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allMeet the People
Who's behind TrueU.org — and what's that smell?
The TrueU Staff
The TrueU Interns
Contributing Authors
- Michael Bauman
- Jason Boyett
- J. Budziszewski
- Douglas Groothuis
- David J. Hill
- Jessica Inman
- Lindy Keffer
- J.P. Moreland
- Blake Roeber
Contributing Illustrator
The TrueU Staff
Dr. Chris Leland (a.k.a. "Doc"), Director of College & University Outreach; Senior Fellow for Christian Worldview Studies; author: TrueU Truth Lab.
Doc is a professor type who teaches at Focus on the Family Institute (FFI), speaks around the country for Focus, debates people much smarter than himself, dabbles in writing, does outdoor activities with his four boys, loves to hang out with his wife, likes movies, hates lima beans, loves sports, and secretly dreams of acting on Broadway. Something more about Doc Leland
Denise Morris, Editor; author: TrueU Women's Hall and Student Lounge.
Denise earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and Spanish from the University of St. Thomas. She has written and edited for some small and some large publications; spent time in Spain learning how to make tapas; cheers for Minnesota sports teams (especially the Timberwolves); likes to debate; and enjoys spending time with friends and/or enemies. Something more about Denise
Matthew John, Assistant Editor; author: TrueU Men's Hall and Student Lounge.
Matthew earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography (yes, geography) from Kansas State University. He enjoys roadtrips to anywhere, talking about Alaska, singing in the shower and at weddings, and playing volleyball. He also reads environmental philosophy for fun. And he is probably the most outspoken advocate for his home state of Kansas. Something more about Matthew
The TrueU Interns
Fall 2008
Chris Doan
Chris is a communication student from Monroe Community College. His mind is constantly filled with doing anything dangerous and extreme. Snowboarding is his favorite outdoor hobby and he has become a recent fan of rock climbing and water skiing. When it comes to eating, he thinks Mexican food is the way to go, and Chris is an undying believer in breakfast cereal. Because he tends to be a neat freak, clutter is his biggest pet peeve. Flossing is close behind.
Chris grew up in Ontario, New York, and loves the city of Rochester. His favorite season is fall and his favorite music is soft rock. Chris is a visual learner and enjoys capturing his thoughts on video.
Darby Wilson
Darby, a Wyoming yokel, has an associate of arts degree in music education at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. He is now pursuing a bachelor's degree in philosophy and minors in religious studies, creative writing and history from the University of Wyoming. Darby thoroughly enjoys anything to do with music (playing, writing and listening), comic books, classical literature and epic poetry. And movies. He also likes moonlit walks and all that stuff.
Summer 2008
Melody Kennell
Melody is a piano-playing, rock-climbing, movie-watching journalism student from Olivet Nazarene University. She loves traveling and driving with the windows down. She prefers dogs to cats and doesn't understand why anyone would buy plain vanilla ice cream — she'd rather have mint chocolate chip or something with gobs of chocolate. She hates walking behind slow people and wishes everyone would recycle and wear their seatbelts.
Melody's hometown is in West Virginia, right on the Ohio border. She enjoys going to school near Chicago and visits the city as much as possible. Everything reminds her of a song.
Contributing Authors
Michael Bauman is Professor of Theology and Culture at Hillsdale College, where he is also the Director of Christian Studies.
As well as being a former member of the editorial department of Newsweek magazine, Dr. Bauman was a pastor in the Evangelical Free Church of America. He is a former world champion in cycling and set several state and national records. He has published nearly 20 books and 50 articles.
Jason Boyett is a writer, speaker, husband, dad, artist, drummer, flyfisher, and trampoline jumper from the Texas Panhandle. A former English major, he started his career as a copywriter in the advertising and graphic design industries, working for companies you have never heard of and writing brilliant copy you have never read.
These days, he writes books like Pocket Guide to the Bible (Relevant Books), Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse (Relevant Books), Pocket Guide to Adulthood (Relevant Books) and the non-pocket-involving A Guy's Guide to Life (Transit). His work has shown up in a variety of publications — including TrueU.org, Paste Magazine, Christian Single, Salon, and Relevant — and he has appeared, oddly enough, on the History Channel and the National Geographic Channel. Jason Boyett also keeps a regular blog at www.jasonboyett.com.
Jason and his lovely wife, Aimee, have known each other since they were toddlers. Together they have two cool little kids and two very small dogs.
J. Budziszewski — a.k.a. "Professor Theophilus" — is a former atheist, former political radical, former shipyard welder, and former lots of other things, including former young and former thin.
