About
…or, Who is James Estes?
In short…I am a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, with interests in spirituality and historical theology. I am discerning a call to ordained ministry with the United Church of Christ. My interests include, broadly speaking, spirituality, religion, and culture. I love reading, and I tend to read across a variety of subjects (including language, education, theology, history, travel, and fantasy). I enjoy reading blogs. I used to work as a research librarian in education policy, as well as a grief and loss therapist. Now I am engaged in full-time doctoral studies.
Preamble. I like weird words. Words like paean and irenicon. I don’t have a favorite word, but I am rather fond of defenestrate. You don’t get to use a word like that an awful lot. I know a lot of weird stuff. I am a walking compendium of trivia.
Credo. Hardly complete; somewhat heterodox. I believe in God, I believe in Jesus Christ, I believe in the Holy Spirit. (My Jesus is prophetic; my Christ is mystical.) I believe in revelation, and I believe in the right use of reason, and the free search for the divine. I believe in the Holy Church Universal. I believe in abundant grace. I believe in the final reconciliation of all souls with God.
Education. I have an undergraduate degree in Religion from The George Washington University (GW), with a focus on Church History and secondary areas of study in comparative mysticism and Islamic studies. I have a graduate degree in Library Science from Catholic University, with a focus on the Book Arts. I have a graduate degree in Counseling/Human Development from GW, with a focus on spirituality and existential values in counseling. I am a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, with interests in church history and spirituality. I am a Ph.D. student in Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America, concentrating on spirituality and historical theology. Yes, I am probably over-educated, but I am absolutely in love with learning.
Classification. I can be cross-referenced under the following descriptors, if you were so inclined: Christian; XNFX; writer; artist; philomath; geek; bibliothecary; bibliophile; thanatologist; pilgrim; eccentric.