Evan B. Howard, Ph.D. is the founder and director of Spirituality Shoppe, and Evangelical Center for the Study of Christian Spirituality. He is an adjunct professor of philosophy and religion at Colorado Mesa University and other institutions. He is the author of The Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality and leads workshops and seminars on Christian Spirituality worldwide.

 

Curriculum Vitae

Date of Birth: December 20, 1955

Education:

         High School: Shadle Park High School; Spokane, Washington (1971-74)

         Undergraduate College: Whitworth College; Spokane, Washington (1974-78)

         Seminary: Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; Deerfield, Illinois (1980-83)

         Graduate Studies: Gonzaga University; Spokane, Washington (1988-89)

         Doctorate: Graduate Theological Union/ University of

                California; Berkeley, CA in the field of Christian Spirituality (1990-99)

Degrees held:

         B.A. in “Understanding the Individual and Society” (a philosophy/

                 liberal arts related Area of Concentration), Whitworth College, 1978.

         M.Div. in Pastoral Studies, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1983.

         M.A. in Christian Spirituality, Gonzaga University, 1989.

         Ph.D. in Christian Spirituality. GTU, 1999.

Relevant Employment History:

         Founder/Director of Spirituality Shoppe: An Evangelical Center for the Study of

               Christian Spirituality; Montrose, CO. 1996 to present. As part of my work with

               Spirituality Shoppe, I have led numerous Schools for Conversion with New

              Monastic communities, have spoke for and consulted with various missionary

              orders and similar groups, and have served in large summer gatherings such as

              PAPA Fest. See About Spirituality Shoppe for more information.

         Lecturer in Philosophy and Religion: Mesa State College; Grand Junction, CO and

              Montrose, CO. 1996-2002, 2006- present. Intro to Philosophy, World Religions,

              Philosophy of Religion.

         Faculty in History of Christian Spirituality for the Diploma in the Art of Spiritual

              Direction Program, San Francisco Theological Seminary; San Anselmo, CA.

              2001 to 2008.

        Adjunct Faculty: Denver Seminary. Taught classes on Prayer and Comparative

             Spirituality. Summer 2008, 2011

         Co-taught a class on Monastic Wisdom at Wheaton College. with Jim Wilhoit,

             Tom Schwanda, and Lauren Winner. February of 2008.

          Adjunct Faculty in Spiritual Formation and Mentorship: Salt Lake Theological

              Seminary Salt Lake City, Utah. 2003.

          Training Center Director and Assistant Pastor: Vineyard Christian Fellowship of

              San Francisco; San Francisco, CA, 1993-96.

          Adjunct Faculty in Philosophy/Religion: Whitworth College; Spokane, WA, 1990.

Academic Societies and Associations:

         I am a member of Renovaré since its beginning. Likewise I am a founding member

of the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality and Spiritual Directors

International.I am also a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. I am on the

editorial board for the Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care.

Other Interesting Stuff:

Cheri (my wife) and I have been exploring semi-eremitical life in a high desert setting

        from 1998 to the present.

I have had the privilege to help start a Christian Meditation Center in Goa, India and to lead a set of teachings on St. Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan tradition in Assisi, Italy.

I was on staff at San Francisco Vineyard Christian Fellowship and was studying

        Jonathan Edwards and Christian discernment during the “Toronto Blessing.” There

        had the chance to interview many people during a unique season of outpouring.

        1994-96.

Cheri and I wrote our first monastic rule in Chicago, 1981. We’ve been experimenting

        with monastic rules ever since.

I spent a season volunteering with LaSalle Street Church doing ministry in urban

        Chicago 1979-81.

I have also done urban ministry in Spokane, Washington and San Francisco. I now do a

        bit of consulting with groups in inner-city settings.

Migrant farm worker, Washington and Idaho. Summers of 1975 and 1976.

Came into the Christian faith through the Jesus People Movement. 1971.

