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
Theology and Christopher Nolan: Transcending Time and Narrative (Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, under contract, forthcoming 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
“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
“Religion and Film,” in The Handbook of Religion & Communication, edited by Yoel Cohen and Paul Soukup, S.J. (Wiley-Blackwell, under contract, forthcoming 2022)
“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, under contract, forthcoming 2022)
“On the Dardenne Brothers’ Young Ahmed,” in Thinking Film: Philosophy at the Movies, edited by Richard Kearney and Murray Littlejohn (Bloomsbury Academic, forthcoming 2022)
“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
Scholarly Reviews
Christopher B. Barnett and Clark J. Elliston, eds., Scorsese and Religion (Brill, 2019) for Journal of Religion & Film 24, no. 1 (April 2021)
Jolyon Mitchell, Giselle Vincett, Theodora Hawksley, & Hal Culberton, eds., Peacebuilding and the Arts (Palgrave MacMillan, 2020) for Transpositions (ITIA), November 6, 2020
Christopher B. Barnett and Clark J. Elliston, eds., Theology and the Films of Terrence Malick (Routledge, 2016) for Journal of Religion & Film 24, no. 2 (October 2020)
W. David O. Taylor, Glimpses of the New Creation: Worship and the Formative Power of the Arts (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2019) for Theology 123, no. 3 (May 2020): 218–19
Film Festival Review, “72nd Festival de Cannes: Finding Faith in Film,” for Journal for Religion, Media and Film 5, no. 2 (November 2019): 204–213
S. Brent Plate, Religion and Film: Cinema and the Re-creation of the World, 2nd edition (Columbia University Press, 2017) for Journal of Religion & Film 23, no. 2 (October 2019)
Catherine O’Brien, Martin Scorsese’s Divine Comedy: Movies and Religion (Bloomsbury, 2017) for Theology 122, no. 5 (September–October 2019): 383–384
Michael R. Candelaria, The Latino Christ in Art, Literature, and Liberation Theology (University of New Mexico Press, 2018), for Transpositions (ITIA), June 14, 2019
John C. McDowell, The Gospel according to Star Wars: Faith, Hope, and the Force, 2nd ed. (Westminster John Knox, 2017) for Reading Religion, April 27, 2018
Keir Shreeves, Art for Mission’s Sake: Announcing the Gospel Through the Creative Arts (Grove Books, 2017) for Transpositions (ITIA), April 25, 2018
David Brown, God in a Single Vision: Integrating Philosophy and Theology (Routledge, 2016) for Transpositions (ITIA), February 23, 2018
S. Brent Plate, ed., Film and Religion: Critical Concepts in Media and Cultural Studies (Routledge, 2017) for Journal of Religion & Film 21, no. 2 (October 2017)
Zachary Settle & Taylor Worley, eds., Dreams, Doubt, and Dread: The Spiritual in Film (Cascade Books, 2016) for Journal of Religion & Film 21, no. 2 (October 2017)
Matthew Rindge, Profane Parables: Film and the American Dream (Baylor University Press, 2016) for Journal of Religion & Film 20, no. 3 (October 2016)
Select Articles in Popular Publications
“The Prophetic Performance Art of Bo Burnham: Inside,” Think Christian, June 10, 2021
“‘That’s Hard For Me’: Adoption, Forgiveness, and Philomena,” Bright Wall/Dark Room, Issue 94: Forgiveness, April 24, 2021
“Exiled from Empire in Nomadland,” Think Christian, March 24, 2021
“Daft Punk’s Robot Anthropology of Love,” Think Christian, March 2, 2021
“How Sweet It Is: Dick Johnson Is Dead,” Bright Wall/Dark Room, Issue 91: “Best of 2020,” January 13, 2021
“Dax’s Whistle: Paths of Glory,” Bright Wall/Dark Room, Issue 88: “Justice,” October 30, 2020
“Pop Psalms: Talking Heads’ ‘Once in a Lifetime,’” Think Christian, October 22, 2020
“Sufjan Stevens and Postreligious Faith,” Think Christian, October 6, 2020
“HAIM’s Spiritual Rhythms,” Think Christian, July 23, 2020
