Project 3: Receptive Ecumenism and the Local Church: a regional comparative research project in the North East of England

Alongside the many strengths of the 2006 project, it became apparent that there was a real need for a more practically-focused research project involving the local churches of the north-east of England that could model good practice for academic and ecclesial communities globally. This became the impetus for a 2009 conference that began to address what mutual learning might take place to equip churches for mission, both independently and together.

Receptive Ecumenism and the Local Church used empirical observation and analysis to provide ecclesiological reflection with a better picture of the organisational, structural, ministerial, and procedural realities of ordinary church practice. The goal of the regional project was to provide the necessary ethnographic analysis and ecclesiological reflection to facilitate the shared ecclesiological learning across denominations in the North East of England as means to structural and sacramental unity of the churches internationally.

Full Report (pdf, 250 pages)

Summary Report / Overview (pdf, 12 pages) 

If you wish to access the raw research material please write to Dr Marcus Pound at m.j.p.pound@durham.ac.uk, and provide a brief description of your interest.