Naomi L. Jacobs

Aww happy birthday! So glad you enjoyed - wasn’t it a great conference? Lovely to meet you :)

Couldn't think of a more challenging, encouraging and ultimately uplifting way to spend my birthday. Excellent keynotes, workshops, plenty of food for thought. And to share it not just with my hubby but a whole roomful of my tribe was gorgeous x

Cover of The Gospel of Eve by Rachel Mann with quote ‘A page-turning thriller’ The Telegraph

Probably for the best that no one dresses up as a character from my novel The Gospel of Eve for #WorldBookDay … though I guess ordinands at colleges like Mirfield or Cuddeston might do so unconsciously… #BookChat

It was at the London College of Theology - the actually-planned lecture was disability theology and inclusion for trainee counsellors. They were wonderful!

Peak Teacher: You turn up to guest lecture with a plan & slides and it goes fine. THEN you run into a family friend who says “I’m teaching on meaning making. Come and talk about autism. In 10 mins” and for some reason you say yes. Not my finest work but I remembered the words ‘epistemic injustice’

There’s still time to sign up and join my team at this online seminar next Weds with @georgiarivers.bsky.social , @kmunday.bsky.social and two other great speakers, on their research with autistic people into experiences of cancer and cancer services.

The attempted attack on Manchester Central Mosque during Ramadan is deplorable (and took far too long to hit national news). Praying for the Muslim community there.

Okay so the code did turn out to be for a takeaway near my old house in London. Bit far for delivery. But it still made me happy for a minute :D

When you're too tired to move, much less cook, and a 25% off code for the local pizza place arrives in your text message inbox. If I hadn't already done my #40DaysofGoodShit over on the other social media, this would be it. Actually, I think I'm okay with two good things in one day

If you want to join us for our great monthly research seminars - which often have a focus on activism and research - you can follow this account or request email updates (DM me for details).

Generous Faith 2 - Turning Up the Tuned Out Is the Church going backwards? Is British society going backwards? How can Christians speak and act in response to current challenges?

I’m a joint keynote speaker for Generous Faith 2: Turning Up the Tuned Out, with Prof Anthony Reddie. Join us and many other fab contributors for the second year of this conference, calling and working for a prophetic church that listens to marginalised voices. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/generous-f...

Never change, sociologists

I only had a very tiny role, but very glad to see this!

What stands out to me most is the institutional ableism and barriers they identified, rooted in church culture. As well as opportunities for change. It’s also a useful contribution to existing (quite limited) research on #disability and #leadership.

Released today: the Living Ministry report on the wellbeing of #disabled and #neurodivergent clergy in the Church of England. I was part of the advisory group for this research. Report here: lnkd.in/dZq6sF9n

Demand for exorcisms rises as faithful want ‘deliverance from evil’ The chief of the Church of England’s ‘deliverance ministry’ says that the ceremonies are ‘vanishingly rare’ and rely on quiet prayer

The Church of England has a rather dysfunctional relationship with the press when it comes to exorcism; its approach, as here, is to downplay the practice in the hope the latest wave of interest will die down and the reporters will go away (thread) www.thetimes.com/article/a6ea...

Post-traumatic stress disorder in autistic and non-autistic adults: The impact of appraisals on reactions to traumatic events - Rachel Prosser, Freya Rumball, Dorothy King, Craig Steel, 2025 Research suggests autistic people experience greater post-traumatic stress disorder symptom severity than non-autistic people following traumatic events. Post-t...

"autistic people reported higher levels of negative post-traumatic appraisals" journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... including fear appraisals: "it is plausible that these are developed and reinforced through repeated experiences of the world not being safe or supportive for autistic people"

Your annual reminder that if you want someone to chat or have a laugh with over the Christmas period there will be lots of folk on the #JoinIn and #DuvetKnowItsChristmas threads. 🎄

Neurodivergency and Entry into the Profession - Call for Speakers The Neurodivergent Library and Information Staff Network (NLISN) invites proposals for presentations at our full-day online event exploring the experiences, challenges, and possibilities around entry ...

Call for speakers! 📚

On 18.03.26 @nlisn.bsky.social is running a full-day online event on neurodivergency and entry into the LIS profession. We welcome proposals from current students, recent graduates, early-career, long-term staff, recruiters, anyone!

More info & form - forms.gle/MjT2djGSXp1o...

Yes!

Blessings of the Returning Light on this Solstice, Fourth Sunday in Advent and eighth night of Hanukkah.* Find light in the darkness. ❤

*All being things I either celebrate for myself or with family. :)

Important Holiday Season update: Tim Horton's donuts may be famous, but they're not a patch on Sainsbury's as Hanukkah donuts.

Stone steps of church building, a small dog and a large number of people are standing at the sides. Some are holding a banner with text 'Refugees welcome'. In the centre at the top is a bigger banner with text 'God so loved the world - that means everyone'. Under the banner a man and a woman are dressed as Mary and Joseph in a nativity play, the woman is holding a baby. Next to them are two sheep and a donkey.

Steep steps going up to a church. lots of people are sitting or standing on the steps, some are holding banners with text 'Love your enemy', 'Jesus was a refugee' /Blessed are the peacemakers'. At the top of the steps are two people in costumes, two sheep and a donkey

A white leaflet with three logos at the bottom - Better Story, St Martin in the Fields and Sanctuary Foundation. Text reads (heading) - Christ in the Stranger. Saturday 13 December 2025.' underneath - And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people (all the people is underlined and in bold). For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2: 10-11

Good to be at St Martin in the Fields for 'Christ in the Stranger' this morning, an act of witness about the meaning of Christmas ahead of the afternoon event nearby. Joining with Sanctuary Foundation, Better Story and people from diverse churches across London.

#RefugeesWelcome

Solidarity with my Jewish friends today, especially anyone in Australia. What a horrific thing.

But my autistic child needs to learn to join in festivities? I've seen a few parents and carers talking about Christmas festivities and other festivals, and how important it is to them to make their au...

annsautism.blogspot.com/2025/12/but-... New blog from me. This may be helpful for anyone struggling to know whether to force their autistic child to join in at Christmas or other festivities. Some helpful resources, and some myth-busting.

Yes this is 90s - I read this one for my PhD lit review (alas). Disability as a social justice issue was barely a thing in the church until very recently (as we mention in At the Gates). A new thing has been rising up - in a very short space of time. But my word the church was behind before that.

That should have been ‘Prof Clements and Dr Aiello’!

This was an excellent seminar from Prof and Dr Aiello. It’s been a great year of seminars in our research group, with activist research a particular theme. Looking forward to sharing more research with impact for disabled people in 2025.

Thanks - it was working before - much appreciated!

Great article in the latest ISRF newsletter by @autgeek.bsky.social and @drhelenkara.bsky.social - ‘Why is There So Much Research About Us Without Us?’ - on neurodivergence research funding and agendas. isrf.org/blog/why-is-...
#AutRes #DisabilityStudies