“We’ll Always Have Paris: Playtime,” Bright Wall/Dark Room, Issue 84: “Hangout Movies,” June 30, 2020
“Twelve Films for Enduring the Pandemic,” Stark & Main, April 24, 2020
“Aporia: Sufjan Stevens’ Coronavirus Soundtrack,” Think Christian, April 2, 2020
“Miss Anthropocene: Grimes’ Pop Apocalypse,” Think Christian, March 19, 2020
“The Scapegoat: The Dardenne Brothers’ The Son,” Bright Wall/Dark Room, Issue 81: “Sacrifice,” March 16, 2020
“Sack Lunch Bunch: Gallows Humor for Kids,” Think Christian, February 24, 2020
“The Good Place Finds Meaning in the End,” Christianity Today, February 3, 2020
“Godly Play: Bruegel’s ‘Children’s Games’,” Transpositions (ITIA), October 28, 2019
“Fleabag’s Fourth-Wall Confessions,” Think Christian, October 15, 2019
Press coverage of Festival de Cannes 2019, Reel Spirituality at Fuller Studio, May 14–22, 2019
“[Vampire Weekend’s] Father of the Bride (of Christ?),” Think Christian, May 21, 2019
“The Seventh Art: Considering Film as Theology,” The Roundel (School of Divinity Systematic and Historical Theology blog), March 27, 2019
“Religious Cinema for Non-Believers: Scorsese’s Silence,” Bright Wall/Dark Room, Issue 70: “Going Long,” April 10, 2019; also published at RogerEbert.com, April 16, 2019
“The Alien Parables of Strange Planet,” Think Christian, March 28, 2019
“The God’s Eye View of Minding the Gap,” Think Christian, February 19, 2019
“Fyre and FOMO,” Think Christian, February 11, 2019
“Truly Unconventional Christmas Films for the Bleak Midwinter,” Transpositions (ITIA), December 17, 2018
“In Apostle, You Are What You Worship,” Think Christian, December 6, 2018
“The Pittenweem Arts Festival: An Interview with Barbara Fleming,” Transpositions (ITIA), November 12, 2018
“Disenchantment’s Luci: Our Latest Screen Demon,” Think Christian, October 8, 2018
“We Shall Find the Glory: The Lost City of Z,” Bright Wall/Dark Room, Issue 61: “Heat,” July 7, 2018
“Hints of Habakkuk in Chvrches’ Love Is Dead,” Think Christian, June 18, 2018
“Motion Pictures, Mary Magdalene, and #MeToo,” Transpositions (ITIA), June 11, 2018
“Netflix Clunkers and a Theology of Disappointment,” Think Christian, March 16, 2018
“Sufjan Stevens and the Gift of Christmas Kitsch,” Think Christian, December 19, 2017
“Darren Aronofsky’s mother! and Cinematic Parables,” Transpositions (ITIA), November 20, 2017
“‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Invites Us to a Bright, Boisterous Duel with Death,” Christianity Today, November 6, 2017
“‘Blade Runner 2049’ Finds Hope Within Its Bleak Dystopia,” Christianity Today, October 20, 2017
“Columbus and the Architecture of Worship,” Think Christian, September 28, 2017
“ABBA meets Amos on Arcade Fire’s Everything Now,” Think Christian, August 7, 2017
“The Cosmic Glory of Sufjan Stevens’ Planetarium,” Think Christian, July 11, 2017
“What About The Bonhoeffer Option?,” Think Christian, April 17, 2017
“Tasting Heaven in The Great British Baking Show,” Think Christian, March 9, 2017
“The Suffocating Sadness of Manchester by the Sea,” Think Christian, February 22, 2017
“Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, and Policing Public Grief,” Think Christian, January 5, 2017
“The Cinematic Saint: Joan of Arc,” Bright Wall/Dark Room, Issue 40: “Faith,” October 10, 2016
“Carrying the Fire: The Road,” Bright Wall/Dark Room, Issue 38: “Literary Adaptations,” August 8, 2016
“The Year in Liturgical Cinema,” Year-long Series in Christianity Today, January–December 2016
“Capitol Concerns: YA Film Adaptations and the Systemic Abandonment of Our Youth,” Reel Spirituality, Brehm Center at Fuller Seminary, March 14, 2016
“The Unexpected Gift of Burnout,” Youth Worker Journal, September/October 2015 Issue
“Lose, Gain, Repeat: ‘Something, Anything’ and the Pilgrimage Toward Freedom,” Christ and Pop Culture, “Infinite Loops.” Volume 3, Issue 12, August 24, 2015
