Meet Your Instructors
Lindsey Trozzo - 221 Bible II; 321 Bible III: Gospels
Lindsey Trozzo specializes in rhetorical approaches to ancient literature, especially biblical literature.
She is fascinated by the way readers find and make meaning in and through texts. She is interested in
the practical effects that biblical interpretation has for people of faith in the world today, particularly
those who have been ostracized or oppressed because of certain readings of the Bible. She enjoys
reading and hearing new approaches to reading biblical literature, and she invites creative and
imaginative engagement of these texts in her classes. Dr. Trozzo has recently published her first book,
Exploring Johannine Ethics, which utilizes rhetorical analysis to explore the ways the Fourth Gospel may have influenced the morality of its early audience.
She earned her Ph.D. in Religion from Baylor University (with a focus on ancient rhetoric and ethics), and she absolutely loves teaching. Currently she is the Associate Director of Digital Learning at Princeton Theological Seminary. In her spare time, you might find her playing guitar, practicing yoga, or enjoying time with friends around a table of delicious food - with her pup, Abbot, Underfoot.
April Simpson - 121 Bible I: Introduction
I am originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee and lived in the Chattanooga area until I moved to
Boiling Springs, North Carolina to begin my undergraduate studies at Gardner-Webb University.
After receiving my Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies (2009), I earned my Master of
Divinity/Master of Arts in Religion at Gardner -Webb (2014) as well. During my graduate studies
at Gardner -Webb, I began working at the University in the Graduate Admissions department.
After completing my master's, degree I served for two years as an adjunct instructor in the
Religious Studies and Philosophy Department at Gardner-Webb while remaining a full time staff
member. In July 2016 my husband and I moved to Dallas, and I began the PhD program in Religious
Student SMU. My field of study within the Graduate Program in Religious Studies is New
Testament, and I will write my dissertation on the Gospel of Mark. I am particularly interested
in how the ancient values of honor and shame can serve as a lens of interpretation for the
passion narrative in Mark.
Dr. Irie Session - 124 Transformative Leadership
Rev. Dr. Irie Lynne Session holds an undergraduate degree in Social Work from Oklahoma Christian University; a Master of Divinity with a Certificate in Black Church Studies from Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University; and a Doctor of Ministry in Transformative Leadership and Prophetic Preaching from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, the alma mater of Social Justice icons, Martin Luther King , Jr., and Howard Thurman. She is ordained with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where she currently serves as Cofounder and Servant Leader ( with two other Womanist clergywomen) of the Gathering, a new Womanist worshiping community in Dalla s that meets on Saturday evenings. Dr. Irie is also a Co-founder of POETIC Trauma Therapy Center and Creative Arts Studio serving teen girls with histories of sex trafficking, sexual abuse, and commercial sexual exploitation. Dr. Irie has spent the last 30 years providing ministry and social services in Dallas.Most recently Dr. Irie was Director of Training, Spiritual Support, and Survivor Leadership for New Friends New Life (NFNL)-a Dallas non-profit that helps transform the lives of adult women survivors of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.Dr. Irie is known for teaching biblical texts in ways that are relevant and practical. Hertheological training in Womanist Biblical Interpretation equips her to responsibly re-examine biblical texts in ways that help women and men discover and reclaim their unique value and voice. Because she brings all of who she is to every facet of her teaching ministry her style is interactive, energetic, and empathic. Hav ing survived her own traumatic experiences, Dr. Irie continues to thrive amid a racists and sexist culture.Through her gifts of teach ing, preaching, and writing, Dr. Irie strives to empower women; and, dismantle PMS (Patriarchy, Misogyny, and Sexism) one biblical story at a time.
Stephen Rankin- 222 Theological Heritage II: Early Church
The Reverend Dr. Stephen Rankin has been involved in higher education for more than 20 years, as a professor, and a campus minister at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, and now, as Chaplain to the SMU Community. Prior to this work, he served as pastor in three United Methodist congregations. He and his wife, Joni, provided leadership for an expatriate congregation in Rome, Italy.
A graduate of Kansas State University, Steve received his Master of Divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology, a Master of Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a Ph.D. from the Joint Program in Religious Studies at Northwestern University and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He is an Elder in the North Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church.
