grant | Inclusive church ministry; Bethlehem Inclusive Church |
| Lamar Hardwick | Intersection of disability and race; "The Autism Pastor" |
| Deborah Huggins | Leadership and belonging with disabled youth |
| Amy Jacober | Theology and disability scholar |
| Chris Larocque | Inclusive church ministry |
| Sarah Griffith Lund | Mental health justice; United Church of Christ |
| Pepa Paniagua | Inclusive ministry development |
| Rudolph P. Reyes II | Neurodivergent liberation; Garrett-Evangelical Seminary |
| Cody J. Sanders | LGBTQIA+ and disability ministry; Luther Seminary |
Explore Their Work
Discover the insights and wisdom these contributors bring to Cripping Youth Ministry.
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