The Bible in the ordinary theology of Christian chaplaincy volunteers: a case study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Previous researchers referenced Jeff Astley’s concepts expressed in his book Ordinary Theology when exploring the extent to which ordinary Christians (that is, those with no academic theological education) might use the theology taught by their local church. In my doctorate study (DThM) at Durham successfully completed in 2020, I considered Astley’s ordinary theology from the perspective of investigating the practice of faith of Christian volunteers in the world beyond their local church congregation. I asked ordinary Christian volunteers in the Church of England how their faith changed when they practised their faith away from their local church context. This cohort of ordinary Christians used their Bibles as an available source of theological insight into the issues raised in their voluntary work. This enabled them to share a rich and nuanced approach to the theological challenges they perceived to have arisen from their work with the unchurched. Church leaders and the academy may have more to learn from such ordinary theology.