“Jesus Goes to the Movies: Helping Students Develop a Theological Framework for Watching Films,” Youth Worker Journal, November/December 2014 Issue
“The Work of Art: Developing Discipline for Creativity in Ministry,” Youth Worker Journal, November/December 2013 Issue
“Spawning Grounds: Ministry Leaders are Called to Sacrifice for the Next Generation,” Leadership Journal, August 19, 2013
“Boring is Better: The Intersection of Slow Films and Spirituality,” Immerse Journal, January/February 2012 Issue
Conference Activity
Panels Organized
Panel Chair, “Of Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert, and Religion: A Conversation on Film Criticism and Religion in the Public Sphere,” Religion, Film, and Visual Culture Unit, AAR Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, November 24, 2019
Papers Presented
“Cinematic Elegies for the American Frontier: The Neo-Western Films of Chloé Zhao,” Religion and Popular Culture Unit, AAR Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, November 20–23, 2021
“The Artwork Gives Rise to Thought: Toward a Ricoeurian Theo-Political Aesthetics,” Ricoeur Unit, AAR Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, November 20–23, 2021
“More than Mestizo: Gloria E. Anzaldúa and a Christology of Nepantla,” Society for the Study of Theology, University of Nottingham, April 13, 2021
“Post-Secular Parables and the Social Imaginary of Resistance: Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life and the Dardenne Brothers’ Young Ahmed,” Religion, Film, and Visual Culture Unit, AAR Annual Meeting, Virtual, December 7, 2020
“Religious Cinema for Non-Believers: The Post-Secular Films of Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne,” International Society for Religion, Literature, and Culture (ISRLC) Conference, University of Chester, September 2020 *Event cancelled due to COVID-19
“‘Wishful Portraits of Being Truly Human’: Traces of Ernst Bloch in the Dardenne Brothers’ Post-Secular Cinema,” Film-Philosophy Conference, OCAD University Toronto, July 7, 2020 *Event cancelled due to COVID-19
“Guiding Images and Concrete Utopias: Eschatological Hope in the Dardenne Brothers’ Post-Secular Parables,” International Conference on Religion and Film, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, June 11, 2020 *Event cancelled due to COVID-19
“The Borders of Wakanda: Black Panther as Cinematic Parable,” Society for the Arts in Religious and Theological Studies (SARTS), AAR Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, November 17, 2018
“Re-forming Film as Parable: Toward a Ricoeurian Parabolic Hermeneutic,” International Conference on Religion & Film, University of Toronto, May 5, 2018
“A Divine Comedy? Mortality, Morality, and Metaphysics in The Good Place,” Society for the Study of Theology, University of Nottingham, April 10, 2018
Panel Participant
Session Chair, “Women and God in Literature,” Logia Postgraduate Conference, University of St Andrews, May 27, 2021
Panel Associate, “New Horizons in Theologies of Music: Book Panel on Brown and Hopps’ The Extravagance of Music,” Christian Systematic Theology Unit and Music and Religion Unit, AAR Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, November 25, 2019
Group Paper, “Quaker Youth Ministry and Theopraxis in a Multicultural Context,” Quaker Theological Discussion Group, AAR Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, November 22, 2019
Conferences Organized
“Open Vancouver” Youth Ministry Training Conference, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, September 26–27, 2014
Teaching Experience
School of Divinity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- “The Problem of Evil: Evolution, Tsunamis, and God,” Tutor, Spring 2020
- “Philosophical Theology,” Tutor, Fall 2019
- “From Adam to Apocalypse: The Bible and Western Culture,” Tutor, Spring 2019
