Growing Faith
Cranmer Hall hosts a Learning Hub funded by the Church of England’s Growing Faith Foundation. This is a dedicated research and training centre, particularly exploring the theological questions which underpin ministry and mission with children and young people.
The focus of the hub was a research project which engaged with over 400 children and young people from two Church of England primary schools and two Church of England secondary schools in the North East. The research offered some amazing insights into the prayer lives, faith perspectives, understandings of the bible and questions children and young people have today. A substantial part of this research was published as a chapter in Growing Together in Faith: Thinking Theologically about Ministry with Children and Teenagers (SCM Press: 2025) by Emma L. Parker and Sarah Strand.
Research with children, teenagers and their families continues to flourish at Cranmer Hall. We’re looking forward to the launch of an upcoming Common Awards Seedcorn funded research project which explores how the Bible is read and taught in Sunday Schools in Durham Diocese. Cranmer continues to engage in research-led undergraduate teaching in this area on our range of academic modules focussed on children’s youth and families ministry. We also have a growing postgraduate research community on our DThM programme, with a range of students researching topics in this area.
Funding for the Growing Faith Learning Hub ended in September 2025, but training and research in faith among children’s, youth, and families remains an essential area for teaching and exploration. We are currently planning a new research centre to carry forward the work of the Growing Faith Learning Hub in due course.