January 22, 2024
We think relationships are an important aspect of education. That’s why we work with mentor teams, cohorts, and partner organizations. To help you get to know the people who are part of the Kairos community, we spotlight partners, faculty, alumni, students, staff, and board members from time to time. Today we are looking at one of our faculty.
Name: Malachy M. Williams
Location: New York/Northern New Jersey
Role within Kairos: Affiliate Professor
Education: ThD in Semiotics and The Spirit (Evangelical Theological Seminary); PhD in Educational Studies (Talbot School of Theology, Biola University); ThM in Media Arts in Ministry (Dallas Theological Seminary); MA in Dance and Dance Education (Teachers College, Columbia University); BA in English (Douglass College, Rutgers University)
Teaching and Research Interests: The relationship between the arts, worship and the cultivation of Christian spiritual formation; Desert Spirituality and the engagement of spiritual senses in lived liturgy; Leadership
How to connect with Malachy: malachy.williams@evangelical.edu
We asked Malachy a few questions to learn a bit more about her. Here’s what we discovered.
Why are you engaged in the work of theological education?
It gripped my heart—my mind—my soul. My theological journey began over twenty years ago with a quest to learn more about worship and to become a better worshipper of our Triune God. Then somewhere along the way I wanted to engage with others so that they too could learn how to become better worshippers. I think, in the end it all parses out to— discipleship. How can I be a better disciple of Christ, is the ongoing “quest—ion” for me.
When you are teaching or working as a faculty mentor, what kinds of questions lead the way?
Wow, always: Who is God? What has He done? How can we know Him? Those are my leading questions in every theological course that I have taught from Christian education to Intro to Theology, to Church History, you name it— Who is God? What has He done? How can we know Him?
What rhythms do you like to follow?
For several years now, my rhythms of choice have been silence, solitude, and sabbath. I am not that great at them though. Although I have a desperate desire to engage with them on a deep level and master them, I am still a fledgling apprentice dipping in and out of each one. But those are my rhythms as well as prayer, Scripture reading, devotion, journaling, meditation & contemplation. I also practice the rhythm of dreaming. I don’t know if you’ll find that one in a spiritual rhythms’ manual, but I dream a lot (mostly during the day).
When you are not teaching, mentoring, or engaged in some other aspect of your work with Kairos, where might we find you?
You will find me creating. I am also a television producer as well as a Pastor. I write scripts and sermons. I love the art of storytelling. And isn’t it wonderful that we get to live within the greatest story ever told! Amazing.
I am also a dancer, so you might find me in a dance studio on a Saturday afternoon teaching the little ones and adults the fundamentals of liturgical dance. (The dance studio is one of my happy places as well as the library, and taking in the beauty of God’s creation.)
We asked Malachy to send us a candid picture of life outside of the classroom. Here’s what she shared with us:
