PTS Out and About
Looking for someone to preach or teach at your church, conference, or small group study? Consider contacting our experts for their thoughts on today's church issues. Have a particular topic that you don't see covered here? Contact the Senior Director of Communications Melissa Logan at or 412-924-1373 to be connected with a resource.
Expand the sections below to see upcoming events, a listing of our experts, and their contact information.
Schedule of Upcoming Engagements
May 4, 11, 18, 25
John Burgess
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Teaching Adult Education Class
May 20
Asa Lee
Scioto Valley Presbytery Meeting
Presenting
June 1-6
Hampton Minister's Conference, Hampton, Va.
Admissions representative attending
June 2
Bala Khyllep
Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Teaching
June 5-6
Leanna Fuller
Society for Pastoral Theology Annual Meeting, Online
Presiding
June 8
Bala Khyllep
Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Preaching
June 12-14
Erik Hoeke, Admissions representative
Western Pennsylvania UMC Conference, Erie, Pa.
Attending
June 13
AnneMarie Mingo
Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights 69th Observance, Birmingham, Ala.
Attending
June 13
The Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Bayfront Convention Center, Erie, Pa.
Alumnae/i and Church Relations attending lunch hour in Room 130 A/B
June 15
Donna Giver-Johnston
Dunfermline Abbey, Scotland
Preaching
June 20-22
Bala Khyllep
American Society of Missiology
Presenting
June 20-21
Leanna Fuller, Carolyn Cranston
First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, Mich.
Leanna Fuller presenting, Alumnae/i and Church Relations attending
June 22
Asa Lee
First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, Mich.
Preaching
June 23-27
Scott Hagley
International Consultation on Ecclesial Futures, Cape Town, South Africa
Presenting
June 24-27
UKirk National Gathering, St. Louis, Mo.
Admissions representative attending
June 29
Donna Giver-Johnston
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Preaching
July 7-11
R. Drew Smith
Transatlantic Roundtable on Religion and Race, University of South Africa
Co-Convening and Presenting
Aug. 2
Donna Giver-Johnston
Commissioned Pastor Retreat, Presbytery of West Virginia, Weston, W.Va.
Teaching workshop on “Preaching for Such a Time as This”
Aug. 9
Josie Hoover
Faith United Methodist Church, Rockville, Md.
Dance Workshop Facilitator
Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28
Derek Woodard-Lehman
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Leading Westminster Seminars: “Living Faith: Everyday Ethics for Ordinary Christians”
Sept. 18
Tucker Ferda
Penn Hills Library, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Delivering Public Lecture on the Historical Jesus
Sept. 19-21
Leanna Fuller
Fox Chapel Presbyterian Women's Retreat, Antiochian Village, Bolivar, Pa.
Teaching
Oct. 13-15
Erik Hoeke
Wee Kirk Conference, Laurelville Retreat Center, Mt. Pleasant, Pa.
Workshop Leader
Invite Speakers to Address These Topics
BIBLICAL STUDIES
Old Testament
- Ancient Near Eastern Literature (Russaw)
- Book of Psalms (Creach)
- Extrabiblical Texts and What They Tell Us about Biblical Israel (Tappy)
- History and Literature of Second Temple Judaism (Ferda)
- Old Testament Prophets and Justice (Creach)
- Pentateuch (Russaw)
- Wisdom Literature (Creach)
New Testament
- Apocalyptic Literature (Frayer-Griggs)
- Epistle to the Romans (Rodríguez)
- Epistles to the Thessalonians (Rodríguez)
- Life and Thought of Paul (Rodríguez, Ferda)
- Life of Jesus and the Gospels (Ferda, Frayer-Griggs)
- Miracles of Jesus (Frayer-Griggs)
- Parables of Jesus (Hancock)
- Paul within Judaism (Rodríguez)
- New Testament Exegesis and History of Interpretation (Ferda)
- Second Temple Judaism and Christian Origins (Rodríguez, Ferda)
Biblical Interpretation and Study
- Bible Study in the Church and Theological Formation (Ferda)
- Biblical and Theological Library Research Methods (Russell, Spomer)
