Course Instructors

	Dr. Rachel Baard Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics Rachel Baard is Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics at Union Presbyterian Seminary. A graduate of the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa and of Princeton Theological Seminary, she is grounded in the Reformed Tradition, with a strong interest in its contemporary expressions, in particular with regard to human dignity and social justice. Her first book, Sexism and Sin-Talk, was published by Westminster John Knox Press in 2019.

	Dr. Adrian Bird Affiliate Assistant Professor of Church History Dr. Adrian Bird currently serves as Affiliate Professor of Church History, leading courses in History (Ancient and Modern), Christian Mission and Evangelism, and Interfaith Encounters. With his wife, Rev. Julie Walkup Bird, Adrian served as PC(USA) Mission Partner in Residence, working in Kerala with the Church of South India. This enriching experience led to the completion of his doctoral studies at the University of Edinburgh, and the publication of his doctoral thesis entitled, "M.M. Thomas and Dalit Theology." Dr. Bird also served with Voluntary Service Overseas in Zimbabwe, working in the realm of HIV/Aids peer education within communities of displaced children and youth. These experiences led him to Brite Divinity School in order to process the many questions generated on the streets of Zimbabwe. He continues to ask questions, both in the Union Presbyterian Seminary classroom, the church, and the wider community.

	Dr. John Carroll Professor of New Testament John Carroll is Professor of New Testament at Union Presbyterian Seminary and author of several books, including The Gospel of Luke: A Commentary for the Westminster John Knox New Testament Library (2012), Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction (Westminster John Knox, 2016), and The Holy Spirit in the New Testament (Abingdon, 2018).

	Dr. Donna Giver-Johnston Adjunct Instructor Rev. Dr. Donna Giver-Johnston is an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament, currently serving as Pastor of Community Presbyterian Church of Ben Avon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has a PhD and MA from Vanderbilt University and an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary. She is the author of Claiming the Call to Preach: Four Female Pioneers of Preaching in Nineteenth-Century America (Oxford University Press, 2021) and Writing for the Ear, Preaching from the Heart (Fortress Press, 2021) and co-author of For Such a Time as This (Fortress Press, 2022). She is married to Brian Johnston, and together they have two adult children, Rebecca and Christian, and a rescue dog, Sadie.

	Dr. Cindy Kissel-Ito Associate Professor of Christian Education and Director of the Master of Arts in Christian Education Program Dr. Cindy Kissel-Ito is Associate Professor of Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary. She also directs the Master of Arts in Christian Education Program at the seminary. Her ministry has consistently embodied the importance of intentional engagement in the Christian Life that is invigorated by teaching/learning the Bible. Dr. Kissel-Ito is a Presbyterian minister in the PC(USA) and lives in New Kent, Virginia, with her husband, son, and three Scottish Terriers.

	Dr. Christine Luckritz Marquis Associate Professor of Church History Christine Luckritz Marquis is Associate Professor of Church History at Union Presbyterian Seminary. After her M.A.R. from Yale Divinity School, Luckritz Marquis earned her Ph.D. in Early Christian Studies from Duke University. She has been teaching at Union since 2013. Her teaching and research explore early Christian communities and their practices, especially in Egypt and Syria. Her interests include memory and spatial practices, the role of violence in identity formation, material culture, and Christian interactions with neighboring Christians as well as non-Christians, especially early Muslims. Her first book, Death of the Desert, explores how memory and spatial practices were transformed by acts of violence among Egyptian ascetics (UPenn Press, 2022).

	Rev. Carson Rhyne Adjunct Instructor of Practical Theology H. Carson Rhyne, Jr. is a graduate of Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina, as well as Union Presbyterian Seminary of Richmond, Virginia. He has held various positions in the Presbyterian Church, including Pastor, Organizing Pastor, and General Presbyter and Stated Clerk. He has also been an instructor in Presbyterian Polity for Union Presbyterian Seminary since 2000.

	Dr. Carol Schweitzer Associate Professor of Pastoral Care Emerita Dr. Schweitzer retired from the faculty of Union Presbyterian Seminary in June 2019. She has more than 15 years of parish experience and has also taught as an adjunct at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She resides with her husband, who is also an ordained minister in the ELCA, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. She enjoys gardening, music, and needlework of all kinds. Creativity feeds a ministry of care and helps to establish rapport with those who need our assistance.

	Dr. Rich Voelz Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship Richard W. Voelz is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He formerly served as senior minister of the Johns Creek Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), an open and affirming congregation in metro Atlanta, Georgia. He has over a decade of ministry experience in various contexts. Dr. Voelz is a graduate of Vanderbilt University’s Graduate Department of Religion with a doctorate in homiletics and liturgics. His interests are in contemporary homiletic theory, particularly how preaching relates to the areas of critical pedagogy, adolescent youth, reproductive loss and adoption, and public proclamation. He has authored three books, including Preaching to Teach: Inspire People to Think and Act (Abingdon Press, 2019), Tending the Tree of Life: Preaching and Worship Through Reproductive Loss and Adoption (Energion Publications, 2018), and Youthful Preaching: Strengthening the Relationship Between Youth, Adults, and Preaching (Cascade Books, 2016). In addition, he has contributed to Preaching as Resistance: Voices of Hope, Justice, and Solidarity (Chalice Press, 2018), The Living Pulpit: Sermons that Illustrate Preaching in the Stone-Campbell Movement 1968-2018 (Chalice Press, 2018), and Young Preachers Compilation (Shook Foil Books, 2012). He also serves as Associate Editor for the “Between Text and Sermon” section of Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology. The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship awarded him a grant in 2019 to develop a workbook that will strengthen preaching preparation for adolescent youth and their mentors.

	Dr. Diane Walton Hendricks Adjunct Instructor Diane Walton Hendricks is Pastor of Clifton Presbyterian Church in Clifton, Virginia, and serves as the moderator of National Capital Presbytery and a spiritual director. She has a DMin in Ministry Development from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, and an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary. She is married to Andrew Hendricks, and together they have two adult children, Abby and Nathan, and a rescue dog, Gracie.