A Church of Scotland youth worker has been awarded a prestigious academic honour for his master’s thesis at Aberdeen University.

Darren Philip’s research, which focused on the benefits of different generations attending church together, was awarded the John Hope Prize for Practical Theology.

Darren, who has been based at Livingston United Parish Church for 11 years, found that when different generations come together to share faith they create mutually beneficial communities.

He said: “I looked at the approach of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was unique as a 1930s theologian who trained to be a pastor even though his main experience of church was through working with children, and what lessons there were.”

By looking at where the Church of Scotland is now, where it could be and how a vision for the future can be achieved, he was able to identify four areas of focus.

His first suggestion is that there should be less of an emphasis on teaching young people at church, and more about creating different experiences. His next point is that ‘church should be intergenerational by default’, and that different age groups should not be split up if possible.

The third aspect is changing the dynamic so that children are treated more as equals. Finally, Mr Philip says churches should move away from building relationships with people with an end aim in mind, such as for them to join as a member.