- Biblical Interpretation for Christian Life and Practice (Hancock)
- Feminist and Womanist Biblical Interpretation (Russaw)
- History of Biblical Interpretation (Ferda, Woo)
Biblical Themes
- Bible and/in Popular Culture (Russaw)
- Bible and Ecology (Frayer-Griggs)
- Bible and Mission (Hagley)
- Call to Preach (Giver-Johnson)
- Disability and Healing in the Bible (Frayer-Griggs)
- Violence in the Bible (Creach)
- Women in the Bible (Russaw, Giver-Johnson)
History of the Bible
- Ancient Near Eastern Literature (Russaw)
- Biblical and Ancient Near East Archaeology (Tappy)
- Extrabiblical Texts and What They Tell Us about Biblical Israel (Tappy)
- History and Literature of Second Temple Judaism (Ferda)
- History of Biblical Interpretation (Ferda, Woo)
- History of the Ancient Near East and the Religions of Israel (Tappy)
- Northwest Semitic Languages (Creach, Tappy)
- The Tel Zayit Abecedary and the Origins of the Alphabet (Tappy)
CHRISTIAN HISTORY
Christian Origins
- Christianity from Late Antiquity to Present (Woo)
- History of the Ancient Near East and the Religions of Israel (Tappy)
- Second Temple Judaism and Christian Origins (Ferda, Rodríguez)
Christian Traditions and Movements
- African American Religious Experiences (Mingo)
- Anglican/Episcopal Tradition and Theology (Fischer)
- Asian-American History and Theological Perspectives (Woo)
- Christianity from Late Antiquity to Present (Woo)
- Christianity in Post-Christendom (Burgess, Hagley)
- Civil and Human Rights Struggles (Mingo)
- Decoloniality (Ramsey)
- Histories of Preaching (Carner)
- History of Black Oratory (Carner)
- History of African American Methodism (Hoeke, Mingo)
- History of Women Preachers in 19th Century America (Giver-Johnson)
- John Calvin and the Reformed Tradition (Woo)
- Methodist/Wesleyan History and Theology (Hoeke)
- Modern Latin American Christianity (Ramsey)
- Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements (Ramsey)
- The Barmen Declaration and the Confessing Church (Burgess)
- Theology of Martin Luther (Woo)
- World Christianity and Borderlands Religion (Ramsey)
THEOLOGY
Christian Theological Methods
- African American Contextual Theology (Lee, Mingo)
- Anglican/Episcopal Tradition and Theology (Fischer)
- Asian American History and Theological Perspectives (Woo)
- Black Theology and Womanism (Riggle Young, Mingo)
- Embodied Theology and Transformative Movement (Hoover)
- Ethics and Public Theology (Mingo, Woodard-Lehman)
- Feminist Theology (Riggle Young, Giver-Johnston)
- Liberation Theology (Riggle Young, Mingo)
- Methodist/Wesleyan History and Theology (Hoeke)
- Reformed Confessions (Burgess)
Topical Theology
- Epistemology (Carner)
- Eschatology (K. Smith)
- Embodied Theology and Transformative Movement (Hoover)
- Ethics and Public Theology (Mingo, Woodard-Lehman)
- Practical Theodicy: What Do Christians Do When Bad Things Happen? (Hancock)
- Race and Religion (Baker, Fischer, Mingo, D. Smith)
- Sacraments (Burgess)
- Spiritual Freedom (Burgess)
Notable Theologians
- Theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Burgess)
- John Calvin and the Reformed Tradition (Woo)
- Theology of Karl Barth (Burgess)
- Theology of Martin Luther (Woo)
CHURCH AND SOCIETY
Christian Ethics
- Christian Perspectives on War and Peace (Burgess)
- End-of-Life Ethics (Hoeke)
- Ethics and Public Theology (Mingo, Woodard-Lehman)
- Faith and Public Life (Baker, Mingo, D. Smith)
- Moral Leadership (Mingo)
- Religious Social Ethics (Mingo)
Christian Mission
- Church Innovation for Our New Missional Era (Hagley)
- Congregational Mission and Leadership (Hagley, Khyllep, Owens)
- Cultural Humility and Cross-Cultural Communication (Khyllep)
- Evangelism (Hagley)
- Missions History (Hagley)
- Nurturing a Missional Mindset Through Global Worship Music (K. Smith)
- Short-term Mission (Khyllep)
- The Bible and Mission (Hagley)
- World Mission and Justice (Khyllep)
Justice, Activism, and Advocacy
- Anti-racism (Woodard-Lehman)
- Capitalism and Christian Witness (Hagley)
- Christian Perspectives on War and Peace (Burgess)
