The primary authors/editors of Practicing Lent 2015 are the Rev. Drs. John Lewis and Jane Patterson. They are co-directors of St. Benedict’s Workshop in San Antonio, Texas, a ministry devoted to helping laity live their faith in all aspects of daily life. Together, they also serve as missioners for Adult Formation in the Diocese of West Texas and have co-authored online studies of much of the New Testament with an emphasis on the interpretation of the scriptures for faithful living. They are currently working on a book on Pauline Perspectives on Christian Vocation.
John Lewis received his D.Phil. from Oxford University in 2004, having written a dissertation called, “Looking for Life: The Role of Theo-Ethical reasoning in Paul’s Religion” (published in 2005 by T. and T. Clark). In addition to co-directing St. Benedict’s Workshop, he is also an Adjunct Instructor at the Seminary of the Southwest.
Jane Patterson received her Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University in 2009, with her dissertation on “Keeping the Feast: Metaphors of Sacrifice in 1 Corinthians and Philippians.” In addition to co-directing St. Benedict’s Workshop, she is Assistant Professor of New Testament at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, where she also teaches in the area of spiritual formation.
Joining them in writing the daily spiritual practice reflections are five more writers:
Marjorie George is the former communications officer for the Diocese of West Texas. She earned her MA in communications from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, in 1988, and an MS in spiritual formation from the Seminary of the Southwest, Austin, Texas, in 2013. She is editor of Reflections magazine, published by the diocese.
The Rev. Paul Frey has been rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Laredo, Texas, since 2004. He earned the Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, in 1992 and served at Truro Church, Fairfax, Virginia, from then until 1998 overseeing Christian education and youth ministry. Prior to attending seminary, Paul worked with homeless people in Denver, Colorado.
The Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson was ordained priest in December, 2009, after earning her MAGL (Master’s in Global Leadership) from Fuller Theological Seminary. She has also earned a JD from University of Texas School of Law, and a BA in History from Yale. She is vicar of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church in Buda, Texas.
Sylvia Maddox earned her BA degree in education from Baylor University and her MA in special education from the University of Texas. Sylvia served as a missionary in Indonesia from 1969 to 1971. She is a teacher and retreat leader and currently teaches prayer and spiritual formation at Incarnate Word University in San Antonio, Texas. She is an Associate of the Order of the Holy Cross.
The Rev. Mike Marsh is the rector of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Uvalde, Texas, where he has served since May 2005. His interests are the desert and monastic traditions, Eastern Orthodoxy, contemplative and mystical spirituality, and spiritual direction and formation. He earned a BS degree from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1982, a JD from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1985, a master’s in divinity from The School of Theology, University of the South – Sewanee in 2003, and a Dr. of Ministry from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2012.
Adult Christian Formation 