David Wilson - 423 Mission
Rev. Dr. David M. Wilson is currently serving as the Conference Superintendent of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference of The United Methodist Church. He was first licensed in 1991 and was ordained as an Elder in 1995. He is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
David is a 1990 graduate of Oklahoma City University, with a B.A. in Mass Communications. He received his Masters of Divinity from Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1994. He was the first clergy person from OIMC to graduate from Phillips Theological Seminary. He was named the Phillips Distinguished Alumni for 2007. He received honorary doctorates of Humane Letters from Bacone College in 2009. In 2012, he received the Excellence in Teaching Award for Adjunct Faculty at OCU. He was named Indian Man of the Year in 2016 by the Changing Winds Cultural Society and he received the John Edwards Leadership Award from the Oklahoma Chapter of the AAPR in 2017.
David is a member of the Board of Directors for The Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. He has served as an adjunct professor of Religion for over fifteen years at Oklahoma City University, a United-Methodist related University. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for Oklahoma City University. David has taught as an adjunct professor at the Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology and teaches in the Course of Study Program.
Michelle Morris - 521 Bible V: Acts, Epistles, and Revelation
Rev. Dr. Michelle J. Morris is currently serving as a United Methodist pastor in the Arkansas Annual Conference. She has been married to her husband Travis for almost 20 years, and they have a son Soren (not named for Kierkegaard) who is 13. Michelle has a B.A. in English and French and an M.A. in Comparative Literature, both from the University of Arkansas. She graduated with her MDiv from Perkins School of Theology in 2009 and her Ph.D. from the Graduate Program in Religious Studies at SMU in 2014. She also graduated with a certificate in Women's and Gender Studies . Her dissertation examined the subject of infertility in the New Testament. Her most recent publications have included notes on the pastorals in the upcoming CEB Women's Study Bible and a chapter entitled "Easter in Margaritaville: Evolving Christology in South Park," Found in God and Popular Culture: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Industry's Most Influential Figure, vol. 1, eds. Stephen Butler Murray and Aimee Upjohn Light (Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger , 2015).
Vaughn Baker - 523 Evangelism; 524 Theological Reflection - Practice of Ministry
Reverend Vaughn Willard Baker has served in the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church for over forty-two years. Having served as Associate and as Senior Pastor of churches in both Central Texas and in Dublin, Ireland, Vaughn has pastoral experience in both urban and rural settings. Much of his work has been published in the fields of evangelism and theology. Vaughn earned both the Doctor of Ministry degree in evangelism (Perkins School of Theology) and Doctor of Theology degree (now PhD, University of South Africa) in mission theology. He also received the Certificate in Spiritual Formation from Perkins in 2011. Vaughn has previously taught in the Course of Study in the area of evangelism from 1987 – 2002. Currently Vaughn is in his tenth year as Senior Pastor of Silver Creek United Methodist Church of Azle, Texas. Vaughn is married to Jacqueline, who helps children as a dyslexia therapist in the Weatherford ISD. Both Vaughn and Jacque live in Brock, Texas. Their daughter, Amanda, is a social worker who works with homeless persons in Washington, D.C.
Stephanie Scott- 123 Formation and Discipleship
The Rev. Stephanie Scott is a retired ordained Deacon in the Texas Annual Conference. She has a B .S. Education,
Certification in Christian Education and Theological Studies from Perkins School of Theology and is a trained Spiritual
Director. She teaches at Course of Study at Perkins School of Theology and at the extension school in Jacksonville, TX.
David Luckey - 122 Theological Heritage I: Introduction; 522 Theology in the Contemporary Church
David earned his Ph.D. in Religion and Culture at Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Dallas Baptist University in 2013. He was then awarded a Dean's Honor Scholarship to attend SMU's Perkins School of Theology where he graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Theological Studies degree in 2015. He was also a recipient of the Phillip Schaff Prize in Church History for demonstrated excellence in the historical study of Christianity. His research interests include: the anthropology of religion; the intersection of race, ethnicity and religion; theologies of Liberation; and global Pentecostalism(s). His dissertation research centers on the social-ethical dimensions of Latin-American Pentecostalism. David's wife Martica is from Cali, Colombia, and they live in the mid-cities area with their fifteen-year -old son, Miles. David is currently the director of contemporary worship at Lake Highlands United Methodist Church.
Geoffrey Moore - 322 Theological Heritage III: Medieval Reformation
Rev. Geoffrey C. Moore, OSL, is an elder in the North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church and the Creative Director of A Ministry of Congregational Singing & Worship, an extension ministry in the North Texas Conference devoted to helping congregations strengthen their voice and deepen their worship life. He has served on the staff of churches large and small including, most recently, Walnut Hill United Methodist Church and Lovers Lane United Methodist Church where he was Director of Worship and Associate Director of Music. Before moving to Lovers Lane, he served for six years on the staff at Highland Park United Methodist Church. During his tenure there, Rev. Moore’s responsibilities included Associate Director of Music, Director of Contemporary Worship and Director of Media Resources.