- “Systematic Theology: Christian Thought and Practice,” Tutor,” Fall 2018
Portland Seminary, George Fox University, Portland, OR
- “The Bible and Contemporary Culture I (Methods) and II (Exploring Film),” Adjunct Professor of Theology, Culture, and the Arts, Summer 2019
- “Old Testament II: Latter Prophets and Writings,” Teaching Assistant, Spring 2017
- “Christian History and Theology II: Reformation–Present Day,” Teaching Internship, Spring 2017
Invited Lectures and Presentations
“Film Theory and Criticism,” Guest Lecturer, “Practical Criticism,” ITIA MLitt course, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK, April 15–17, 2021
“Leading Up: Finding Influence in the Church Beyond Role and Experience,” Guest Speaker, Ambrose University, Calgary, AB, October 21, 2020
“Leading Up: Finding Influence in the Church Beyond Role and Experience,” Guest Speaker, Ambrose University, Calgary, AB, October 30, 2019
“Theology and Film Theory,” Guest Lecturer, “Religious Experience and Aesthetic Theory,” ITIA MLitt course, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK, September 30, 2019
“Theology and Film” and “Theology and Social Media,” Chaplain and Instructor; Theologia Summer Theology Institute, George Fox University, Newberg, OR, June 23–28, 2019
“The Bible and Cinema,” Guest Lecturer, “From Adam to Apocalypse: The Bible and Western Culture,” University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK, February 5, 2019
ITIA Research Forum (IRF) presentation, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK, October 31, 2018
“Leading Up: Finding Influence in the Church Beyond Role and Experience,” Guest Speaker, Ambrose University, Calgary, AB, October 25, 2018
“Theology and Film,” Guest Lecturer, “Religious Experience and Aesthetic Forms,” ITIA MLitt course, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK, October 8, 2018
“Leading Up: Finding Influence in the Church Beyond Role and Experience,” Guest Speaker, Ambrose University, Calgary, AB, October 25, 2017
“The Bible and Film,” Chaplain and Instructor, Theologia Summer Theology Institute, George Fox University, Newberg, OR, June 25–30, 2017
“Leading Up: Finding Influence in the Church Beyond Role and Experience,” Guest Speaker, Ambrose University, Calgary, AB, March 2, 2016
“Training Volunteers in Youth Ministry,” Guest Instructor, Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford, BC, March 4, 2014
“King Jesus in the Gospels: The Sermon on the Mount,” Visiting Lecturer, Adelphia Discipleship School, Ravensdale, WA, April 1–4, 2014
“Discipleship in Youth Ministry,” Guest Instructor, Christ College, Surrey, BC, November 20, 2013
“Youth Ministry Essentials,” Guest Instructor, Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford, BC, October 3, 2013
“Discipline in Youth Ministry,” Guest Instructor, Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford, BC, March 25, 2013
“King Jesus in the Gospels: The Sermon on the Mount,” Visiting Lecturer, Adelphia Discipleship School, Ravensdale, WA, January 8–11, 2013
Service to Academy
Steering Committee Member, AAR “Religion, Film, and Visual Culture” Unit. 2020–present
Peer Reviewer, Journal of Youth and Theology. 2020–present
Associate Editor, Transpositions (ITIA online journal), School of Divinity, University of St Andrews. 2018–2021
Academic Skills Project Tutor, School of Divinity, University of St Andrews. 2018–2019
Theologian, TheoArtistry Poets’ Scheme and TheoArtistry Festival, ITIA, School of Divinity, University of St Andrews. 2017–2018
Professional Memberships and Affiliations
American Academy of Religion
Society for the Study of Theology
Society for the Arts in Religious and Theological Studies
International Society for Religion, Literature and Culture
Online Film Critics Society
Interfilm (International Interchurch Film Organization)