WEEK 4
12 February 11am-12.30pm (Seminar in the Gibson Building)
5pm-6.30pm (Lecture in the Gibson Building)
Professor Joanna Leidenhag, University of Leeds
11am Seminar: ‘Attending to God with Autistic Focus in an Age of Distraction’
Abstract: Recent research in neuroscience and cognitive psychology suggest that increased use of digital technology is eroding our ability for sustained attention and making more distractable and anxious. In a powerful plea for the relevance of spirituality, some theologians argue that perseverance with pre-modern spiritual practices is a central way that society can combat this widespread distractibility and anxiety. Yet, such advice remains difficult for many. This paper proposes another resource to help us combat this contemporary distractibility—learning about and from autistic monotropism. A recently popular theory of autism and ADHD, monotropism is a tendency for one’s interests to be pulled more strongly towards a smaller number of things at any one time, creating what researchers have called an “attention tunnel”. This paper argues that autistic monotropism presents a glimpse of the kind of attentive ability that is normative for Christian living and may foreshadow something of the joy and love we will experience in the beatific vision.
5pm Lecture: ‘The Difference Theology Makes to Autism Diagnoses and Neurodiversity’
Abstract: Does theology make a difference to contemporary scientific research and social attitudes? My goal in this talk is to convince you that theology continues to impact both science and society by focusing on the examples of the origins of ‘autism’ as a diagnostic category and the recent neurodiversity movement.
Professor Joanna Leidenhag is Associate Professor in Theology and Philosophy at the University of Leeds. She previously worked at the University of Edinburgh and the University of St Andrews, where her research focused on Christian responses to panpsychism and science-engaged theology, respectively. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator of the project 'God, Language and Diversity: Spiritual Flourishing in Neurodiverse and Multilingual Communities' and is writing a book on autism and faith.
