Rev. Elaine A. Heath, PhD
Dr. Elaine Heath's scholarly work is interdisciplinary, integrating pastoral, biblical, and spiritual theology in ways that bridge the gap between academy, church, and world. Her current research interests focus on community as a means of healing trauma, emergent forms of Christianity, and alternative forms of theological education for the church in rapidly changing contexts. Heath is the author of numerous books and articles, the most recent of which is Healing the Wounds of Sexual Abuse: Reading the Bible with Survivors (forthcoming Spring, 2019). Her other publications include Five Means of Grace: Experience God's Love the Wesleyan Way (2017), The Mystic Way of Evangelism, Revised and Updated 2nd Edition (2017), God Unbound: Wisdom from Galatians for the Anxious Church (2016), Missional.Monastic.Mainline (co-authored with Larry Duggins, 2014), Longing for Spring: A New Vision for Wesleyan Communities (co-authored with Scott Kisker, 2010, and Naked Faith: The Mystical Theology of Phoebe Palmer (2009). Heath’s distinguished career includes having served as Dean of the Divinity School at Duke University, and the McCreless Professor of Evangelism at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. She is co-founder of the Missional Wisdom Foundation, a non-profit educational organization that equips clergy and laity to develop diverse forms of community and social enterprise, and Neighborhood Seminary, a contextualized program in missional theological education for laity. Heath is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and served in pastoral ministry prior to her academic ministry. She lives with her husband at Spring Forest, an intentional Christian Community in rural North Carolina.
Ray Buckley
Ray Buckley is the Chair of the First Nations Spirituality Study Center. Buckley has served The United Methodist Church as a staff member of The United Methodist Publishing House, Director of the Native People Communication Office (UMCom) for nine years, and Director of Connectional Ministries and Native Discipleship for the Alaska Missionary Conference.
Mr. Buckley is the author/illustrator of five story-books God’s Love is Like, The Give-Away, The Wing, and Christmas Moccasins (Abingdon Press), one of which, The Give-Away, was featured on the CBS Christmas program, An American Christmas. In addition, Ray is the author of two missional studies (UMW) on Native peoples for leaders of children and youth, entitled, Creator Sang a Welcoming Song, and Walking in these White-Man Shoes. His Lenten study for adults, Hard to Dance with the Devil on Your Back (Abingdon) examines suffering and forgiveness. Buckley was a contributing writer to A New Dawn in Beloved Community: Stories with the Power to Transform Us (Abingdon), and A Guide to Daily Prayer (Upper Room). His stories, poetry, and art have appeared in numerous journals, periodicals, and books around the world.
Ray Buckley is a teacher and lecturer. He has lived and taught in Nigeria and Ghana. He has served as a guest lecturer on Native studies at several universities. Mr. Buckley has three times appeared on the national broadcast of the Canadian Broadcasting Systems Lenten Series, sponsored by the Council of Canadian Catholic Bishops. His work brought him as presenter during the Year of Jubilee at the Cardinal Maeda Institute. He was a featured preacher at the 2000 General Assembly/General Conference of the United Church of Christ, and Disciples of Christ. Ray was chosen as the Howard Preacher for Phillip’s Theological Seminary, delivered the McDonald Lecture Series (New Mexico), and the Ira Galloway Lecture Series (Peoria, IL). Buckley was one of five keynote speakers at Youth 2007 (SPLAT), sponsored by the General Board of Discipleship. Along with Buffy St. Marie and Albert White Hat, Mr. Buckley was a featured presenter at the Threshold Arts Series in Iowa. In 2003, 2004, and 2007, Mr. Buckley was a guest lecturer at the Pontifical Biblical Institute of the Vatican.
Author/illustrator Ray Buckley is of Lakota/Tlingit/Scots descent. Ray is one of several Native leaders profiled in As Long As the Waters Flow: Native Americans in the South and East, by Frye Gillard, and The Power of Eagles: Nature’s Way to Individual Accomplishment, by Twyman L. Towery.
Mr. Buckley‘s sculptures and art are in the permanent collections of museums in several countries.
Ray makes his home in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of Alaska, and is a traditional basket-maker and wood carver.
