This thesis explores the relationship between the Church and disabled believers and thus locates itself within the debate surrounding the Disability Movement and the institutional Christian Church. In particular, it examines the validity of claims that the Church constitutes a further form of oppression for persons with disabilities: at the theoretical level by constructing disability negatively, and at the practical level by being exclusive of disabled people. Part One aims to locate Christian theology and praxis in the context of the emergent and broadly secular debate on disability and emancipatory practice with the Disability Movement. It explores the secular discourse of disability in society in general and in the Judaeo-Christian faith across time. Part Two aims to explore Christian praxis and applied theology in relation to the issues raised by the Disability Movement, focusing especially on the issue of widening participation for persons with disabilities, and in particular those with intellectual impairments, within the Evangelical Church. It presents the results of a pioneering empirical case study, conducted at two Evangelical sites over a one-year period, that combines the sociological method of participant observation and interviewing with an ethnographic case study approach. Part Three aims to develop Christian theological perspectives by offering an explicit theological rationale for reflexive practice with regard to disability, in the light of insights gleaned from the previous two sections. It is designed both to enhance theory and practice within the Church and to enrich the secular debate on disability. Both disablist and feminist ecclesiologies are engaged with, and the work of Evangelical, Catholic and Orthodox theologians is drawn upon. The major findings of the thesis are threefold: First, contrary to charges made by some secularists, among others within the Disability Movement, the practice of the Christian communities observed during the empirical research reveals patterns of good practice, with significantly high levels of social inclusion. Second, the ability of helpers and leaders within these communities to articulate their understanding of disability was limited and fragmented: they frequently oscillated between theological and secular perspectives and struggled to conceptualise their practice in a theologically coherent and holistic way. Third, the theological resources available to the Church, especially in relation to issues of suffering, personhood and emancipation have the potential to further the reflexive practice of the Church and to make a substantial contribution to the discourse and praxis of the secular Disability Movement.

Theological libraries have tended to be treated as a homogeneous group with no distinction being made between the different types. Little has been written about the libraries of UK Christian theological colleges that train men and women for ministry. The purpose of this research was to provide some understanding of the context in which they operate. In addition it sought to establish their effectiveness in meeting the ongoing needs of their user communities. Using three college libraries, a multi-method approach was employed in order to reveal the environment in which these libraries functioned. The study comprised reviewing college documentation, using a questionnaire survey and undertaking semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. An analysis of the interview findings is presented, together with the data obtained from the questionnaire survey and focus groups. The main issues that emerged were those concerning the changes in the delivery of theological education and the implications of these for resource provision. The need of the denominational churches to increase their recruitment for ministry whilst simultaneously reducing costs was found to have been the main driving force for change within theological education. The research found that the introduction of flexible training pathways and the diverse range of students that were now recruited for training had little effect on the way in which the traditional library service was provided by the colleges. It was concluded that since academic learning is only one aspect of ministerial training, resource provision had been given insufficient consideration and funding. This had inhibited the growth and development of the library service and prevented the college libraries from satisfying the needs of their part-time users in particular. This study makes an important contribution to the knowledge of theological college librarianship by providing an understanding of the prevailing issues and concerns. Further areas of research have been identified and conclusions drawn which are of relevance to the theological college library sector.

The Action/Reflection model used at the Centre for Christian Studies (CCS), a theological college of the United Church of Canada for diaconal preparation, is the subject of this research. This tool for carrying out transformative theological education is taught to students and used by them to reflect on and integrate their learning into practice with a view to "living a theology of justice". It helps them analyse their experience of the world with a critical lens, considering their active response in light of theology, social analysis, Scripture, and other theory. This research documents the lived experience of the CCS Action/Reflection model: the originating theories; staff and student input into its formation; how it has evolved; how it has been taught and learned; and what it has come to mean to graduates and staff who have used it. The study is structured as a narrative weaving together multiple strands from staff and student perspectives. The tale begins with a chronological telling of creating, learning, and using the model. It then moves into naming patterns in the story: contradictions, insights, and overlapping conversations. Presenting an account that encapsulates the community memory, two themes emerge: the historical and contextual details of the model's development, alongside its flexibility and capacity for adaptation to different needs and situations. The story of the CCS Action/Reflection model is recorded as a narrative of theory development and pedagogy, which addresses how theological students can learn to reflect in a way that is well defined, beneficial to learning, and integrated into practice.

