Prayer as a Research Practice?: What Corporate Practices of Prayer Disclose about Theological Action Research

Abstract

Within theological action research the language of discernment has become increasingly important and resonances with spiritual practices such as Lectio Divina have been recognised. This led to practices of corporate prayer being introduced in to the research process. This paper reflects on this experience and identifies key resonances between prayer and theological action research. Through engagement with theological accounts of prayer these resonances are explored turning the question of the place of prayer within theological research on its head. It is not simply that prayer practices add an important dimension to theological action research, but that they actually disclose the ways it is already a practice of prayer. After engaging with potential challenges to such a position through notions of true prayer, control and rigour the paper ends by suggesting that this proposal is not as radical as it first appears, and may instead be an orthodox account of theology.