If you would like OPF to visit your parish, college, or any other venue, consider inviting a member of our Speaker’s Bureau. Our bureau consists of Orthodox Christian scholars, authors, and clergy who can give lectures or lead discussion groups on conflict resolution, peacemaking and theology, bioethics, the ecumenical movement, hospitality, prayer, or any other topic found on our website. We also can arrange conflict resolution training by request for your group.
Peter Bouteneff
Peter C. Bouteneff teaches systematic theology at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He received his doctorate in theology from Oxford in 1997 under OPF advisor, Metropolitan Kallistos Ware. He is the former Executive Director of Faith and Order at the World Council of Churches and currently directs the Arvo Pärt project at St. Vladimir’s. He has broad interests in theology ancient and modern, and is committed to exploring the connections between theology and culture. His books include Sweeter than Honey: Orthodox Thinking on Dogma and Truth and Beginnings: Ancient Christian Readings of the Biblical Creation Narratives.
Pieter Dykhorst
Pieter Dykhorst is the retired chief editor of In Communion. He served in the military for 9 years, before seeking conscientious objector status, and going on to pursue studies in peacebuilding. Pieter served as a missionary in Albania with OCMC for two years, and is now a certified conflict mediator and writes on nationalism and peace building.
Brad Jersak
Brad (Irenaeus) Jersak (PhD theology) lectures on New Testament and Patristics at the Institute for Religion, Peace and Justice (St Stephen’s University) and Westminster Theological Centre (Cheltenham). He is a tonsured reader and monastery preacher at All Saints of North America Monastery in Dewdney, Canada. He came to the Jesus Way of peace during a 10-year stint as an ordained reverend with the Mennonite Church. He is the author of A More Christlike God.
Fr. John Jones
Fr. John Jones is a priest of the Orthodox Church of America and pastor of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Church. He is also a professor of philosophy at Marquette University. He has written extensively on divine compassion, the philosophy of poverty, social concerns, and ethics, and has served as an OPF advisor for many years.
Andrew Klager
Andrew Klager holds a PhD in Religious Studies and History from the University of Glasgow. Based in British Columbia, Canada, he is the Director of the Institute for Religion, Peace and Justice (St. Stephen’s University) and has taught at a number of post-secondary institutions on the history of Christianity, world and thought of the Church Fathers, ancient and medieval philosophy, peace theology, and peace and conflict studies. He is widely published in a number of books and academic journals on such topics as interreligious peacebuilding between Muslims and Christians (especially in Egypt), St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Apokatatasis (final restoration of all things), atonement theory, and Anabaptist-Mennonite and Orthodox relations. Andrew has also contributed to the Huffington Post, Sojourners Magazine, and Al-Masry Al-Youm, blogs regularly for the IRPJ Blog, and co-hosts The Perisson Podcast with Jarrod McKenna. He attends Holy Apostles Orthodox Mission in Chilliwack, BC with his wife and four children.
Fr. Philip LeMasters
A priest of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese and advisory board member of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship, Fr. Philip LeMasters is the pastor of St. Luke Orthodox Church, Abilene, TX. He works full-time as Professor of Religion and Director of the Honors Program at McMurry University. He also serves as the Corporate Secretary of the Board of Trustees at St. Vladimir’s Theological Seminary. A native Texan and graduate of both Baylor and Rice, Fr. Philip holds a Ph.D. in Christian Theology and Ethics from Duke University. The author of several books, essays, and reviews, his scholarly work focuses on moral and social questions in Orthodoxy, such as war, peacemaking, marriage, poverty, and medical ethics.
Deacon Philip Maikkula
Deacon Philip Maikkula is a deacon in the Orthodox Church in America and is assigned to St. John of the Ladder Orthodox Church in Greenville, SC. He holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of Central Florida, a Master of Divinity from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, and is a currently working on a graduate certificate in religion, peace, and justice from the Institute for Religion, Peace, and Justice at St. Stephen’s University. He is passionate about issues of peace, justice, and violence in the Scriptures and has volunteered for the Orthodox Peace Fellowship since Seminary.
Nicholas Sooy
Nicholas Sooy is a trained conflict mediator and the current editor of In Communion. He is completing his doctoral work at Fordham University, where he researches topics related to human rights, peacebuilding, and nonviolence.
Gayle Woloschak
Dr. Gayle Woloschak is currently a professor of Radiation Oncology at Northwestern University in Chicago and an adjunct professor of Religion and Science at Lutheran School of Theology Chicago, and at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She is also a professor of bioethics at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. She holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Toledo (Medical College of Ohio), and a D.Min. in Eastern Christian Studies from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She has written on bioethics, personhood, science and religion, and the environment.