Accessing the Divine: Religious Sources of Resilience in an Age of Political Turmoil
5th Annual Graduate Student Conference - Hybrid
Co-hosted with The Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 8:30am - 3:30pm
Location: Boston College Campus, 245 Beacon St. Room 102
The Accessing the Divine conference took shape in 2021 under the leadership of students in the Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium. The conference was initially conceived as a disability theology conference, and its first two iterations explored themes related to disability, building joyful futures, relationality, and interdependence. This year’s conference, which will be co-sponsored by the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College and the Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium, hopes to expand the definition of its questions about access to include questions of resilience, sustainability, connection, and hope amidst political turmoil, activist and academic burnout, and social division. We hope to explore sources of resilience in religious and spiritual traditions (e.g. their rituals, practices, histories, major figures) in order to inform and energize exercises of resilience in our contemporary political era.
Serafina Blake (Zoom)
Loyola Marymount University
Serafina Blake is a graduate student in Pastoral Theology and Spiritual Direction at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. Previously, she earned her BA in Sociology from UCLA. Serafina’s primary research interests include ecological spirituality, comparative theology, and theological constructions of the body. She brings 10 years of experience facilitating trauma-informed spiritual practices to her academic work, further exploring the relationship between mind, body, spirit, and earth. As a passionate California Climate Steward, Serafina hopes to draw new, embodied connections between climate resiliency, spiritual practice, and activism within her community.
Thomas Elbourn III (in person)
Boston College
Tom Elbourn is a PhD student in Theological Ethics at Boston College and adjuncts at Assumption University. He is deeply concerned with matters of political theology and how theology can justify or name and inspire resistance to domineering power. With an interest in Anabaptist theology, liberation theology, and Biblical ethics, Tom is driven to understand the ethical experiences of those who have suffered under oppressive political and economic power and how they conceived of and actualized their resistance in terms of appeal to divine authority, making ethics both a binding realism and a strategy of surviving well.
Jack Engelmann (in person)
University of Notre Dame
Jack Engelmann is currently an M.T.S. student in World Religions, World Church at the University of Notre Dame, having previously obtained a B.A. (Boston College) and M.A. (Notre Dame) in Theology. His research engages the long history of Christian and Muslim interreligious scriptural exegesis, with a particular focus on the late antique and early medieval periods. He has a sustained interest in applying this historical and theological work to modern interreligious dialogue, and integrating it into the study of religion in the public sphere today. Outside of his studies, Jack enjoys folk music and stories, and spending time with his cat.
Rev. Dr. Cornelius Wambi Gulere (Zoom)
Hellenic College Holy Cross
Rev. Dr. Cornelius Wambi Gulere is an Orthodox Christian priest and scholar born on March 15, 1968, in Uganda. Raised amidst poverty and loss, his family’s resilience, led by his mother Perepetua, became a transformative force, shaping his commitment to faith and service. His grandfather, a village leader, and his father, a househelp to Bishop Christophorous (Spartas), the pioneer of Orthodoxy in East Africa, inspired his dedication to ministry. As a presbyter of the Church and an MDiv student, Fr. Cornelius integrates his lived experience of resilience amidst conflict into his pastoral work and academic pursuits, bridging faith and advocacy for vulnerable communities.
Nathan Davis Hunt (in person)
Boston University
Nathan Davis Hunt is a PhD in Theology & Social Ethics student at Boston University where he studies praxis as a spiritual-political vocation informed by Black, liberation, decolonial, and mystical traditions. He brings a fifteen-year career in faith-rooted organizing and grassroots community development to his academic vocation. Nathan is Dad to Wilder (2) and Linden (4).
