We are delighted to announce an unexpected blessing. Someone quite familiar to us, Matthew O’Rear, will be relocating to NYC soon and will join the staff @GA as “Theologian in Residence.”
What is a Theologian in Residence? A role for a well-trained theologian who works part or full time at a church and helps the staff and congregation bridge the gap between the “Academy” – which includes the rich history of theology and what seminaries are talking about now – and the church – the place where we put faith into action. In his role as Theologian in Residence, Matt will preach, teach, and provide support in discipleship and leadership development.
In addition to his role at GA, he also serves as Assistant to the President at Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, one of the seven Seminaries in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In both these roles, Matt is committed to living out his calling by helping people discover how they can serve as "public theologians" to the world in need.
Matt grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and studied philosophy and religious studies at Georgia State University, Atlanta, with additional work at the University of Georgia, Athens. He completed his Master of Divinity at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, South Carolina, with additional studies at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.
Prior to starting his new roles, Matt served as Associate Dean for Vocation at Wartburg Theological Seminary and before that as Director of Admissions at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. He has severed as the liturgist for Theological Education with Youth (TEY) at The Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg and as a member of the faculty for Lutheran Outdoor Ministry Academy and has provided leadership and vision for many other programs and events in the wider church.
Matt enjoys craft beer, liturgical theology, and The West Wing (but not all at the same time). He is the proud uncle to three boys and godfather/baptismal sponsor to several children. In addition to travel for his work in the church, he enjoys traveling for pleasure, but a weekend of Netflix is always welcomed.
