Integrating Faith and Special Education

There is an inherent connection between the Christian faith and special education. For example, both focus on the worth of the individual. Both also focus on fairness and on caring for, or helping, the weak. Similarly, both aim to equip and support others. This book helps the readers perceive this integral relationship that exists between the Christian faith and the special education discipline. This book utilizes the chapters that stem from real life professional experiences and scholarship of the contributors to model and encourage special education practice from a Christian faith angle. It is our view that special education practiced from this faith perspective will transform what is currently accepted as best practice, into a new system of special education experience that is wholesome, biblically-based, and characteristic of Shalom as wholeness (not just peace). Shalom in this sense has strong relevance in both the Christian faith and special education. The first three chapters highlight the connection between special education and Christian theology, and draw attention to the pivotal role worldview plays in being an effective special educator. The bulk of the body of the text looks at different aspects of instructional effectiveness in special education from a Christian faith perspective.


About the Author
Ben Nworie is a Professor of Special Education with over thirty years of research, teaching, and administrative experiences from K-12 to college. He holds a PhD in Special Education, with Clinical Psychology as a second area of emphasis. Dr. Nworie also holds two graduate degrees in Theology. His most recent faculty positions have been at the schools of education at Azusa Pacific University, and Biola University, in California. He is the author of Critical and Enduring Issues in Special Education (2016).