Embodied
Theology for Every Body is a project that seeks to compile and curate a library of resources that enlighten and accompany those with vested interest in non-normative* embodiment and Christian faith.
Ecumenical
Disability theology and queer theology, like so many other areas of religious study, have been advanced in remarkable aways by theologians of all denominations. This space is an intentionally ecumenical one. Our authors are asked to situate themselves in their own contexts. They may not always agree.
For all audiences
Whether you’re an academic, a ministry professional, a family member, or someone living in a marginalized body: This space amplifies work across all forms of spiritual interest. Too often, academic resources are sequestered from non-academics who would benefit from them. Theology for Every Body is a work of popular, public theology.
*[Non-normative] bodies are cast as deviant and inferior… excluded from full participation in public as well as economic life… defined in opposition to the norm that is assumed to possess natural physical superiority.
Rosemarie Garland Thomson, Extraordinary Bodies
Mission:
1). To amplify – and financially support – writing and media that gives voice to non-normative bodily experiences within faith-based contexts
2). To curate a resource collection that refers site visitors to books, people, and media that can inform and accompany their personal investment in disability, chronic illness, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and spirituality.
3). To play a small role in a more affirming, just, and informed Christianity
Values:
- You are wonderfully made in precisely the body you have
- There is no such thing as “deserving” or “earning” your body
- Your body can cause you suffering, but a loving God does not intend for you to suffer
- All bodies have the same intrinsic dignity and value, with equal right to housing, food, medical care, education, and mutual relationship that accommodates and empowers within – not in spite of- difference
- There is no one-size-fits-all approach to inclusion: Every body has different needs, likes, dislikes, talents, and limits
- You can trust what your body tells you, and you are more than your thoughts
- Disabled and LGBTQ+ identities are connected. Like racial and economic identities, they are not elected but intrinsic. However, unlike other identities, disability and Queer identity are fluid: They can change over the course of one’s life. This overlap positions Theology for Every Body as a uniquely “Crip” project.
Meet the Founder
Madison Chastain is the Founding Curator of the Theology for Every Body project. Previously Madison’s blog, Theology for Every Body relaunched in 2025 as a space to host essays and reviews, amplifying other voices and broadening the conversation around embodied identity and faith.
Madison has a BA in creative writing and theology/religious studies from St. Mary’s College of California, and an MA in ethics from the University of Chicago’s Divinity School. She is a student of disability theology, queer theory, and crip studies.
Madison publishes regularly on the topics of bodies, culture, creativity, and spirituality.