John de Beer (Author)
John de Beer studied physics at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Anglican Chaplain, The Rev. John Davies, invited students to connect the Christian faith with their lives in an apartheid society. This shaped the direction of John’s life. He studied theology at Oxford, England, then served an internship in the United States, where he married Tricia Worrell in1970. John was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg in 1972. For five decades he has been a partner in pioneering adult faith formation programs, most notably the Education for Ministry Program at the University of the South where he has been forming facilitators since 1977. John retired from parish ministry in 2015, moving with Tricia to Greensboro, North Carolina. He is currently co-creating the Rooted Wisdom curriculum at Kinward - A Center for Practice, Presence and Purpose. Tricia has been his partner in life and in ministry for 55 years. They have two sons, Michael was born in 1973 and died of an entirely unexpected heart attack in 2006. Christopher was born in 1976 and lives with his wife Jen in Black Mountain, North Carolina. They have two daughters, Sadie and Maren.
Patricia O'Connell Killen (Author)
Dr. Patricia O’Connell Killen teaches about Christianity in North America, especially Catholicism, religion and spirituality in the Pacific Northwest, and theological reflection. She researches the intersection of social context, community, and spirituality, exploring how, as contexts change, individuals and communities engage with their religious heritages in making sense of their lives, navigating challenging circumstances, and addressing novel challenges. Over four decades Patricia has taught courses, facilitated workshops, and lectured on theological reflection in the United States, Canada, and Ireland. Most recently she co-edited and contributed to The Future of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States (Columbia University Press, 2019); Religion at the Edge: Nature, Spirituality, and Secularity in the Pacific Northwest (University of British Columbia Press, 2022); and Gratitude, Injury and Repair in a Pandemic Age: An Interreligious Dialogue (Georgetown University, 2025). Patricia is a recipient of the American Academy of Religion Teaching Excellence Award, an Elizabeth Seton Medal from the College of Mt. St. Joseph, and an Arnold L. and Lois S. Graves Foundation Award for Outstanding Humanities Teachers. Currently she is professor of religion, emerita, at Pacific Lutheran University. Previously she taught at Loyola University of Chicago and served as Academic Vice President at Gonzaga University.
