Hi all! Jillian here š Iām the new pastoral assistant for The Church Lab. I live in San Antonio, TX, and I look forward to connecting with the TCL community very soon!
Some things about me:
I recently graduated with my Masters in Theology from Perkins School of Theology. My narrower field of interest is āprocess theology.ā It is my strong belief that religion should be compatible withārather than siloed fromāscience. Therefore my specific passions lie in the convergence of theology with other sciences (cosmology, astronomy, psychology, and so on). This type of study ultimately promotes progressive ethical stances and healthy interreligious dialogue.
Before my journey in divinity school, I lived in New York City for 14 years. I went to college for acting and continued in the arts world for a while after school. My community in New York was religiously diverseāin fact, I was the only self-identifying Christian in the group. That experience made me more sensitive to the ways Christianity is viewed from an outside perspective, and it strengthened my desire share alternative ways of looking at Christianity. It also gave me the opportunity to learn from different faith backgrounds and make interreligious connections.
When Iām not working with TCL, Iāll be hanging out with my husband, Chris, and 5-year-old son, River. My husband runs a vintage clothing store and my son loves painting, skateboarding and swimming. I can usually be found sitting outside reading a book and watching River do his thing. Oh, and I have another boy on the way in September. š
I love music (especially indie and R&B) and artsy films. My guilty pleasure is reality TV (namely BravoTV and shows about finding love). I run a theology and culture instagram account called Neotopia that incorporates all of the above interests when relevant.
I so looking forward to getting involved in all the great things TCL is doing! Hereās to more innovative practices and open dialogues that BREAK barriers rather than cater to them!
xo, Jillian Shannon