Our Work
The work of Leeds Church Institute centres around the following projects and partnerships.
Browse through the sections below to find out how we engage with city life…
Academic Partnerships
Life-changing theology shouldn’t be hidden in academic institutions.
LCI wants to bring the latest thinking about faith out of universities and into city life. We work closely with the university communities in Leeds to promote the study of theology, and enable everyone to think like a theologian.
One way we do this is through academic bursaries. We fund students doing postgraduate degrees in theology and public life, to support their work and build close ties with current researchers.
Our research students this year are Jon Richardson studying an MA in Theology at the University of Leeds, and Norman Pickavance studying an MRes in Theology at Leeds Trinity University.
Other academic partnerships include the Hook Lecture in partnership with the University of Leeds and Leeds Minster, and a piece of research undertaken by Leeds Beckett University on the Chair of Sanctuary.
Art Theology
Art helps us to express the things we can’t put into words.
Whether it’s the deep truths of our faith, or hard to talk about social injustices – art gives us new ways to understand and share our experiences.
Opportunities for learning
Our current learning resource is the Chair of Sanctuary which you can host in your church with resources to provoke conversations about welcome and safety.
Find out more or book the chair for your church, school or community group.
We coordinate the annual Art Theology Festival, a chance to dive into the world of faith and creativity. This series of talks, practical workshops, and exhibitions aim to provoke real conversations about life in Leeds at creative and sacred spaces.
Support for artists and creatives
We are in a consultation process looking at how we support artists and creatives through the Art Theology Community of Practice.
Churches Against Racism
Racism is a sin. As Christians we want to stand united against racism in all its forms, and resource churches to promote racial justice and intercultural dialogue in Leeds.
Our Churches Against Racism Group meets regularly, bringing together leaders from a range of church backgrounds to provide an ecumenical response to racism in the city.
They’ve been following up on the questions you asked at our Churches Against Racism event in April 2024 and will continue to provide resources and reflections to keep the conversation going.
Disability Theology
What does our faith say about Disability?
How do we respond to stories about Disability and healing in the Bible?
How can the Church move from token inclusion to full belonging for Disabled people?
Our Disability Theology resources help us to ask these questions well as we work towards a world where Disabled people experience full belonging and participation in Church and society.
We have developed a course, devised by people with lived experience of Disability, to equip us all with the skills and knowledge to dive into Disability Theology. We’ll be running this again in 2025, with five online weekly sessions that are open to all.
We also run an annual Disability Retreat Day, where Disabled Christians can come together to worship, learn and reflect on their faith through the lens of Disability.
We contribute to the ongoing development of the church towards inclusion and belonging for Disabled Christians, for example by offering training on disability theology to local preachers, and hosting spaces for discussion such as the fringe event at Methodist Conference on neurodiversity in the church.
Prophet or Provider
“When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist.”
Fr Hélder Câmara
This decade has seen a huge spike in people experiencing poverty and homelessness. Food bank use has almost doubled over the past 5 years, and the Trussell Trust reported their highest ever number of food parcels provided in the UK last year.
Many of our churches have become frontline responders, providing for the urgent need in our communities. But how do we balance that important work with our calling to be a prophetic voice for change?
Inspired by this article by Jon Khurt on the sins of social action, we’ve been helping Leeds churches to explore this tension, and bring Christians together for theological conversations to help navigate what it means for them. Jon will join us for the 2025 Hook Lecture at Leeds Minster to continue these conversations.
If you’re part of a church in Leeds that is thinking through this issue, Faith at the Margins Lead Paul would love to meet with you. Email [email protected]
Queer Theology
Nobody should be excluded from church life because of their identity. We want LGBTQ+ people to experience true belonging in Leeds church communities. Understanding queer theology is key to discovering an affirming Christianity that loves and welcomes all.
LCI has a long history of supporting LGBTQ+ Christians and encouraging churches to embrace queer identities. We support the Christians at Pride presence during Leeds Pride Weekend each year, as well as providing space for LGBTQ+ Christians to share their stories of faith in our blog and magazine.
This year we’re launching a Queer Theology Reading Group, to help us all better understand the biblical call to welcome everyone and celebrate LGBTQ+ identities. This will be a space for all Leeds Christians to learn, ask questions, and seek to grow together towards a truly inclusive church.
