Education
Ph.D. in Divinity (Theology, Philosophy, and Film Studies). Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts (ITIA) School of Divinity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK. 2021
M.A. in Theological Studies. Portland Seminary (George Fox University), Portland, OR. 2017
B.S. in Biblical Studies, Youth Ministry. Multnomah University, Portland, OR. 2006
Professional Experience
Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries, Theology, and the Arts. George Fox University. 2021–present.
Postgraduate Tutor. School of Divinity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK. 2018–2020
Professional Freelance Film Critic. Online Film Critics Society member, Rotten Tomatoes “Tomatometer-approved” critic. 2015–present
Director of High School Ministry. Lake Grove Presbyterian Church, Lake Oswego, OR. 2015–2017
Pastor of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. North Langley Community Church, Langley, BC. 2012–2014
Junior High Pastor | High School Pastor. Red Mountain Community Church, Mesa, AZ. 2007–2012
Director of Middle School Ministry. Hinson Memorial Baptist Church, Portland, OR. 2006–2007
Publications
Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie & Lowell (33 1/3 series, Bloomsbury Academic, 2025)
Theology and the Films of Christopher Nolan: Cinematic Transcendence (Fortress Academic, 2025)
The Dardenne Brothers’ Cinematic Parables: Integrating Theology, Philosophy, and Film (Routledge, 2022)
Jesus Goes to the Movies: The Youth Ministry Film Guide (The Youth Cartel, 2015)
A Parent’s Guide to Understanding Sex and Dating: Beyond the Birds and the Bees, co-authored with Mark Oestreicher (Simply Youth Ministry/Group Publishing, 2013)
Leading Up: Finding Influence in the Church Beyond Role and Experience (The Youth Cartel, 2012)
Scholarly Articles in Refereed Journals
“Mixed Messages: Reflections on Multiethnic Identity and Narrative in Youth Ministry Pedagogy,” Journal of Youth and Theology advance online article (December 2, 2024). https://doi.org/10.1163/24055093-bja10073
“Viewing Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life as Political Theology: Toward Theocinematics,” Journal of Religion & Film 27, no. 2 (October 2023): Article 2.
“The Cinematic Summoned Self: The Call of Christ in Martin Scorsese’s Silence,” Pro Ecclesia (June 2021). https://doi.org/10.1177/10638512211025007.
“The Fantastic of the Everyday: Re-Forming Definitions of Cinematic Parables with Paul Ricoeur,” Horizons: The Journal of the College Theology Society 47, no. 2 (December 2020): 283–314
“Theologia: Quaker Youth Ministry and Theopraxis in a Multicultural Context,” co-authored with Roger Nam, Leah Payne, Steve Sherwood, Hannah Souter, and Trisha Welstad, Quaker Religious Thought 135 (September 2020): 27–34
“Parabolic Transcendence in Time and Narrative: Shane Carruth’s Primer (US 2004) and Upstream Color (US 2013) as Post-Secular Sci-Fi Parables,” Journal for Religion, Film and Media 6, no. 1 (June 2020): 17–36
“The Borders of Wakanda: Otherworlding, Immigration, and Alterity in Black Panther as Cinematic Parable,” ARTS: The Arts in Religious and Theological Studies 30, no. 2 (Spring 2019): 54–71
“TheoArtistry: Collaborations with Sir James MacMillan and Michael Symmons Roberts,” Theology 122, no. 2 (February 2019): 100–107
“Coming of Age in the Reformation: Martin Luther’s Theology of Children and Adolescence,” Journal of Youth and Theology 17, no. 2 (2018): 104–126
Scholarly Book Chapters
“Genuflecting Ghost: Sufjan Stevens’ Javelin as Mystical Metamodern Memento Mori,” in My Impossible Soul: The Metamodern Music of Sufjan Stevens, edited by Tom Drayton, Greg Dember, Joshua Busman, and Maren Marchesini (Bloomsbury Academic, forthcoming February 2026)
“On the Dardenne Brothers’ Young Ahmed,” in Thinking Film: Philosophy at the Movies, edited by Richard Kearney and Murray Littlejohn (Bloomsbury Academic, July 2023)
“Religion and Film,” in The Handbook on Religion and Communication, edited by Yoel Cohen and Paul A. Soukup, S.J. (Wiley-Blackwell, February 2023)
“Love Is Smiling through All Things: Jean-Luc Marion, Simone Weil, and the Visual Style of Terrence Malick,” in Life Above the Clouds: Philosophy in the Films of Terrence Malick, edited by Steven DeLay (SUNY Press, February 2023)
“Heaven is Other People,” in The Good Place and Philosophy: Get an Afterlife, edited by Steven A. Benko and Andrew Pavelich (Open Court Publishing, 2019), 165–174