The Church of England has published a new Christian discipleship course, 'Pilgrim: A Course for the Christian Journey', offering teaching and discipleship resources for all.

'Pilgrim: A Course for the Christian Journey' was written by Bishop of Chelmsford, the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Sheffield, the Right Reverend Steven Croft, Paula Gooder and Robert Atwell, and was commissioned by the House of Bishops - the first time it has commissioned a national course.

Pilgrim can be used by people with little or no knowledge of the Christian faith and by every tradition in the Church of England.

According to commissioners, it encourages biblical reflection and prayer and offers an approach of "participation, not persuasion".

Bishop Stephen Cottrell said: "For most people today becoming a Christian is like a journey. We therefore need resources that will help turn fellow travellers and interested enquirers into pilgrims."

"Like other courses it deals with the basic of the Christian faith. Unlike other courses it includes discipleship and is deeply rooted in a long tradition of catechesis and nurture.

"Pilgrim encourages you to think and pray; to be an apostle as well as a disciple. We hope its refreshing blend of old and new will enable many more parishes to develop a ministry of evangelism and nurture."

Endorsing the course, Bishop of Worcester Dr John Inge added: "This course is a great resource for those who want to learn about the faith that has given us most of what is best in our culture and continues to transform countless lives for the better.

"I hope that very many people will use it and be enabled through it to encounter God's great love for them in Jesus."