A Yale Ph.D., he's now a professor in the Government and Philosophy Departments at the University of Texas in Austin (Longhorn Country).
He deserted his faith during college, but returned after he began to teach. He's written two books for students: How to Stay Christian in College (NavPress) and Ask Me Anything (NavPress). His philosophical books include: What We Can't Not Know: A Guide (Spence), The Revenge of Conscience: Politics and the Fall of Man (Spence), and a Christianity Today award winner, Written on the Heart: The Case for Natural Law (InterVarsity).
Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D., is Professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary where he directs the Philosophy of Religion Masters Degree program.
He is the author of ten books, including Unmasking the New Age, Truth Decay, On Jesus, and On Pascal, as well as many publications in academic journals (Religious Studies, Inquiry, and Journal of the Evangelical Theological Sociey) and magazines (Christianity Today, Christian Research Journal, and Books & Culture). His comments have been published in newspapers and magazines such as Time, The Wall Street Journal, and The Rocky Mountain News.
Professor Groothuis enjoys preaching, and often is a guest preacher at various churches in the Denver area. His passion is to take the truth of Christianity into the marketplace of ideas and to build up the church in the truth. In his spare time, the professor enjoys bicycling the trails in the Denver area and collecting old records, which he plays on his 1973 Pioneer turntable.
David J. Hill is an instructor at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in biochemistry and at Colorado Christian University where he teaches and develops online courses in biology, physical science, and mathematics for the adult studies program. He attended graduate school in chemistry at the University of Illinois and did his undergraduate work at Point Loma Nazarene University. He is also a freelance science writer, editor, and developer of K-12 lessons. He and his wife, Angel, have three children.
Jessica Inman writes and edits in Tulsa, Okla., where she lives with two very emotional Pomeranians. A graduate of Oral Roberts University, she earned her degree in New Testament Literature.
Jessica loves music, food, Calvin & Hobbes, and caffeinated beverages. Her CD player regularly receives visits from John Mayer, Nickel Creek, Mr. Bob Dylan, and Fiona Apple.
Lindy Keffer has written for LifeWay Christian Resources, the American Tract Society, Cook Communications Ministries, Acquire the Fire, and multiple Focus on the Family publications.
Lindy graduated from Taylor University in 1999. The lowest grade she got there was in tennis/badminton class.
She was raised on a farm in Xenia, Ohio. Lindy's husband thinks it's really gross that she let the calves on her parents' farm suck on her fingers. He also thinks she's a compulsive teeth brusher.
J.P. Moreland is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and director of Eidos Christian Center. He has contributed to over 40 books, including Love Your God With All Your Mind (NavPress) and over 60 journal articles.
Dr. Moreland's research interests lie in metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and spiritual formation. He and his wife and partner in ministry, Hope, have two married daughters, Ashley and Allison. Dr. Moreland loves Disneyland, the Kansas City Chiefs, and reading books on the Spirit's power and presence in the spiritual life.
Blake Roeber, author: Nerds' Corner.
Blake Roeber is a graduate student in philosophy at Northern Illinois University, but not for long. After completing his MA in the spring of '08, he'll start a PhD at Rutgers, where he'll enjoy the privilege of studying under Ernest Sosa, Alvin Goldman, Dean Zimmerman, and several other of the world's most accomplished philosophers. Blake also has a BA in philosophy from Wheaton College, where he sported a sardonic smile for nearly two years.
Blake's children know modus ponens, modus tollens, and the respective ontologies of Plato and Aristotle.
Most importantly, though, Blake is married to a beautiful woman named Ruth, who's his favorite person on earth. And if you're wondering why there's only one sentence in this bio that doesn't mention philosophy, it's because Blake became a Christian while talking philosophy, and he wants you to know that it's hard to be the former without doing at least a little bit of the latter.
Contributing Illustrator
By day, Luke Flowers works full time for Young Life's Creative Services team as Lead Designer/Illustrator and unofficial music junkie.
Most nights you will find Luke toiling away on the graveyard shift at his second job — Luke Flowers Design. All other time is dedicated to these fine domesticated activities:
- Songwriting
- Guitar strumming
- Mass pizza consumption
- Board games
- Maintaining the abode
- Movies by mail
- Music appreciation
- His wife's "scrumptrulesent" cooking
Luke's true joy comes from his inspiring wife's witty little quotes, his son's energetic love, and God's gift of life to the full.
Luke graduated from Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and some student loan-supported illustration skills. Something more about Luke
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