Deaf in the Christian Church
The Burke Family’s Story
Emily Burke, H&V DHH Infusion Co-Coordinator
Personal disclosure: terminology used in this article is based on my own story, and snippets within my circle of family and friends. I alone cannot represent all the cultures, beliefs, and values in the world, but we can learn from each other and families that are willing to share that part of life with those who support families.
I grew up in a hearing church with my family, utilizing an interpreter. My dad, an intermediate signer, accompanied me in Sunday school. I sat on the balcony at the church auditorium reading during worship (lyrics via overhead projector). During that season, my mom helped implement a monthly gathering through the catholic diocese with DHH role models. My mom and a DHH leader set up an ASL Vacation Bible School (which I volunteered as a teen). Occasionally we visited the local Deaf Lutheran church. Because my parents signed, I have clarity in my faith.
Growing up, I saw few DHH church leaders in my community. When I attended the University of Minnesota, I was involved as a leader within a campus ministry with interpreters. I visited a local Deaf church adjoining a hearing church when transportation was available. It wasn’t until Gallaudet I got to meet DHH adult and student faith-based leaders. It wasn’t until after we moved to Dallas/Fort Worth we started growing exponentially in a Deaf church community. I told my husband that I learned so much more in the four years we’ve been at this Deaf church.
My Deaf husband Adan’s hearing, signing mother took him to a Deaf church in Kirkwood, MO, while his hearing, non-signing father took his siblings to a local church. His family welcomed opportunities for him to participate in DHH faith-based programs throughout his childhood. My husband said he had been “adopted” by a Deaf family through church, that he felt a belonging in the community. When his family moved to the Bay Area, my husband claimed they were his dark years because he did not have connection with the Deaf community. He attended a hearing church with a youth ministry. Though he continued to grow faithfully, that was a unique season for him realizing he needed to be among DHH people to grow. Thus, he ended up at Gallaudet and was involved with the campus ministry where we eventually met.
As we are raising a Deaf teen and a CODA(child of deaf adult), we are part of a local Deaf church led by a CODA pastor and Deaf elders/deacons. Before that, we attended a local hearing church assuming that was what our CODA needed (a spoken English environment), but our kids thrived more at the Deaf church. Our KODA thanked us for bringing him to a place where he feels he belongs.
Before we moved to the Deaf church, we heard a sermon by a well-known pastor (with no ties with the DHH community) at our local hearing church about deaf babies getting implants like it is a miracle and a gift from God, and it stung bad (YES, even though our Deaf kid has a cochlear implant!). Religious leaders are human like us, they know what they know and may be ignorant at times as well. We teach them because we live Deaf every day. They can support us in some respects, but in other ways they cannot. A hearing associate pastor noticed our angst, and we had a dialogue. It was assuring to know that someone is genuinely trying to understand our cultural perspective and experience.
When we lived in Minnesota, we attended a large hearing church with a Deaf/interpreting ministry – the church had several locations, and we took our Deaf daughter to one of the two campuses that had ASL interpreters. The first campus did not provide interpreting for the kids’ program, and Ava struggled even with her implant. We moved to the other campus with an interpreter and Deaf volunteers in the kids’ program. Ava thrived because she connected directly with the DHH community.
Today, my husband works with Wycliffe Bible Translators, and they are fostering partnerships to translate the Bible in sign languages around the world. Through that, our family has been networking with DHH church leaders who work with families, DHH kids, teens, young adults, church planting, ministry leadership, running nonprofit organizations, Bible teachers, pastors and evangelists, linguists, and so on. My husband uses this analogy – “you see a calm glistening lake in the horizon, but when you duck your head underwater, you see a complete active ecosystem filled with diverse fish, plants, etc.” it is like with the Deaf community – people see us simply as those with hearing loss, but underneath we are leaders using our gifts, skills, and talents to ensure DHH people and community members have opportunities to connect. When seeking spiritual or religious support, seek DHH leaders because they too aim for DHH children and their families to thrive.
In June 2024 a full feature film was released on the big screen. The film was by Deaf Missions, a Jesus film. It was filmed fully in American Sign Language BY DEAF FOR DEAF. It featured Deaf actors, Deaf producers, Deaf directors. This is an example of active talent underneath the calm waters.
Because we want to exercise DHH inclusivity within religious establishments, it is necessary to acknowledge who leads what. As a DHH leader who experienced oppression in DHH ministry, I sought out to identify programs or events led by DHH leaders, led by hearing, or equally led by DHH and hearing. DHH kids need to see active DHH leaders at schools, at religious establishments, at camps or programs, in the workplace, in the community. This is a great lesson I’ve learned in the last few years being a DHH leader in the church environment. Deaf people understand Deaf people. It is also effective to have equally shared leadership with hearing leaders who respect our unique community.
This is our DHH family’s story. What is yours? ~
LIST of family friendly CHRISTIAN DHH RESOURCES:
www.deafbible.com (has an app)
www.deafmissions.com (has an app)
www.deafkidsconnect.com (has an app)
www.deafharbor.org (check youtube too)
www.deafmillennial.com (check youtube too)
H&V Communicator – Fall 2024