Published Works
"What Did It Cost?" Sacrifice and Kenosis in The Infinity Saga
In Theology and the Marvel Universe, edited by Gregory Stevenson, Fortress Academic Press, 2019.
"Sacrifice" is not only a major underlying theme that is woven throughout Marvel's Infinity Saga, but it also serves as a motif in many of our culture's foundational mythologies and religions. This paper juxtaposes themes of sacrifice in The Infinity Saga with those found in the Bible, early Christianity, and the history of Western culture, to arrive at insights about both theology and the MCU. The question of whether "Thanos was right" is considered, and the saga as a whole is analyzed both from the perspective of René Girard's work on sacrifice, as well as Walter Wink's concept of "the myth of redemptive violence." This analysis points to the the need for further differentiation between the popular understanding of self-sacrifice and the Christian concept of kenosis (self-emptying). Download
An Ascetic Aesthetic: St. John Chrysostom on the Discernment of Beauty in Music
In The Concept of Beauty in Patristic and Byzantine Theology, edited by John A McGuckin, Theotokos Press, 2012.
In the field of classical theological aesthetics, philosophical considerations of Beauty as a transcendental quality of existence abound. Meanwhile, the question of how Beauty with a capital "B" relates to instances of perceived beauty in the artistic forms and expressions we find in the actual, material world remains a subject of much scholarly neglect. If we hope to return "Beauty" to its proper place in philosophical and theological discourse, we will ultimately have to develop some theological apparatus for discussing "the beautiful" as it manifests in artistic, as well as cosmic, creation. This paper contributes to such an effort, through a discussion of John Chyrsostom's discernment of "beauty" in the musical expressions of his own time. Download
Finding God in the In-Between: Towards a Postmodern Theology of Music and Art
Advised by: Dr. John Thatamanil, Union Theological Seminary; Dr. Thomas Beaudoin, Fordham University
This paper examines the theology of music and art from a postmodern and postcolonial perspective, highlighting the religious underpinnings of modern Western secularism, and deconstructing the contemporary understandings of spirituality and "the sacred" that have emerged as a result. This candid, creative, and at times humorous study looks at the symbiotic historical development of concepts like "art," "religion," and "culture" during the 18th and 19th centuries, revealing how our modern Western conventions surrounding these terms are inherently linked to colonialism, capitalism, and class values that are not only morally inconsistent with the Gospel tradition, but theologically incompatible with the Christian revelation of the incarnation. Drawing on the work of theologians like Paul Tillich, Karl Rahner, Frank Burch Brown, Richard Viladesau, and Karl Barth, the paper includes discussions of aesthetic taste, music and art in relation to global capitalism, and the rise of the "Christian music" industry. It offers a practical analysis of missteps commonly made by clergy and laypeople alike in addressing the spiritual and/or religious value of musical and artistic works, and suggests alternative methods of interpretation and discernment. Download
This paper contains a soundtrack, which you can access on Spotify by clicking here.
