This thesis presents a reflection on a series of published papers which explore in a systematic way how theoretical and empirical considerations can analyse and illuminate the current condition of the Church of England in rural areas. A fourfold model of belonging through activities, events, people and places is set out and two large data samples are studied. Particular attention is paid to those who attend Church of England services, but on only a few occasions each year. The chapter structure of the thesis illustrates the progressive nature of the research and demonstrates how the component parts come together to form a cumulative and coherent case. As well as demonstrating the validity of the belonging model, implications for the governance of the Church of England and for its income generation model are drawn out and made more explicit than in the original papers. The missional implications for a church that has adopted a model led by a dominant "activity" theme are considered. The power of a cumulative study using a range of empirical tools is shown. It is concluded that, within an Anglican view of inclusivity, the rural Church of England embraces a diverse range of people who express their Anglican identity and their sense of belonging to the Church in ways that can now be better understood.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:632900 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Walker, David Stuart |
| Publisher | University of Warwick |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/64262/ |
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