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This thesis is concerned with practical theological education in non-confessional higher education. If non-confessional Practical Theology is to take seriously its mandate to shape all of its students’ orientation and future actions regardless of their position vis-à-vis religion, it needs to respond to the increasingly diverse character of younger generations’ religiosity and the presence of non-Christian students. However, available studies of learning and teaching in Practical Theology, especially those originating in North America, predominantly focus on a Christian and clerical paradigm that is inappropriate for students of all faiths and none. Instead, I propose a reflexive process of formation in critical conversation with external norms and values. The development of this pedagogical reorientation requires an inductive study of participants’ positionalities. I welcome this as an exciting opportunity to move on from the Christian and clerical heritage with its concomitant process of formation through integration of external norms and values. My conceptual framework for this thesis is made up of four elements. The value of ‘prefiguring flourishing’ shapes my praxis in research and education. This leads me to adopt ‘Transforming Practice’ as the theoretical model for the design of my critical action research process. The hybrid positionality of ‘insider-outsider’ instead of a binary emerges from the research as a key concept that captures contemporary developments in religious identities, and affirms plurality and contingency in identity construction and group dynamics. This links to ‘rhizomatic fragments’ as conceptualisation of the ordering process in human life story construction, and in the research process and its presentation in the thesis. Based on this framework, I show how critical, reciprocal conversation between theological scholarship and alumni perceptions of long-term learning outcomes of my teaching practice can generate normative pedagogical principles for non-confessional PT while also prompting revision of theological concepts. The normative principles inform my student-focused reorientation of the model and aim of non-confessional PT, relevant curriculum, and appropriate learning, teaching and assessment. Secondly, I demonstrate how triangulation between these alumni-based normative principles, theological scholarship and autoethnography can contribute to the educator’s personal and professional development to realise their values more fully in their practice. This involves first deconstructing my past identity in theological education and vis-à-vis religion, and second reconstructing a confident future-oriented identity as theological educator.

This thesis represents a qualitative empirical investigation into “What is the contribution of poetry in clergy continuing ministerial education (CME) in the Church of England?” offering a sustained theological reflection on my professional practice as Bishop’s Clergy CME Adviser. Taking an ethnographic approach within a practical theological framework, I studied four facilitated clergy groups reading pre-selected poems and reflecting on personal experience of ministry in response. Research reflexivity was ensured through multiple methods, including auto-ethnographic poetry. The research shows that the affective character of poetic form and language stimulates emotional response in the critical appreciation of practice, sustaining diverse interpretations simultaneously, benefiting collegial clergy reflective practice through corporate construction of meaning. The effectiveness of appropriate ground-rules for small groups is recognised. The impact of historical-critical approaches in clergy hermeneutical strategies for reading privileged texts is acknowledged. I conclude that in facilitated group settings selected poetry offers clergy a generative space for reflection on ministry, suggesting poetry as a trans-disciplinary resource in reflective practice requiring refinement of pedagogy to take account of literary characteristics and participant hermeneutical approaches, developing a more critical approach to the use of poetry in clergy CME and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) more generally.

