Dr. Andrew Rogers and Dr. Ash Cocksworth’s “Faith Long Lived” project, in partnership with the Susanna Wesley Foundation, investigates empirically and theoretically the experience of saying the creed in the context of Christian worship in some of the local faith communities in the Roehampton area, including Barnes Methodist Church. Rather than exploring what individuals might or might not know about the history and doctrines surrounding the creed, and the role the creed might play in the life of the church, the primary research focus is what it feels like for individuals to say the creed over the course of a long life of faith. The emphasis is on using qualitative research methods to hear the accounts of “older” Christians, within the University’s locality, from a variety of Christian traditions. These qualitative accounts are reflected on in the light of the scholarship – theological and historical – of the Creeds. The project is funded by a grant from the Southlands Methodist Trust, with support from Sue Miller at the Susanna Wesley Foundation.
Based on the empirical work, Ash is exploring the idea of creeds as “practice”. Moving beyond the standard definition of creeds as “statements of belief”, Ash is considering what it might mean to think of creeds as practice. He is focussing on the performance of saying creeds, the practice of not saying creeds, the idea of praying creeds, and the difference all this makes to the nature of belief. Ash’s article ‘Creeds as Practice: A Practice-Engaged Theology of the Creeds’ is forthcoming in Ecclesiology. The project has also informed the first chapter of his book, Glorification and the Life of Faith, which he co-authored with David F. Ford. As well as sharing some of the main insights from the project with church groups, Ash has presented academic papers related to the project at the University of Tübingen, Durham University, and the British and Irish Association for Practical Theology.
Andrew and Sunil Chandy are exploring the theological significance of singing a creed, considering its liturgical, affective and communal dimensions. This is aided by a lyrical and musical examination of a popular sung creed, informed by an interview with its internationally recognised Australian author. They are presenting this work at an international conference in June 2025, drawing out the significance of singing the creeds for ecclesial home-making. Their research will be written up as an article for publication in late 2025.
To resource our thinking, a series of external speakers spoke on the project’s themes as part of the 2022-23 Practical Theology Seminars convened by Ash with Rowan Williams, Professor Abby Day (Goldsmith) and Professor David F. Ford (Cambridge) each contributing stimulating papers.