Academic Partnerships
Life-changing theology shouldn’t be hidden in academic institutions.
LCI wants to bring the latest thinking about faith out of universities and into city life. We work closely with the university communities in Leeds to promote the study of theology, and enable everyone to think like a theologian.
One way we do this is through academic bursaries. We fund students doing postgraduate degrees in theology and public life, to support their work and build close ties with current researchers.
Our research students this year are Jon Richardson studying an MA in Theology at the University of Leeds, and Norman Pickavance studying an MRes in Theology at Leeds Trinity University.
Other academic partnerships include the Hook Lecture in partnership with the University of Leeds and Leeds Minster, and research undertaken by Leeds Beckett University on the Chair of Sanctuary.
Art Theology
Art helps us to express the things we can’t put into words.
Whether it’s the deep truths of our faith, or hard to talk about social injustices – art gives us new ways to understand and share our experiences.
Opportunities for learning
Our current learning resource is the Chair of Sanctuary which you can host in your church with resources to provoke conversations about welcome and safety.
Find out more or book the chair for your church, school or community group.
We coordinate the annual Art Theology Festival, a chance to dive into the world of faith and creativity. This series of talks, practical workshops, and exhibitions aim to provoke real conversations about life in Leeds at creative and sacred spaces.
Support for artists and creatives
We are in a consultation process looking at how we support artists and creatives through the Art Theology Community of Practice.
Churches Against Racism
Racism is a sin. As Christians we want to stand united against racism in all its forms, and resource churches to promote racial justice and intercultural dialogue in Leeds.
Our Churches Against Racism Group meets regularly, bringing together leaders from a range of church backgrounds to provide an ecumenical response to racism in the city.
They’ve been following up on the questions you asked at our Churches Against Racism event in April 2024 and will continue to provide resources and reflections to keep the conversation going.
Disability Theology
What does our faith say about Disability?
How do we respond to stories about Disability and healing in the Bible?
How can the Church move from token inclusion to full belonging for Disabled people?
Our Disability Theology resources help us to ask these questions well as we work towards a world where Disabled people experience full belonging and participation in Church and society.
We have developed a course, devised by people with lived experience of Disability, to equip us all with the skills and knowledge to dive into Disability Theology. We’ll be running this again in 2025, with five online weekly sessions that are open to all.
We also run an annual Disability Retreat Day, where Disabled Christians can come together to worship, learn and reflect on their faith through the lens of Disability.
We contribute to the ongoing development of the church towards inclusion and belonging for Disabled Christians, for example by offering training on disability theology to local preachers, and hosting spaces for discussion such as the fringe event at Methodist Conference on neurodiversity in the church.
Prophet or Provider
“When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist.”
Fr Hélder Câmara
This decade has seen a huge spike in people experiencing poverty and homelessness. Food bank use has almost doubled over the past 5 years, and the Trussell Trust reported their highest ever number of food parcels provided in the UK last year.
Many of our churches have become frontline responders, providing for the urgent need in our communities. But how do we balance that important work with our calling to be a prophetic voice for change?
Inspired by this article by Jon Khurt on the sins of social action, we’ve been helping Leeds churches to explore this tension, and bring Christians together for theological conversations to help navigate what it means for them. Jon will join us for the 2025 Hook Lecture at Leeds Minster to continue these conversations.
If you’re part of a church in Leeds that is thinking through this issue, Faith at the Margins Lead Paul would love to meet with you. Email [email protected]
Queer Theology
Nobody should be excluded from church life because of their identity. We want LGBTQ+ people to experience true belonging in Leeds church communities. Understanding queer theology is key to discovering an affirming Christianity that loves and welcomes all.
LCI has a long history of supporting LGBTQ+ Christians and encouraging churches to embrace queer identities. We support the Christians at Pride presence during Leeds Pride Weekend each year, as well as providing space for LGBTQ+ Christians to share their stories of faith in our blog and magazine.
This year we’re launching a Queer Theology Reading Group, to help us all better understand the biblical call to welcome everyone and celebrate LGBTQ+ identities. This will be a space for all Leeds Christians to learn, ask questions, and seek to grow together towards a truly inclusive church.
