BCDD Team Member Melody Escobar Featured on Currents in Religion Podcast

The Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD) is proud to celebrate the recent feature of Melody Escobar, a research associate with our Collaborative on Faith and Disability, on the Currents in Religion podcast. In this insightful episode, Escobar discusses her newly released book, Revelations of Divine Care (Baylor University Press, 2024), offering listeners an engaging conversation about caregiving, community, and unconditional love.

The episode, hosted by Zen, takes a deep dive into the transformative caregiving journey that inspired Escobar’s book. She reflects on her experiences at a Texas Hill Country ranch, where her son’s participation in an equine therapy program introduced her to a retired racehorse named Bo. This interaction not only shaped her family’s life but also prompted her to explore caregiving through the lens of faith, inspired by the theological insights of Julian of Norwich.

In Revelations of Divine Care, Escobar connects Julian’s vision of unconditional love and mutual flourishing to practical applications for faith communities. Through first-person narratives, she examines how congregations can foster inclusive practices that support individuals with disabilities and their families. Key themes include:

• Placing individuals with disabilities and their families at the “speaking center” of community life.
• Countering ableism through creative and inclusive liturgical practices.
• Advocating for respite care as a vital component of flourishing faith communities.

Escobar’s thoughtful approach challenges traditional dynamics of power and control, instead inviting communities to embrace practices of solidarity and active mercy. Her work offers a model for reimagining care, compassion, and interdependence in every aspect of community life.

This episode of Currents in Religion is now available for streaming on Spotify and other podcast platforms. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Melody’s inspiring story and learn more about her impactful work.

Listen at: Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Purchase your own copy of Revelations of Divine Care at the Baylor University Press website. To learn more about the groundbreaking work of the Center in the areas of faith and disability, visit  http://bcdd.soe.baylor.edu/faith.