Noted Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann is an appreciative observer of the emergent conversation. He is professor emeritus from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga. and author of over 100 books and scholarly articles.

Aaron Gershowitz is director of refugee and immigrant services at the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, or HIAS. Gershowitz is responsible for the overall direction and management of HIAS’ domestic refugee resettlement and immigration services programs.

John Hammett is professor of systematic theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C..He is the author of Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches: A Contemporary Ecclesiology (Kregel Publications, 2005).

Diana Butler Bass is an author, speaker and scholar who specializes in American religion and culture. She is the author of many books, including Christianity After Religion and Grounded: Finding God in the World – A Spiritual Revolution. Arrange an interview through Melinda Mullin at HarperCollins.

Linda Hartke is the president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, an organization that serves both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. It helps resettle refugees, protect unaccompanied refugee children, advocate for the just treatment of asylum seekers and seek alternatives to detention for those incarcerated during immigration proceedings.

Ryan K. Bolger is an assistant professor of church in contemporary culture in the School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. He is a scholar of the emerging scene and, with Fuller professor Eddie Gibbs, wrote Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures (Baker Academic, 2005).

Robert E. Webber taught history of worship and spirituality and was William R. and Geraldyne B. Myers chair of ministry at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Ill. He wrote many books. The publication of his The Younger Evangelicals: Facing the Challenges of the New World (Baker, 2002) was a turning point in contemporary evangelical history, reporting on grass-roots […]

Deborah Stein is the director of the Episcopal Migration Ministries, the refugee resettlement program of the Episcopal Church.

Kelly Bean is pastor of a Portland, Ore., house community, Third Saturday. She is a member of the founding team of the Emerging Women Leaders Initiative and served on the board of directors of Off The Map. Bean’s history included a painful departure from a beloved conservative congregation that excluded women from leadership.