Masters Thesis
Conference Papers
The writings of the early church fathers, including Ignatius of Antioch, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Ambrose of Milan, John Chrysostom, and Augustine of Hippo, provide us with most of the extant sources on music in the early church, through biblical commentaries, letters, and homilies. Many of these writings contain strong polemics against certain types of instruments and forms musical expression, which are commonly misinterpreted as representing a wholesale rejection of instrumental and "secular" music. This paper analyzes these writings within in their historical context to reveal the influence of Greek thought and Greco-Roman culture on the musical opinions and practices of the early church, which challenges the notion that the "songs of devils" were equivalent to "secular" music. The paper also expands the notion of what might be called "sacred music" in the ancient world. Download
"Artist as Prophet, Priest, and Holy Fool: Re-Thinking the Role of Artists in the Church"
Presented at Shaped by Beauty: Music, Art, Theology, Ethics, and Spirituality in Conversation
Heythrop College, London - June 2014
This paper explores the vocation of artists in the life of the church, invoking Eusebius' image of Jesus' "threefold ministry" as a way of revealing how "secular" artists and musicians have embodied, subverted, and transformed Christian discipleship through the arts, in ways that are sometimes irreverent but ultimately faithful. Drawing on the work of theologians such as Karl Rahner, Paul Tillich, and Frank Burch Brown, this paper offers suggestions for how churches can better support the vocation of artists both within and beyond their membership. Download
Presented at Knowledge in Medieval and Early Modern Europe Conference
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - April 2014
This paper offers a nuanced evaluation of the role of sight in the religious cultures of late medieval Europe, through an analysis of beliefs and practices like the evil eye, "ocular communion," and reverence for relics and icons. The purpose of this study is to better identify and interpret changes that took place in the nature and philosophy of seeing during the Reformation and into the early modern period, which helps to shed light on the perceptual chasm that exists between modern and premodern times. This paper includes an analysis of the medieval understanding of optics, and challenges the notion that "ocularcentrism" was a unique outcome of the so-called "Enlightenment." Download
"Early Church Music and Songs of Devils"
Presented at Sophia Institute Center for Orthodox Thought & Culture Annual Conference
Union Theological Seminary, New York City - December 2011
Online Articles
Apocalypse Now: Seeing with 2020 Vision
Reflection on 2 Peter 3:8-15a
Modern Metanoia, November 23, 2020
Sighs Too Deep: On the Spiritual Value of Anger, Sadness, and Fear
Reflection on Romans 8:26-39
Modern Metanoia, July 13, 2020
Downward Mobility: Reframing the Direction of Success
Reflection on Luke 19:1-10
Caminando with Jesus, November 3, 2019
April Fool's: Finding Humor in the Resurrection Story
Reflection on Mark 16:1-8
Modern Metanoia, April 1, 2018
Reflection on Mark 10:2-16
Modern Metanoia, September 24, 2018
Servant Leadership: A Reflection for Maundy Thursday
Reflection on John 13:1-17; 31b-35
Modern Metanoia, April 3, 2017
Reflection on Luke 17:11-23
Modern Metanoia, September 26, 2016
Featured Sermons
Eve, Adam, and The Root of Sin
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-17 & Matthew 4:1-11
The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Asheboro, NC
March 3, 2020
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-25
Faith Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC
February 26, 2017
Moses, the Burning Bush, and Becoming Who You Are
Exodus 3:1-15
St. Mark's in the Bowery Episcopal Church, NYC
March 3, 2013
Other Academic Papers
Mary Wept: Gender & Power in the Gospel of Mary
Gospel of Mary chapters 5 & 10
December 2013
Sounds as Symbols in Archetypal Studies
Carl Jung, Semantics, Musical Meaning, Music Therapy
December 2012
Musical Theology of Hildegard of Bingen & Martin Luther: A Comparison
Medieval Church History, Music, Theology
March 2012
From 2011-2014, I worked as an Assistant Archivist for Columbia University Libraries at the Burke Theological Library, where I preserved and processed historical documents obtained in the acquisition of New York City's Missionary Research Library, which closed in the 1960s. These primary documents contain valuable first-hand accounts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries that are critical for understanding Christian missionary work and Western colonization during this era. These documents also shed light on the criticisms and cultural factors that led to the abandonment of missionary projects by most mainline denominations during the latter part of the 20th century. The following are some of the collections that I processed, and the library research finding aids that I compiled and wrote:
National Council of Churches Records, 1943-1973
Columbia University Libraries
Vatican II Ecumenical Council Records, 1962-1980
Columbia University Libraries
Laymen's Foreign Missions Inquiry Records, 1879-1940
Columbia University Libraries
Badi'u'llah and Muhammad Ali Baha'i Papers, 1901-1944
Columbia University Libraries
Personnel Policies of Foreign Mission Boards Records, 1955
Columbia University Libraries
William Wilberforce Chapin Papers, 1860-1865
Columbia University Libraries
Robert Ernest Hum Papers, 1817
Columbia University Libraries
Columbia University Libraries
Frank C. Laubach Papers, 1924-1952
Columbia University Libraries
Columbia University Libraries
Bertha E. Davis Papers, 1892-1946
Columbia University Libraries
Reginald Humphrey Helfferich Papers, 1832-1981
Columbia University Libraries
Robert C. Dodds Papers, 1962-1974
Columbia University Libraries
Library Archives: NYC Missionary Research Library