Equipping Church Leadership in an Age of Science

This project seeks to transform the quality, and increase the quantity, of serious engagement with science amongst Christians in England. It will do so by focusing on the role of senior church leaders in shaping church leadership in an age of science. We will seek out leaders in conferences, provide resources for a much larger number of trainee leaders, and develop a range of flagship local engagement projects to demonstrate where leadership in this area can benefit people.

All of this will be underpinned by original research, which will itself be a significant contribution to public understanding of the relationship between religion and science. This project will research the attitudes towards science of Christian leaders, both within the main denominations but also in new churches and parachurch movements, and explore how their leadership shapes the assumptions, priorities, practice, and theological beliefs of people in their organizations. We will then provide a conference for church leaders, to encourage transformative dialogue with senior scientists and theologians, so that they can own science as a key partner of theology and thereby of the Church's ministry.

Our work with senior leaders gives added importance to the creation and use of resources in science and theology for the Church of England's Common Awards programme. This began as a partnership with Durham University, and structures training for church leadership for over 1000 students training for church leaders in the Anglican tradition.

This project also gives a natural network and structure for a new "Scientists in Congregations" programme for England, and for ongoing support of senior church leaders in their thinking, media work and preaching.