This research is rooted in my professional practice at the newly established international Centre for Spiritual Life Development (CSLD) of The Salvation Army. It is designed to develop a foundation which can shape and enhance the policy and provision of the CSLD. It seeks to answer two questions: How do Salvation Army officers sustain and develop their personal spiritual life in the context of an activist, missional organisation? In what ways can the Centre for Spiritual life Development facilitate and support this process? The research methodology is qualitative, bringing responses to a written questionnaire and semi-structured interviews into mutual critical dialogue with the conceptual framework, which is drawn from the theology and history of evangelicalism and evangelical spirituality, and the theory of theological and vocational education. This has generated a rich description of spiritual life development in Salvation Army officers in the 21st century, leading to new understanding. The empirical research focused upon a particular constituency, delegates to the International College for Officers, thus facilitating understanding of the difference encountered in an organisation that has both global and local influences. It confirmed an expected diversity of understanding and practice in three major areas; definitions of, and practices leading to, spiritual life development; the means used by officers develop their spiritual lives; and the relationship between practice and the spiritual life. The work contributes to academic knowledge about The Salvation Army by locating the organisation, and Salvationist spirituality, within the framework of evangelicalism. A proposal to encourage a holistic understanding of spiritual life development using a process of reflection based upon the integration of, and interrelationships between, ‘knowing, being and doing’, offers a way forward that is applicable in a range of contexts. The evolution of my professional practice during the period of the research demonstrates that the foundations of new policy and practices are taking shape. It therefore contributes to the field of practical theology, as the integration and mutual critique of practice, spirituality and educational theory have led to new understanding and new practice.

Η παρούσα μελέτη ξεκινά με την ίδρυση το 1900 του «Ιεροδιδασκαλείου της Πάτμου» ενός εκπαιδευτηρίου που ίδρυσε ο Σύλλογος Μικρασιατών «Η Ανατολή» αρχικά στην Πάτμο, με σκοπό την προσφορά ανώτερης εκπαίδευσης σε μέλη των μικρασιατικών ελληνορθόδοξων κοινοτήτων. Το Ιεροδιδασκαλείο μεταφέρεται το Σεπτέμβριο του 1906 στην θέση Μαλαγάρι στο Βαθύ της Σάμου και μετονομάζεται «Ιεροδιδασκαλείο Ανατολή». Στεγάζεται ακριβώς στην ίδια θέση στην οποία επί παρελθούσης τετραετίας (1875 – 1879) είχε συσταθεί η Ιερατική Σχολή Μαλαγαρίου προς μόρφωσιν του κατωτέρου κλήρου. Η σχολή θα λειτουργήσει μέχρι το 1929 έχοντας παράξει σημαντικό εκπαιδευτικό και εθνικό έργο για τον υπόδουλο πληθυσμό εντός και εκτός του Ελλαδικού χώρου. Καταβλήθηκε προσπάθεια να ανακαλυφθούν, να συγκεντρωθούν, να αναλυθούν και να αποτυπωθούν τελικά όσο περισσότερα στοιχεία μπορούσαν από πρωτογενείς πηγές για τη δραστηριότητα του Ιεροδιδασκαλείου της Ανατολής, οι παράγοντες και οι φορείς που συντέλεσαν στο μετασχηματισμό του θεσμικού πλαισίου για τη σύσταση και λειτουργία της Σχολής. Εξετάστηκε το εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα στην Ελλάδα και οι επιρροές του στη Σάμο την εποχή της Ηγεμονίας. Ακόμη, διερευνήθηκε η στάση των Οθωμανών απέναντι στη Σχολή, ο ρόλος των μελών του διδακτικού αλλά και μαθητικού δυναμικού της, καθώς και το πολυσχιδές έργο - δράση του Συλλόγου Ανατολή και όποιων άλλων φορέων ενεπλάκησαν την περίοδο που εξετάζουμε. / This paper starts with the founding of the seminary of Patmos in 1900, an educational institution originally founded by the Association of Mikrasiaton "Anatoli" in Patmos, with the aim to offer higher education to members of the Asia Minor Greek Orthodox communities. The seminary was transferred in September 1906 to the position Malagari, in Vathy in Samos and renamed "Anatoli Seminary." Housed at exactly the same position where for the past four years (1875 - 1879) there was established the seminary Malagari to educate the lower clergy. The school will operate until 1929 having produced important educational and national work for the enslaved population inside and outside Greece. An effort was made to discover, collect, analyze and ultimately illustrate as more data as possible from primary sources for the activity of this educational institution, as well as factors and the institutions that contributed to the transformation of the institutional framework for the establishment and operation of the School.The educational system in Greece and its influence on Samos during the Principality was examined. Furthermore, the Ottoman’s attitude towards the school, the teachers’ role and the students were also under examination work - action of “Anatoli” and any other institutions involved in the period under consideration.