Abhishek Prabhakar John (in person)
Boston University
Abhishek John is a PhD student in Historical Studies at Boston University School of Theology. He grew up amid diverse Christian traditions in India. He had the opportunity to “experience church” in Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, and Presbyterian contexts. Abhishek holds a Bachelor of Theology, a Bachelor of Divinity, and a Master of Theology from the Senate of Serampore University in India (an institution founded by William Carey). His ministry engagements within the ecumenical landscape in India were enhanced by an advanced master’s degree from the University of Geneva/Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. Abhishek’s research was at the intersection of the World Evangelical Alliance and the World Council of Churches. He is interested in the transnational intersections of the ecumenical and evangelical movements and mission networks in world Christianity.
Kurt Lakatos (in person)
Marquette University
Kurt Lakatos is a proud father of two talented and beautiful teenaged daughters. He is a second-year graduate student in the department of Theology at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI specializing in ethics and systematics as part of his chaplaincy training. He also holds a BA in Philosophy and an MA in Art History and has completed the “Foundations of Contemplative Care” program at the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. Kurt is a practicing Buddhist and Quaker who volunteers as a hospice companion in his free time.
Selah Long (Zoom)
Jesuit School of Theology, Santa Clara University
Before earning her first graduate degree in Theology (MTS) at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, Selah Long completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science in China. She has also worked extensively with a local Christian intellectual organization in Beijing. As a current Th.M. student in Christian Ethics, Selah is particularly interested in the ethics of conflict and peacebuilding within diverse cultural contexts.
M. Mookie C. Manalili (in person)
Boston University
Mookie is a psychotherapist, professor, and researcher - interested in suffering, embodiment, meaning-making, narratives, trauma, memory, and ethics. In terms of therapy, he is a Licensed Independent Certified Social Worker (LICSW) psychotherapist in a private group practice, which blends narrative therapy, psychoanalysis, logotherapy, mindfulness traditions, and body-based techniques. Mookie is a part-time faculty for the School of Social Work (i.e. Narrative Therapy, Adult Psychological Trauma) and Department of Psychology & Neuroscience (i.e. Introduction to Psychopathology) at Boston College. Additionally, he co-leads the Psychological Humanities Lab: Ethical Research and Clinical Practices and the Psychology and the Other conference. He is also pursuing a PhD in Pastoral Theology & Psychology at Boston University. In all his various roles, Mookie hopes to participate in our duty to better our society: particularly for folks who suffer injustices; for the widow, orphan, and stranger; for a future and world beyond one's self.
Jaymes Mooney (in person)
Howard University
Jaymes Mooney is the Senior Pastor of Saint Bartley Church in Huntsville, AL which is the oldest African American congregation in the State of Alabama. He is also a Doctorate of Ministry candidate at Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, DC and a graduate of Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, CA. Under his leadership, Saint Bartley Church has experienced tremendous growth, completing a full campus renovation and launching The Bartley Bridge,a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on community transformation, education, and entrepreneurship.
Mary Mueller (in person)
University of Notre Dame
Mary Mueller is a graduate student of History of Christianity in the Master’s of Theological Studies at the University of Notre Dame. She is from Lake Elmo, Minnesota, and she started sculpting in high school and began focusing on Christian biblical motifs in carved pottery. Her artistic focus is in ceramics, and she plans on studying sculpture and sacred art in Florence after she completes her Master’s at Notre Dame. Her theological interests are the Ressourcement movement along with medieval and modern philosophy.
Jeffrey Ng (in person)
Harvard Divinity School
Jeffrey Ng (he/him) is a Master of Divinity student at Harvard Divinity School, originally from Hong Kong. His research focuses on the integration of Buddhism with counseling and psychotherapy practices and the interplay between spiritualities and mental health. Jeffrey is particularly interested in the therapeutic applications of psychedelics in clinical settings and the impact of humanistic study of psychedelics on the development of psychedelic therapies. He is committed to providing spiritual care to diasporic communities and actively promotes interfaith advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, aiming to bridge gaps between diverse faith traditions and marginalized groups.
Michal Ong (in person)
Harvard Divinity School
Michal Ong is a first-year Master’s student (Religious Thought, Philosophy, Theology) atHarvard Divinity School. He received his BA in History and Literature from Yale-NUSCollege, Singapore. Michal has a particular interest in modern European intellectual historyand literature and his work operates at the intersections of history, literature, philosophy, andreligious studies.
