John is an experienced parish priest, including 12 years as Rector of a program sized congregation. He has a lifetime of training and consulting in adult faith formation. His commitment to the ministry of the laity has been a constant theme in his own vocation. John has for decades been a key player in pioneering adult formation programs, most notably the Education for Ministry Program at the University of the South where he was on staff for eight years and the open source curriculum KLESIS – Congregations Strengthening the Calling of All Members which Sarah Dylan Breuer and he designed. Currently he is active in the Diocese of Massachusetts programs, including Life Together - a young adult intern program and Making Excellent Disciples - a mentoring program for new clergy.
Highlights of his education and writing are as follows:
- Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development, 2005
Seabury Institute, Evanston, Illinois
- Master of Arts, Theology, 1969
University of Oxford, England
- B. Sc., Mathematics, Physics,1966
Univ. of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
- KLESIS – Congregations Strengthening the Calling of All Members, with Sarah Dylan Breuer and Patricia de Beer, a work in
progress, see the adult education tab in this website and also www.connect-course.org
- The Art of Theological Reflection, Crossroad, New York, 1994. (With Patricia O'Connell Killen)
- Congregation as Sacramental Community, OACES Inc., Tulsa, 1991. (With Richard Brewer and Angela Hock)
- Until We Are Free: A Study Guide to South Africa's Moment of Truth. Friendship Press, New York, 1988. (With Patricia de Beer)
John de Beer's Sabbatical Blog
