Carlisle Cathedral and the University of Cumbria have been awarded a £9,850 grant to launch a new project examining how science and religion intersect in the landscapes and farming traditions of Cumbria in the U.K.
The initiative, Land, Landscape and Faith, is one of 15 projects across the U.K. selected for funding through Scientists in Congregations, a program run by Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS) for 2026–27. This year's awardees range from a community farm in Northern Ireland to a Methodist art collective in Newcastle.
The Carlisle project will draw on the Cathedral's heritage, particularly its rare set of 12 medieval "Labours of the Months" carvings, which depict seasonal agricultural work in historic Cumbria. Using these carvings as a framework, the program will bring together scientists, farmers, clergy, schoolchildren and the Cathedral community to explore how modern land‑recovery science aligns with faith‑based understandings of creation care.
Alongside public events and interpretation at the Cathedral, the project will offer clergy and school groups hands‑on opportunities to engage with these themes on a working Cumbrian farm.
The Rev. Canon Dr. Benjamin Carter, Canon Warden at Carlisle Cathedral and co‑director of the project, said the collaboration aims to deepen public understanding of both scientific research and Christian teaching.
"We believe this project will allow a deeper understanding of the vital insights of contemporary research and practice in land management and recovery and the stories of Christian faith," he said. "In particular, the project will link these scientific insights with the deep patterns of creation care present within the stories of the Bible and the heritage of Carlisle Cathedral."
David Wilkinson, ECLAS Project Director, said the program's latest round of grants reflects growing interest in constructive dialogue between science and faith communities. "These projects … will become exemplars to other churches and theological colleges who want to weave engagement with science and scientists into their mission and ministry," he said in the program announcement.
The Scientists in Congregations program is funded by the John Templeton Foundation.
Susan is an author with a long-time interest in religion and science. She currently edits Covalence, the Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology’s online magazine. She has written articles in The Lutheran and the Zygon Center for Religion and Science newsletter. Susan is a board member for the Center for Advanced Study of Religion and Science, the supporting organization for the Zygon Center and the Zygon Journal. She also co-wrote Our Bodies Are Selves with Dr. Philip Hefner and Dr. Ann Pederson.
