posted on 2023-08-30, 16:10authored byTrudie E. Morris
This research answers the question whether children helping to co-curate the
Eucharist as it is practised in two Derby churches can contribute to the spiritual
flourishing of people. The rationale for an empirical research method is to answer a
question where there is little evidence and because the topic is of direct practical
relevance to issues of inclusion and communion in the researcher’s own work and
practice as a parish priest in the Church of England.
The primary data was derived from Participatory Action Research. Three sets of
co-researchers drawn from children, adults from the local community and adult
members of two congregations, shared their experiences of one or more services
without and with co-curation of the Eucharist with children. An inductive
methodology was used in a qualitative, constant comparative and thematic method of
data analysis. Conceptual themes of discipleship, power and eucharist drawn from
literature were used as primary nodes. Within an Action Research living theory
approach the researcher’s journal provided a further data source.
The data found attentive presence to be a unifying concept important to
spiritual flourishing. Liturgical action was found to be a significant factor in the
experience of the Eucharist. The children’s experiences co-curating with adults
showed that involvement in the liturgical action directly related to feelings of
empowerment and features of Christian discipleship. The findings also show that the
children at the centre of intergenerational worship in this context may be seen as
theological agents for transformation.
The research concludes that children co-curating the Eucharist contributes to
attentive presence. Attentive presence is transformative. A focus on generating
opportunities for attentive presence may be a useful tool for worship curators. This
tried and tested methodology can be of practical use to researchers of worshipping
communities.
History
Institution
Anglia Ruskin University
File version
Accepted version
Language
eng
Thesis name
Other
Thesis type
Doctoral
Legacy posted date
2019-04-02
Legacy creation date
2019-04-02
Legacy Faculty/School/Department
Theses from Anglia Ruskin University/Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences