As the General Synod prepares to gather in York this July, one of the most notable items on Friday’s agenda is GS 2444: All Kinds of Minds – Affirming Neurodiversity in the Life of the Church.
For those of us navigating discernment and ministry with dyslexia or other neurodivergences, seeing this topic placed front and centre of the national conversation is a genuinely encouraging milestone.
We should absolutely celebrate the work that has gone into bringing this paper forward. It signals a Church that is increasingly waking up to the reality that neurodivergent individuals are not a problem to be solved, but a vital, gifted part of the body of Christ.
However, as we read through the report, we have to ask a difficult but necessary question: does it actually go far enough to support those stepping forward for ministry?
The Danger of Gatekeeping
One of the most critical issues when establishing any institutional framework for neurodiversity is how we define it—and, more importantly, how that definition is used in practice.
Affirming neurodiversity is a beautiful theological sentiment, but we must be incredibly careful that the definitions we adopt do not inadvertently become gates that lock people out. If the Church’s support structures rely too heavily on someone producing a formal medical or educational assessment to “prove” their neurodivergence, we risk creating a deeply unfair system.
Getting a formal assessment for dyslexia, ADHD, or autism as an adult is notoriously difficult, hampered by long waiting lists, and often prohibitively expensive. If a formal diagnosis becomes the unspoken passport required to claim help and reasonable adjustments during discernment, many talented individuals will fall through the cracks. We must ensure that the Church’s approach allows people to access the support they need based on their lived reality and practical needs, rather than the paperwork they can afford to produce.
Institutional Progress vs. Direct Training Support
This brings us to what feels like a significant gap in the All Kinds of Minds report. While it does an admirable job of facing macro-level, institutional issues, it seems distinctly quiet on the practicalities of ministry training and vocations.
Whether you are exploring ordained ministry, training as a Reader, or pursuing recognised lay leadership, the structural barriers for a dyslexic candidate are immediate and very real. Unless we are missing something in the small print, the report does not seem to offer a clear roadmap for direct support in these training pathways.
Dyslexia, Forms, and the Paperwork Panic
Tips for those who are Dyslexic and struggling with paperwork during the Shared Discernment Process.
It is one thing for the Church to say, “Look, we are improving the institution and affirming neurodiversity,” but it is quite another for a dyslexic ordinand or lay trainee to actually receive the tailored academic support, accessible study materials, and mentoring they desperately need right now.
We needed this report to do more than just affirm us. We needed it to bridge the gap between grand institutional statements and the lived reality of those in the training pipeline. Affirming neurodiversity at an institutional level means very little if neurodivergent candidates are still left to battle for basic direct support during their training.
Moving from Affirmation to Action
GS 2444 is a great step, and we should commend the working group for putting neurodiversity firmly on the Synod agenda. But affirmation is only the beginning.
As this paper is debated in July, our prayer is that Synod members will push the conversation further. We need to move beyond simply affirming neurodivergent people, and start asking how we are going to practically, financially, and tangibly support the neurodivergent individuals who are answering God’s call to serve.