Our presenters

Grayden McCashen is a doctoral candidate in Historical Studies in Theology and Religion. His dissertation, titled “Piety and Salvation in Irenaeus of Lyons,” uses Irenaeus’ theological notion of piety to elucidate the connection between belief in right doctrine and the salvation of an individual human being in Irenaeus. It then draws out further implications for Irenaeus’ theology, writing, and place in the development of Christian doctrine and identity. Grayden’s research is set to appear in Journal of Theological Studies, Journal of Ecclesiastical History, Studia Patristica, and Vigiliae Christianae. Prior to his doctoral studies, Grayden received a M.Phil. in Theology (Patristics) at the University of Oxford, B.A. in Biblical Studies from Moody Bible Institute, and A.A. from Northwest State Community College.

Hellena Moon (she/her), PhD, is an educator (teaches part-time at Kennesaw State University), community activist, and parent. She has a Master of Arts (AM) from Harvard University in Regional Studies East Asia, an M.Div from Harvard, and a PhD from Emory University.

She is the author of two co-edited books with Dr. Bishop Emmanuel Y. Lartey: Postcolonial Images of Spiritual Care: Challenges of Care in a Neoliberal Age (2020); Postcolonial Practices of  Care: A Project of Togetherness during COVID-19 and Racial Violence (Wipf & Stock, 2022). She is author of a monograph, Liberalism and Colonial Violence: Charting a New Genealogy of Spiritual Care (Wipf & Stock, forthcoming at the end of 2022). She is also editor of a book for high school students: The Power of Our Stories Won’t Stop: Truth-Telling as Democratic Civic Practice (Eastwind Books of Berkeley, forthcoming 2023). The foreword is written by Andrea Young, the Executive Director of the ACLU of Georgia (read more)

Holding a PhD in Theology and Ethics, Dr. Ish Ruiz's research interests explore the intersection between queer theology, Latinx theology, ecclesiology, sexual ethics, liberation, human rights, and Catholic education. He has published articles on the inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in Catholic schools and has actively ministered to queer Catholic school educators and students for almost a decade (read more).

Dr. W. James Abbington’s research interests include music and worship in the Christian church, African American sacred folk music, organ, choral music, and ethnomusicology. Along with his roles at Candler, where he has taught since 2005, Abbington is executive editor of the African American Church Music Series by GIA Publications (Chicago). In addition to writing and editing, he has produced numerous recordings under GIA (read more)

A graduate of Furman University, Jill completed an M.Div. and Th.M. at Emory's Candler School of Theology and then a Ph.D. in Christian ethics at Emory's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Her dissertation looked at the notion of freedom in US politics, drawing critiques from Reinhold Niebuhr and Martin Luther King, Jr (read more).

Before joining the Candler faculty, Dr. Joel B. Kemp served as assistant professor of theology at the University of Scranton. His research interests in biblical studies include the Old Testament, especially the latter prophets, biblical law, and the history of Judah and identity development. His additional scholarly pursuits include African-American appropriations of Scripture, the relationship between race, religion, and law within American society, and the use of the Bible in popular culture. He worked as both an attorney and a minister before pursuing graduate theological studies (read more).

Julian Davis Reid (M.Div., Candler School of Theology) is an artist-theologian who uses words and music to invite us into the restful lives we were created to live. A musician, speaker, and writer, Julian offers his contemplative-musical program Notes of Rest across the nation and he plays internationally with various musical outfits including The JuJu Exchange and Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few. He is a Fellow of Theological Education Between the Times and consults with the grassroots organization Fearless Dialogues. Julian writes about faith, music, Blackness, and rest on his Substack “Julian’s Note,” and his work has been featured in Sojourners and Downbeat. He and his wife Carmen live in his hometown Chicago (read more).

Kara Powell, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and Chief of Leadership Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Named by Christianity Today as one of “50 Women to Watch,” Kara serves as a Youth and Family Strategist for Orange, and also speaks regularly at parenting and leadership conferences. Kara is the author or co-author of a number of books including 3 Big Questions that Change Every Teenager, Faith in an Anxious World, Growing With, 18 Plus, Growing Young, The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family, Sticky Faith Curriculum, Can I Ask That?, Deep Justice Journeys, Essential Leadership, Deep Justice in a Broken World, Deep Ministry in a Shallow World, and the Good Sex Youth Ministry Curriculum.

The Rev. Dr. Lahronda Welch Little is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary scholar with expertise in soteriology through a public health and religion lens. A graduate of Candler School of Theology and Emory University’s Graduate Division of Religion, her research interests include womanist discourse, Africana religious studies, spirituality, and interreligious and intercultural encounters. She is pastor-in-charge at Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Conyers, Georgia and the director of the Women in Theology and Ministry certificate program at Candler.

Little is the author of the forthcoming monograph Stitching Fabrics with Fine Threads: Toward a Womanist Holistic Soteriology (Lexington Books, an imprint of Rowman and Littlefield). And the title of her chapter in Postcolonial Images of Spiritual Care is "Virtual Practices of Care: Rituals of Hope for Inner Peace and Communal Wholeness During the Pandemic."