Learning from the Church of Scotland mission initiative ‘Path of Renewal’ about the understanding, experience and practice of Christian discipleship

Clarkson, David Andrew (2024) Learning from the Church of Scotland mission initiative ‘Path of Renewal’ about the understanding, experience and practice of Christian discipleship. DPT thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis critically examines the Church of Scotland’s mission initiative, the Path of Renewal, launched in 2015 as a response to the decline and internal focus of congregations. Rooted in the organizational life cycle theory of William Bridges, the Path or Renewal aimed to guide congregations back to a more vital and missional state. The research involves reflections, recommendations and a comparative analysis with other growth-promoting programmes such as Purpose Driven Church, Natural Church Development, and the Alpha Course.

The study emphasises a shift within the Path of Renewal process, from transitioning from attractional to missional models of church to a focus on discipleship. Through a mixed methods approach, including interviews with participants, the thesis explores the theoretical and practical aspects of the process. It analyses the impact of the Path of Renewal process on participant’s understanding, experience and practice of discipleship, comparing initial objectives with outcomes and delving into the distinction between membership and discipleship.

The thesis highlights positive and negative aspects of the Path of Renewal process, exploring where congregations were before, what they did during the process and what difference it made. It scrutinises the multiplicity of aims, objectives and goals associated with the Path of Renewal process, presenting key findings and addressing issues raised during the research.

As a result of the analysis, the thesis provides recommendations for the future of the Path of Renewal process and suggests directions for ongoing work to support discipleship within the Church of Scotland. The study contributes to the broader understanding of congregational life, attractional versus missional paradigms and the role of discipleship in fostering sustainable church vitality.

• Item Type: Thesis (DPT)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Supported by funding from the Church of Scotland Ascend programme.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion; B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BR Christianity
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > Theology and Religious Studies
• Supervisor's Name: Gay, Rev Doug and Walton, Professor Heather
• Date of Award: 2024
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2024-84622
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 10 Oct 2024 15:46
• Last Modified: 10 Oct 2024 15:46
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84622
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84622