Following a series of economic and political changes in the late 1980s, art/design schools and performing arts academies were incorporated into the university system. To justify their teachings as academic research, they developed the idea of practice‐led research. Practice-led research recognizes two or more languages--that is, the validity of both explicit/propositional knowledge and embodied/tacit knowledge--allowing for the researcher's corresponding output, expressed through both the written word and relevant practice. Christians often find themselves living a life of two languages: a set of intellectual beliefs and the practice of being a Christian. This book develops this methodology and translates it for use in theological research. Most importantly, it clearly develops key elements of this methodology using a comprehensive model and detailed definitions. This is a book which not only presents a fully articulated and flexible model of practice‐led research, but also presents Christian researchers with an approach they could incorporate into their theological work.

Neil K. Ferguson is the qualitative research advisor at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia. His work and research interests focus on qualitative research methodologies--both secular and faith-based--and developing research skills for post graduate students.