CODEC research fellow Dr David Ford is researching catholic Bible engagement, beginning with a focus group of parishioners in the North East. This is a pilot project for what we intend to become a larger project exploring biblical literacy and engagement amongst Catholics in the UK. Read the report: Catholic Bible Engagement (2017 - Present)
Partnering with Bible Society, CODEC has undertaken research on Bible engagement and attitudes amongst Digital Millennials (18-35-year-olds in the UK). Two national surveys have been carried out for this research, including one representative national sample of nearly 2,000. We anticipate publishing the results in the early part of 2018.
CODEC has partnered with Biblica to carry out research related to their Bible engagement curriculum, Community Bible Experience. This involved a 'state of the question' white paper on biblical literacy in the UK and creating survey material related to the curriculum to help determine the effectiveness of the curriculum in terms of Biblica's goals.
CODEC is proud to launch Trove, a new site for digital resources for discipleship, commissioned by the Jerusalem Trust and in collaboration with 12baskets. Trove hosts a growing range of discipleship resources from across the spectrum of British Christianity, bringing together well-known resources by big publishers with hidden gems from smaller organisations and churches.
In association with Common Awards (a common suite of awards in Theology, Ministry, and Mission validated by Durham University), CODEC works to provide creative and innovative approaches to online and distance learning for ministerial training within the Church of England and Partner Churches, as well as theoretical and theological thinking to underpin such approaches.
Previously, the Project focused on hosting conversations about the Bible and discipleship, and a huge community of authors contributed along the way. The former website and all its posts—over 3,000—have been archived, and may be found on the BIGBible Project archive.
The relaunch is much more than just a redesign. The scope of the site has narrowed, and its purpose altered. The subject of the site is “Biblical Literacy & Reception in a Digital World.” Its purpose: To host and curate the best short-form content related to Biblical Literacy and Reception on the web, with a special focus on the digital environment. To unpack this purpose statement further:
One of CODEC's major areas of research since its inception has been biblical literacy, as some of the other projects listed below illustrate. In 2009 CODEC carried out a major biblical literacy survey in England and Wales, and preparations are underway for another major survey. CODEC's Director, Rev Dr Pete Phillips, is currently writing a book on biblical literacy in which he attempts to set out a more robust understanding of biblical literacy. With Pete, CODEC's Joshua Mann has been taking into account how the 'digital' affects biblical literacy, reception, and engagement. Additionally, from 2015, CODEC is carrying out research in partnership with a global organisation in the area of biblical literacy.
The Good News for Every Age DVD was commissioned by the North East Council of Churches as a response to the visit of the Lindisfarne Gospels to Durham in the Summer of 2013.
A 2-year project, sponsored by the Darlington District of the Methodist Church, the North Yorkshire Dales Methodist Circuit and CODEC, designed to assess the current state of biblical literacy in a typical rural circuit within the Methodist Church; explore new ways of nurturing biblical literacy; and share the learning outcomes. Read the final report: Let the Bible Live Report
CODEC's 2009 pilot survey on the reception of preaching in the contemporary church, commissioned by the College of Preachers. News coverage includes the BBC, The Times, and The Telegraph.
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