I sum myself up in three phrases: love is my religion, reconciliation is my vocation, and Jesus is my King.
I grew up between several cultures and lands, and each community I’ve loved participates in my scholarly work and on-the-ground efforts wherever I am. Belonging between diverse—and often divided—communities has put me on a journey to understand what divides us and see divisions healed, both inwardly and in our relational connections. The beauty and richness of my cultural influences has also informed the way this work happens.
The love I hold for my communities has led me to the work of building bridges, seeking to tell the truth about our modern social systems, and asking what a new way to be human might look like as the old ones fail. It has led me again and again to the teachings of Jesus, who also arose at a moment of great upheaval, social decay, and disintegration. He also lived in a time when much that was mighty had begun to fall, and yet he proclaimed the coming of something new and better than we can now imagine.
In this hope, I have worked among the unhoused on the streets of U.S. cities. I have worked on college campuses among those in spiritual crisis, in an immigrant church in Spain, and in building coalitions for advocacy work between many ethnic and religious communities in Arizona. I have also worked internationally with persons of peace who are seeking this new way in Europe, the Middle East, and on the African continent. I often find myself in community chaplaincy roles, among those most alienated from the evangelical world I grew up in, and in communities with little or no Christian presence at all.
These experiences leave me gravely concerned for those most affected by the rapidly expanding social, spiritual, and environmental hells of our world. I believe our only hope is to seek the Creator and to again seek out one another across the “dividing walls of hostility” which we have put up (Eph.2:14). In that place, outside the gates of religion, we meet with the truth about humanity and about who Jesus truly is for us all. So my aim is to help people to see the truth about how our humanity is degraded, and to find restoration in renewed connection with other people, the land, and all living things in the Creator.
Currently, I am working to grow these efforts by building collaborative resources between like-minded organizations and individuals. These are set to include podcasts, videos, and written materials which invite a broad spectrum of people to the conversations we most need to have. These resources aim to be both evidence-based, and Spirit-led. They are designed to give both Christians and non-Christians new lenses on ancestral truths, and to move us to new and renewed relationships which are not based in power, money, status, or violence, but rather built on truth, beauty, and love.
What I’m About
Love is my religion.
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other. For the one who loves another has fulfilled the teaching.”
Love creates a yearning in us to see people in solidarity with one another, to see divisions healed, and to see different communities bringing justice and dignity for one another. Love is the ultimate law and the best foundation for creating transformation and building justice for the long haul.
Reconciliation is my vocation.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
We need one another, and no person or group is dispensable. We will only experience dignity and justice from one another when we’re able to come together and build true solidarity in new ways. Right now, the need for this is more desperate than ever—as we are increasingly losing trust in our institutions, we must lean into local communities.
Jesus is my King.
I work to bring diverse communities of all faith backgrounds together for the common good, with a particular focus on helping churches engage their communities with greater positive influence, and stronger connections. I live my life and do my peacemaking with a Jesus-centered orientation, without excluding anyone of other faiths in the discussions or the work.
COMING SOON *
COMING SOON *
I’m seeking $500 in monthly commitments to get the Dystopian Theology podcast off the ground, and support the big goal of opening new conversations on God, spirituality, justice, and personal purpose.
Early investors will get ongoing exclusive access to my more provocative takes on hot topics, and the chance to vote on which topics they want to see covered
building solidarity
It’s more important now than ever.
We desperately need to build stronger, healthier local communities for mutual protection, help, and flourishing. And we need to see churches engaging their communities and standing in solidarity with people the way Jesus taught.
Between minoritized groups there is a need for greater solidarity, and there is a need for greater solidarity across organizations and faith communities as well.
new conversations
scholarship + spirituality + action
Both my life and scholarship are about creating new conversations, and asking better questions about what it means to be human. My research focuses on creating a three-way conversation between secular violence studies, theology and spirituality, and diverse cultures
For me, research can never be divorced from real life. My scholarship steps into the streets, and the streets come into my scholarship. I seek to live a real life of peacemaking, advocacy, and recovering fresh articulations of ancient spiritual truths.
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compassion
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spirituality
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action
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interfaith
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God in the streets
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Jesus-centered ethics
✴︎ compassion ✴︎ spirituality ✴︎ action ✴︎ interfaith ✴︎ God in the streets ✴︎ Jesus-centered ethics
You can see me best through what I do!
Intellectual work is important, but what does it look like with hands and feet? What does it look like in the streets, the highways and the byways? The best way to see me is to see what I’m up to in real life.