While Christians believe that every person is made in the image of God, and treasured equally in God's sight, some of the language we hear about people wth disabilities can undermine the dignity and respect disabled people experience in our communities. 

This year's Lenten resource from the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia's Disability Ministry Educators turns attention to the way that words about disability that were once acceptable are now more likely to offend.

English terms to avoid include euphemisms for disability such as: 'differently abled', 'different abilities' or 'unique abilities'. Educational terms such as 'special needs' are also received as patronising by many, while "disabled people" or "people with disabilities" are more commonly accepted terms.

Tāngata whaikaha is a term rising in popularity over the word hauā for its focus on disabled people's desire to live life well. In response the Anglican Disability Network has adopted the name Te Taura Whaikaha Mihinare. 

In Polynesia, Rev Sepiuta Hala'api'api has shared insights from this Church's Disability Ministry Network to raise ecumenical awareness of how churches can speak and act more inclusively of disabled people, including highlighting the Diocese of Polynesia's adoption of Disability Awareness Sunday and disability-inclusive climate resilience planning. 

This year's Lenten resources offer a general rule to avoid engaging with a disabled person on the topic of their impairment, and to take their lead on how to talk about it if they do bring it up.

A key shift in thinking about disability is to recognise that the conditions which disable people are not situated in the person with an impairment, but in the community that chooses to exclude them by not considering them or catering for their needs. 

"For many years disability has been seen as the problem for the individual with the impairment/difference." say Disability Ministry Educators Rev Vicki Terrell and Cherryl Thompson in this year's Lenten resource.

With that kind of thinking, disability becomes an individual problem for a disabled person, who then needs to adapt to society. However, there is another way of looking at disability – as a problem of society’s making. 

The Disability Ministry Educators point out that by designing everything in daily use – from information to schedules to buildings – with only able people in mind, society assumes everyone can access them in the same way. 

"This creates barriers for people who do things differently, for example stairs are a barrier for people using walkers and wheelchairs, and written material is a barrier to people who are blind." 

If disability is not sited in the person with impairments, then design decisions that are not intentionally accessible are building excluding spaces under the guise of "realistically what we can afford."

Disability advocates suggest decision-makers in churches must instead ask the question,

"Do we want to build a disabling space for ministry that serves only some, or an empowering space for ministry that serves all?" 

More tips on specific words and current understandings around disability are in the Lenten resource pack, which is undergirded by the words of Ngoi Pewhairangi waiata "Ka noho au i kōnei", and presented in an easy-read simplified language poster format:
 2026 Disability Lenten Resources