Josef Raoul Rodriguez, S.J. (in person)
Boston College
Josef Raoul Rodriguez, S.J., is a Jesuit Scholastic in formation for the priesthood. He completed a master’s degree in philosophy at Fordham University, focusing on Phenomenology and Hermeneutics. He later held a lecturer position in the Philosophy department of Creighton University. He is currently at Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry in the Master of Theological Studies program. He aims to do further studies in sacramental theology.
Br. John Baptist Santa Ana (in person)
University of Notre Dame
Brother John Baptist Santa Ana, OSB is a monk of St. Andrew’s Abbey, Valyermo CA. Before entering the monastery, he lived in a tiny loft on gallery row in downtown Los Angeles. He holds degrees in theology from Biola University, the Dominican House of Studies, and will soon complete an MTS at the University of Notre Dame before heading on to doctoral studies in patristics. His interests include surfing, martial arts, and writing short stories.
Hayden Shaw (in person)
Hartford International University
Hayden Shaw is a graduate student at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, pursuing an MA in Interreligious Studies with a focus on eco-spirituality and interreligious leadership. They hold a postgraduate degree in regenerative economics from Schumacher College and have experience in regenerative systems design, complex systems thinking, and sustainable community development. They are interested in how relational ontologies might reshape our understanding of spirituality, ecology, and cultural resilience in the Anthropocene, exploring adaptive community responses to the complex challenges of our time.
Molly Snakenberg (in person)
Boston College
Molly is a student at the Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry in the Masters of Arts in Theology and Ministry (MATM) program. As an artist, she integrates her theological and ministerial studies with creativity. She is also passionate about the healing properties of art in individuals and communities.
Sudarshan Sundar (in person)
Harvard Divinity School
Sudarshan Sundar is a Hindu Monastic Fellow at Harvard Divinity School for the 2024-25 academic year. He is also a part-time senior software engineer by profession at Microsoft Corporation's New England Research & Development (NERD) center in Cambridge, MA. He has practiced Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga since 2002. He loves the positivity, purpose, and joy that the integration of Raja Yoga awareness brings into daily life. He helped start and co-coordinated the activities of Inner Space Meditation Center and Gallery in Harvard Square from 2012 to 2020. From 2021 to 2024, he served as the spiritual affiliate for the Brahma Kumaris at Northeastern University's Center for Spirituality, Dialogue, and Service, including leading meditations at their annual “Revive” Mindfulness and Wellness Retreat. He co-presented at Harvard Divinity School’s “Program for the Evolution of Spirituality” conferences in 2023 and 2024. He enjoys going on long meditative walks and playing cricket.
Lauren Tassone (in person)
Harvard University
Lauren is a PhD student in religion at Harvard University focusing on Catholicism, media, and gender. She holds a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree in Religion, Ethics, and Politics from Harvard Divinity School and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Cognitive Science and Organizational Studies from the University of Michigan. Her research interests include the history of Roman Catholic women religious, American Catholicism, and religion in film and visual media. Lauren previously worked in the nonprofit sector in New York City and was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is grateful for the opportunity to join the Boisi Center for the second year in a row as part of the spring Graduate Conference!
Wing Yin Li (Zoom)
Princeton Theological Seminary
Wing Yin Li is a Ph.D. student in theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, where they receive both Presidential Merit Scholarship and Trustees Merit Scholarship. Wing holds an M.A. with honors in philosophy and theology from the University of Edinburgh and an MDiv. from Princeton Seminary. Supported by Louisville Doctoral Fellowship, Wing’s research focuses on engaging apocalyptic as a theological category by reading the Apocalypse of John as resistance literature and explores how this apocalyptic understanding can enrich public theology of resistance. Beyond academia, Wing is a candidate for ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and has years of ministry experience in local churches across the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and the United States.