Theology and Qualitative Research: An Uneasy Relationship

Abstract

Abstract: This paper is a translation of an essay by the British theologian Pete Ward included in the “The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Theology and Qualitative Research” (2022). The author explores the historical reasons for the separation of these two disciplines and examines current trends toward their integration. Historically, theology and qualitative research have developed as separate fields of knowledge with different epistemological approaches. Theology has traditionally relied on revelation and rational thought, while qualitative research (in sociology and anthropology, primarily) has focused on empirical data and observation. These differences have led to disciplinary norms that have long maintained the separation between these fields.

In recent years, however, there has been a turn toward the use of qualitative methods in theology. This shift is motivated by a desire to hear previously marginalized voices and to explore the lived experiences of communities of faith. However, the integration of qualitative sociological methods into theology raises a number of difficult questions. Central among them is the question of the nature of theological knowledge and the possibility of empirically exploring the realm of the divine. The author notes that the use of qualitative methods in theology can be seen as a theological position in itself, suggesting the possibility of knowing God through human experience. The use of qualitative methods also transforms the very understanding of what theology is – by addressing the variety of forms of «experiencing» theology in people’s everyday experience.

Abridged translation from English by Artyom Kosmarsky according to the edition: © Ward P. (2022). Theology and Qualitative Research: An Uneasy Relationship. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Theology and Qualitative Research. Edited by Pete Ward and Knut Tveitereid. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. P. 7–15.

Keywords: theology, qualitative research, methods, community, research design, lived experience

For citation: Ward, P. (2026). Theology and Qualitative Research: An Uneasy Relationship. Abridged translation from English by A. Kosmarsky. Russia’s Directions. Vol. 4. No. 1. P. 56–69.

Additional Info

Submitted: December 10, 2025

Copyright: © Auhtors, 2026

Distribution: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)