- Christianity and Nationalism (Burgess)
- Christianity, Race, and Class (Fischer, D. Smith)
- Civil and Human Rights Struggles (Mingo)
- Criminal Justice (Woodard-Lehman)
- Cultural Humility and Cross-Cultural Communication (Khyllep)
- Decoloniality (Ramsey)
- Educational Diversity (Riggle Young)
- Faith and Public Life (D. Smith, Mingo)
- Information Literacy (Russell)
- John Calvin and Civil Disobedience (Hancock)
- Moral Leadership (Mingo)
- Popular Media and Constructions of Race and Gender (Mingo)
- Religion, Race, and Resistance: African American Religious Experiences (Mingo)
- Religion and Politics (Woodard-Lehman)
- Religion and Social Movements (Mingo, Riggle Young, D. Smith)
- Rhetoric of Social Movements (Carner)
- Women and Social Protest Movements (Mingo)
CONGREGATIONAL MINISTRY
Pastoral Care
- Being Christian in a Post-Christian Era (Burgess, Hagley)
- Conflict in Congregations (Fuller)
- Death, Dying, and Grief (Fuller)
- Grief and Loss (Nolin)
- Family Systems Theory and Congregational Life (Fuller)
- Pastoral Care in Preaching and Worship (Giver-Johnson)
- Pastoral Ministry (Baker, Giver-Johnson)
- Practical Theodicy: What Do Christians Do When Bad Things Happen? (Hancock)
Preaching
- Art and Practice of Preaching (Homiletics) (Baker, Carner, Hancock, Lee, Giver-Johnson)
- Call to Preach (Giver-Johnson)
- History of African American Preaching and Sacred Proclimation (Carner)
- History of Folk Preaching (Carner)
- History of Women Preachers in 19th Century America (Giver-Johnson)
- Pastoral Care in Preaching and Worship (Giver-Johnson)
- Preaching in a Global Context (Khyllep)
- Roundtable Pulpit Bible Study (Giver-Johnson)
Worship and Liturgy
- Baptism and Eucharist (Burgess)
- Children in Worship (Giver-Johnson)
- Congregational Song, Corporate/Liturgical Prayer (K. Smith)
- Christian Worship and the Sacraments (Fischer)
- Christian Worship, Sacraments, and the Arts (Hancock)
- History of Christian Worship (Burgess)
- Liturgical Dance and Theory (Hoover)
- Pastoral Care in Preaching and Worship (Giver-Johnson)
- Taizé-style Worship (K. Smith)
- Teaching through Sacred Music (K. Smith)
- Writing and Reimagining Liturgy (Giver-Johnston)
- Worship Through Embodied Prayer (Hoover)
CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP
Christian Formation and Spirituality
- Baptism and Eucharist (Burgess)
- Bible Study in the Church and Theological Formation (Ferda)
- Coaching and Spiritual Direction (Teter)
- Congregational Discernment (Owens)
- Contemplative Spirituality (Owens)
- Field Education (Washburn)
- Liturgical Dance as Spiritual Practice (Hoover)
- Spiritual Formation (Lee, Owens, Teter, Nolin)
- Spirituality for Christian Leadership (Owens)
- Theological Education (Lee, Giver-Johnson)
- Vocational Discernment and Call (Teter)
Leader Care and Clergy Burnout
- Coaching and Spiritual Direction (Teter)
- Congregational Discernment (Owens)
- Conflict in Congregations (Fuller)
- Contemplative Spirituality (Owens)
- Leadership (Baker)
- Spirituality for Christian Leadership (Owens)
- Vocational Discernment and Call (Teter)
Practical Tools for Ministry
- Art and Practice of Preaching (Homiletics) (Baker, Carner, Hancock, Lee, Giver-Johnson)
- Church Communications and Outreach (Washburn)
- Coaching and Spiritual Direction (Teter)
- Conflict in Congregations (Fuller)
- Cultural Humility and Cross-Cultural Communication (Khyllep)
- Curriculum Writing (Washburn)
- Field Education (Washburn)
- Leadership (Baker)
- Moral Leadership (Mingo)
- Pastoral Ministry (Baker, Giver-Johnson)
- Practical Theodicy: What Do Christians Do When Bad Things Happen? (Hancock)
- Race, Racism, and Intercultural Competency Development (Teter)
- Roundtable Pulpit Bible Study (Giver-Johnson)
- Spirituality for Christian Leadership (Owens)
- Social Justice (Mingo, Woodard-Lehman)
- Stewardship (Cranston, Fischer)
- Teaching Through Sacred Music (K. Smith)
- Theological Research and Librarianship (Russel, Spomer)
Addressing Contemporary Issues
- Anti-racism (Woodard-Lehman)