Before being appointed full-time to the staff of Highland Park UMC, Rev. Moore was the Associate Director of Education at The Dallas Opera. He has also worked with several area choruses, including the Dallas Vocal Arts Ensemble, the Aria Chamber Chorus, and the Arts District Chorale, where he served as the Creative Director and Assistant Conductor, as well as collaborating with organizations such as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.
Rev. Moore completed his PhD in Philosophy and Religious Studies with an emphasis in Systematic Theology at Southern Methodist University, Rev. Moore’s work has focused on examining the intersection of music and theology and on the Eucharist and has led to invitations to speak at conferences in the United States, Canada, and England. Rev. Moore’s publications include “Eucharistic Piety in American Methodist Hymnody (1786-1889)” in Music and the Wesleys (2010), “Hymning the Kingdom: Originating, Resonating, Consummating” in I.A.H. Bulletin (2015), and the entry on Christian hymnody (co-author) in Oxford Bibliographies: Music (2011). He is also a contributing author to the third edition of Sing with Understanding: Exploring the Theology of Congregational Song (forthcoming). He has served as the editor for Doxology: A Journal of Worship and as an adjunct faculty member at Brookhaven College and at his alma mater, Southern Methodist University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Music Theory, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting, and a Master of Divinity.
Edlen Cowley - 224 Administration and Polity
Rev. Edlen Oltrent Cowley has served as an ordained clergy person in the North Texas Conference (NTC) of the United Methodist Church since the year 2000. He was ordained a deacon in the year 2000 and an elder in 2003. As the son of a Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M .E.) church pastor, Edlen had many childhood homes: Senatobia, Mississippi; Atlanta, Georgia; Marshall, Texas; Houston, Texas; and Dallas, Texas. After earning a degree in Government and Politics from The University of Texas at Dallas in 1993, he entered Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University where he earned his Masters of Divinity degree in the fall of 1999.
Edlen is also very passionate about preaching. For the past two years he has served as a Hardin Family Preaching Mentor through the Perkins Center for Preaching Excellence at Perkins School of Theology/SMU at the invitation of its Director, Dr. Alyce McKenzie. Through this program, he has mentored and helped Perkins preaching students develop and craft their personal preaching styles and approaches. He is excited to have written and taught a brand new "3D" seminar on Designing, Developing, and Delivering Sermons & Overall Preaching Strategy to several pastors and church staff in the conference at the (NTC) Ministry Center in April 2017. Edlen was a recipient of a Harold M. Kaufman Social Ethics award given by the Dallas -Levy Lodge B'nai Brith (2000), and was a recipient of an Inclusiveness Award given by the Anti-Racism team of the North Texas Conference (2004). Edlen received an honor from Perkins School of Theology for exceptional service to the Perkins Intern Program as he completed service as a Mentor Pastor to five Perkins interns.
John Feagins - 422 Theological Heritage IV
Rev. John Patrick Feagins is an ordained elder in the Rio Texas Conference and serves as senior pastor of La Trinidad United Methodist Church, a historic Latin-American congregation in downtown San Antonio. He has served in the conferences of the San Antonio Episcopal Area for 24 years with appointments to multi-cultural local churches, campus ministry, and new church development, and has extensive experience in border ministry, short-term missions (Mexico), and civic engagement and advocacy. John is fully bilingual in Spanish and English and is competent in instantaneous interpretation. He holds an M.Div. from Perkins School of Theology (1995), a B.S. in Physics from UT Austin (1991), and is completing a D.Min. in Hispanic Ministry at Oblate School of Theology. Rev. Feagins taught Wesleyan Heritage in the basic course of study in Spanish in 2018 and will be teaching United Methodist History at the Spanish Advanced Course of Study in 2019 in the second session. John is married to Rev. Raquel Cajiri Feagins, also an ordained elder, and has three children, David (20), Victor (19), and Vincent (8).
“Testimony is an essential practice within Hispanic spirituality. We share the stories of our testimony to get to know each other. In our public ministry, testimony communicates the quality of our character, witness, and work. By engaging in critical reflection of our Wesleyan heritage and Methodist history, I encourage students to develop a critical sense of our collective testimony as it relates to their personal calling and story while finding inspiration to bring the best values and practices of our tradition to their own ministry context.” - Rev. John P. Feagins
Kelsey Spinnato - 421 Bible IV: Prophets, Psalms, Wisdom Literature
