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Rev. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, is a Roman Catholic priest and member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He is a theologian, professor, award-winning author, and serves as president of the Oblate School of Theology. He holds Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Ottawa and Newman Theological College Edmonton and Master’s degrees from the University of San Francisco and University of Louvain, Belgium along with a PhD/STD from the University of Louvain. Apart from his academic knowledge in systematic theology and philosophy, he has become a popular speaker in contemporary spirituality and religion and the secular world. He writes a weekly column that is carried in over 70 newspapers around the world.
His experience spans from: Teacher of philosophy, Newman Theological College in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Member of OMI General Council; community-builder, lecturer and writer.
Specializations: systematic theology, philosophy, Augustine mysticism and spirituality.
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Ruth Haley Barton (Doctor of Divinity, Northern Baptist Theological Seminary) is an internationally recognized author, speaker, retreat leader, spiritual director, and founder of the Transforming Center, a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of pastors, Christian leaders, and the congregations and organizations they serve. For decades, Ruth has helped individuals and communities cultivate deeper intimacy with God through practices of spiritual formation, discernment, and transformational leadership.
Educated at Northern Seminary, the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, and Loyola University Chicago’s Institute for Pastoral Studies, Ruth has served on the pastoral staff of several churches, including Willow Creek Community Church, and currently serves as Professor of Spiritual Transformation at Northern Seminary. Through her teaching, retreats, and spiritual direction, she has become one of the most trusted voices guiding Christian leaders toward lives of deeper wholeness, authenticity, and sustainable ministry.
Ruth is the bestselling author of numerous books, including Sacred Rhythms, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, and Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership. Her practical and deeply rooted approach to Christian spirituality has equipped countless pastors, ministry leaders, and believers around the world to embrace rhythms that foster lasting transformation and faithful leadership.
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Dr. Wang serves as the Cliff and Joyce Penner Chair for the Formation of Emotionally Healthy Leaders, where his work focuses on the holistic formation of Christian leaders through the integration of emotional health, spiritual formation, resilience, and intellectual development. A licensed psychologist, pastor, and internationally recognized scholar, he helped shape the Association of Theological Schools’ accreditation standards for spiritual formation and serves on multiple advisory boards advancing trauma-informed ministry, global theological education, and the care of Christian leaders worldwide.
Dr. Wang directs the Global Formation Project, a landmark international research initiative examining the human and spiritual formation of Christian leaders across diverse traditions, and has secured more than $19 million in research funding as a principal investigator, co-investigator, and advisor. His research on trauma, spiritual formation, multicultural psychology, and resilience has been widely published, and he regularly teaches, speaks, and consults internationally. He also serves as Pastor of Spiritual Formation at One Life City Church, maintains a clinical practice in California, and has collaborated with organizations including the International Justice Mission on trauma-informed care.
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Fr. John J. Markey, O.P. is Professor of Theology and Director of the PhD in Spirituality Program, where he teaches theology, spirituality, and philosophy with a particular focus on foundational theology, systematic theology, ecclesiology, and contemporary spirituality. His scholarship also spans the history of philosophy, medieval thought, 20th-century European philosophy, and American pragmatism, with current research exploring contextual theology and spirituality within the cultural landscape of the United States.
Fr. Markey earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy and Theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, following degrees from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology and the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated with highest honors. As both a Dominican priest and scholar, he brings decades of teaching, research, and spiritual formation experience, helping students and church leaders engage the Christian tradition with intellectual depth, theological insight, and practical relevance for contemporary life.
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Dr. Ryan G. Erbe, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor and Character Integrator in the Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic at the United States Military Academy at West Point. His work centers on character formation, emotional wellness, and the role of contemplative practices in leadership development. At West Point, he has designed and led character education courses for cadets, facilitated faculty workshops and retreats, and integrated meditation and reflective practices into military leadership training.
Dr. Erbe holds a Ph.D. in Health Behavior and Human Development from Indiana University, an M.S. in Health Science from Ball State University, and a B.S. in Health and Physical Education from Ithaca College. His research explores how meditation and intentional formation practices cultivate resilience, well-being, and ethical leadership, equipping future military leaders to serve with character, wisdom, and integrity.