- Being Christian in a Post-Christian Era (Burgess, Hagley)
- Capitalism and Christian Witness (Hagley)
- Christian Perspectives on War and Peace (Burgess)
- Christianity, Race, and Class (Fischer, D. Smith)
- Christianity and Nationalism (Burgess)
- Christianity and U.S. Foreign Policy (D. Smith)
- Church and Politics in Russia and Ukraine (Burgess)
- Criminal Justice (Woodard-Lehman)
- Decoloniality (Ramsey)
- Popular Media and Constructions of Race and Gender (Mingo)
- Religion and Politics (Woodard-Lehman)
- Rhetoric of Social Movements (Carner)
- Women in Ministry (Giver-Johnson)
Revitalization and Adaptive Ministry
- Adaptive and Missional Leadership (Hagley, Owens)
- Developing New Faith Communities (Hagley, Teter)
- Congregational Discernment (Hagley, Owens, Teter)
- Congregational Revitalization (Hagley)
- Conflict in Congregations (Fuller)
- Small Church Ministry (Washburn)
- Spirituality for Christian Leadership (Owens)
- Vocational Discernment/Call (Teter)
Contextual Ministry
- Being Christian in a Post-Christian Era (Burgess, Hagley)
- Capitalism and American Christianity (Hagley)
- Christianity, Race, and Class (Fischer, D. Smith)
- Developing New Faith Communities (Hagley, Teter)
- Religion, Race, and Resistance: African American Religious Experiences (Mingo)
- Small Church Ministry (Washburn)
- Sociology of Urban Religion (D. Smith)
Contact
Speaker Contact Information
William A. Baker IV
Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Continuing Education
412-924-1385
John P. Burgess
James Henry Snowden Professor of Systematic Theology
412-924-1430
Jennifer L. Carner
Director of the Preaching in a Post-Christian Age Initiative, Visiting Assistant Professor of Preaching
412-924-1468
Carolyn Cranston
Director of Alumnae/i and Church Relations
412-924-1375
Jerome F. D. Creach
Robert C. Holland Professor of Old Testament
412-924-1428
Tucker Ferda
Associate Professor of New Testament
412-924-1391
Charles L. Fischer III
Vice President for Seminary Advancement
412-924-1362
Dan Frayer-Griggs
Assistant Professor of Biblical Exegesis and Director of the Center for Writing and Learning Support
412-924-1454
Leanna K. Fuller
Joan Marshall Associate Professor of Pastoral Care
412-924-1459
Donna Giver-Johnston
Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program
412-924-1421
Scott J. Hagley
W. Don McClure Associate Professor of World Mission and Evangelism
412-924-1399
Angela Dienhart Hancock
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, Howard C. Scharfe Associate Professor of Homiletics
412-924-1453
Erik Hoeke
Director of Continuing Education
412-924-1346
Josie Hoover
Director of Human Resources
412-924-1420
Bala Khyllep
Acting Director of the World Mission Initiative
412-924-1364
Asa J. Lee
President and Professor of Theological Formation for Ministry
412-924-1366
AnneMarie Mingo
Associate Professor of Ethics, Culture, and Moral Leadership and Director of the Metro-Urban Institute
412-924-1401
Eric Nolin
Admissions Counselor
412-924-1365
L. Roger Owens
Hugh Thomson Kerr Professor of Pastoral Theology
412-924-1458
Ryan Ramsey
Visiting Assistant Professor of History and World Christianity
412-924-1355
Tracy Riggle Young
Associate Dean of Enrollment Management
412-924-1423
Rafael Rodríguez
Professor of New Testament
412-924-1456
Kimberly Russaw
Associate Professor of Old Testament
412-924-1407
Mark C. Russell
Research and Instruction Librarian
412-924-1393
R. Drew Smith
Henry L. Hillman Professor of Urban Ministry
412-924-1457
Kendra Buckwalter Smith
Director of the Worship Program
412-924-1419
Michelle Spomer
Donald G. Miller Librarian and Director of the Clifford E. Barbour Library
412-924-1408
Ron E. Tappy
G. Albert Shoemaker Professor Emeritus of Bible and Archaeology and Director of The Zeitah Excavations
412-924-1427
Ayana Teter
Associate Dean for Students and Formation
412-924-1398
Sue Washburn
Interim Director of Field Education
412-924-1383
Kenneth Woo
Associate Professor of Church History
412-924-1350
Derek Woodard-Lehman
Director of the Miller Summer Youth Institute
412-924-1368