Personal Information:

Born in Passaic, NJ, raised in Spokane, WA. I have lived in Passaic, NJ; Spokane, WA;

Dayton, WA; Buhl, ID; Grand Rapids, MN; Woodstock,VT; Deerfield, IL; Richmond,

CA.; and Montrose, CO.

Married with two daughters.

Personal Interests: music, gardening, building, leatherwork, and reading aloud to my

family.

Published Writings (with links to a few sources; see also Resources on this site)

Contributing author in "Evangelical Spirituality" to Four Views of Christian Spirituality

        (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, forthcoming, 2012).

Chapter on “Schools of Spirituality” for the Guide to Spiritual Classics (Downers

         Grove: InterVarsity Press, forthcoming).

"Lectio Divina in the Evangelical Tradition" in The Journal of Spiritual Formation and

         Soul Care (forthcoming, 2012).

Discovering Lectio Divina: Bring Scripture into Ordinary Life,co-authored with James

         Wilhoit (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, forthcoming 2012)

"Formed into the Beauty of God: Reflections on Aesthetics and Christian Spirituality" in

        the Ogbomosho Journal of Theology XVI (2011). Sponsored by the Nigerian Baptist Theological

        Seminary in Ogbomosho, Nigeria.

Essays on “Experience” and “Mysticism”; Articles on “Dominic,” “Dominican

        Spirituality,” “Petition,” “Nicholas of Cusa,” “Devotio Moderna,” and a

        co-authored article on “Church” in the Zondervan Dictionary of Christian

        Spirituality (Grand Rapids, Zondervan: 2011).

“Listening to the Land,” Conspire, 2/1 (Spring 2010), 38-40.

Articles on “Spiritual Gifts,” Abortion” in the Dictionary of Everyday Theology

        and Culture (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2010).

“Christian Spirituality and the Meaning of Life” Common Ground Journal 7/1(Fall

         2009) published at http://www.commongroundjournal.org.

“Review” of Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, New Monasticism: What It Has to Say

         to Today’s Church for Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, 1/2

         (Fall, 2008), 267-270.

“Advancing the Discussion: Reflections on the Study of Christian Spiritual Life,”

        Journal of Sp;iritual Formation and Soul Care, 1/1 (Spring, 2008), 8-26.

Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press,

        2008). For reviews of this work see, for example, Spiritus: A Journal of

        Christian Spirituality, 9/2 (Fall 2009): 248-250; The Journal of Spiritual

        Formation and Soul Care 2/1 (Spring 2009): 133-137.

“Poverty and Prayer,” InnerVOICE: A Publication of the InnerCHANGE

        Community (Spring 2005 v. 1.3), 7-8.

Introduction and Notes for “Philippians.” The Renovaré Spiritual Formation

        Study Bible (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 2005).

“Review” of Stan Grenz, The Social God and the Relational Self for Pneuma: The

        Journal of the Society of Pentecostal Studies 25/1 (Spring, 2003).

“Three Temptations of Spiritual Formation,” Christianity Today, 46/13

        (December 9, 2002), 46-49.

“Discerning Experience and Experiencing Discernment,” Epiphany

          International, 7/2 (Autumn, 2001), 45-55.

“Resources for Evangelical Spirituality,” Radix 27/2 (Spring, 2000).

Affirming the Touch of God: A Psychological and Philosophical Exploration of

          Christian Discernment (Lanham, NJ: University Press of America, 2000).

         [Publication of my doctoral thesis]

Praying the Scriptures: A Field Guide for your Spiritual Journey (InterVarsity

         Press, 1999).

“The Five Best Books in Christian Spirituality,” Catalyst 24/2 (February, 1998).

Articles on “Sin,” “Healing,” “Tongues,” “Persecution,” and “Meditation” in the

         Everyday Study Bible (Waco: Word, 1996).

Feeling, Knowing, and Spirituality: The Influence of Approach to Affectivity within

        Cognitional Theory upon Theoretical Spirituality as Observed in the Thought

         of Bernard Lonergan. M.A. Thesis, Gonzaga University, 1989