Research
A centre of learning, teaching and research
Curiosity lies at the heart of St John’s. As one of Durham’s recognised colleges, we are distinctive in having our own teaching and research staff, as well as a thriving network of Fellows, Resident Tutors, and visiting scholars.
Our research environment brings together people across disciplines and generations – from Cranmer Hall’s theological scholars to social scientists, historians, and artists – to explore the world through faith, reason, and imagination.
Through seminars, lectures conferences, and collaborations, we engage with global and local challenges, from peacebuilding and leadership to creativity and sustainability. The result is a culture of learning that values conversation, curiosity, and care for the common good.
Academic activity
The Borderlands Lecture
Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS)
Bede Centre for Church Planting Theology
The Borderlands Lecture
The Borderlands Lecture was established by former Principal of St John’s, Bishop Stephen Sykes, to explore how big questions cross disciplinary boundaries. Each year, leading scholars and practitioners are invited to bring together boundary-crossing scholarship and practical wisdom, addressing topics that connect faith, science, and public life.
Over the years, Borderlands has featured voices from fields as diverse as astrophysics, economics, politics, law, and the arts, reflecting St John’s commitment to curiosity, dialogue, and engagement across disciplines.
Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS)
ECLAS is a global research and engagement project to equip senior Christian leaders with the tools, context and skills they need to engage confidently with science in their ministry and personal faith. Co-founded in 2013 by former College principal Revd Prof David Wilkinson, ECLAS now has hubs in the UK, India, Kenya, Poland, and Singapore, carrying out collaborative research into how context informs the engagement between science and faith.
Bede Centre for Church Planting Theology
The Bede Centre for Church Planting Theology exists to tell the story of church planting by encouraging a conversation across the whole church through the publication critical theological research, regular online events, and through our annual conference.
