Abstract
Religious institutions in the United States are legally exempt from the accessibility requirements outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act. This raises the question of whether or not they are fulfilling their moral and social duty to disabled individuals of faith communities. This study examines whether religious institutions choose to fulfill that duty. A standardized accessibility checklist was used to collect data from 22 Asheville area houses of worship. Interviews were also conducted to try to understand the motivations driving successful implementation of accessibility or barriers preventing implementation. This research revealed that many institutions take steps to accommodate disabled congregants; however, their efforts are inconsistent and shaped by the needs of their communities. Inaccessibility was often an unintended consequence of a lack of financial resources or practical knowledge. These findings suggest that increased education on accessibility standards, strengthened community bonds, and more funding sources could greatly improve the accessibility of religious spaces and help religious institutions fulfill their ethical obligations.
How to Cite
Johnson, A., (2025) “Ethical Implications of Voluntary Accessibility Measures Taken by Religious Institutions”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 38(1).
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