Why I Blog
There is a great spiritual virus that is a pandemic abroad in the world. It is a
spiritual virus that is housed in extremism, end-of-the-world apocalypse prediction, human theological certainties ensconced in unyielding, arrogant, ecclesiastical doctrine as well as in all manner of prideful, judgmental assessment of what is faithful interpretation of the Bible.
I want to add my voice combating this spiritual virus. I want to be a voice of faith seeking understanding while writing about contemporary issues from a far more progressive biblical interpretation of things. I want to be a voice challenging the far too many religious hucksters voicing and profiting from all manner of religious triumphalism while supporting age-old prejudices, social repression and theocratic politics.
Background
Prior to his retirement in January 2018, the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Chalker served as pastor of a local United Methodist congregation for 43 years; 32 of those years as the Senior Pastor of a congregation in Cleveland, OH that came to be known as University Circle United Methodist Church.
Across those years of ministry Dr. Chalker became active in a number of civic activities and ministry in the urban core of Cleveland. Those activities and ministries brought him into contact with a number of clergy associations and important initiatives for the betterment of the greater community. Among those are a life membership in the Cleveland Branch of the NAACP, board member of The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, the former Greater Cleveland Roundtable, the Community Advisory Committee of the Cleveland Orchestra for the annual MLK, Jr. concert celebration, The Cleveland Metropolitan School District, University Circle, Inc.,and a host of other projects supporting city and county government social service initiatives.
As an active member of the United Methodist denomination, he has been an elected delegate several times to its General and Jurisdictional Conferences and served as Chair of the General Conference Host Committee for the 2000 General Conference in Cleveland. He has held a number of positions within the East Ohio Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church including Annual Conference Secretary.
Dr. Chalker has written a number of opinion/editorial pieces for the Plain Dealer and has been a commentator on WEWS-TV and various radio stations. He is the author of a book, Dare to Defy: Challenging Stereotypes in a Christian Context. Of his awards and recognitions several of those that have particular meaning to him are the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Cleveland Public Library, the Joseph D. Pigott University Circle Leadership Award, the Ohio Guidestone Community Service Award and being a recipient, in 2018, of The Five Star Generals Award inthe Army of Believers by the Cleveland Municipal School District.
Dr. Chalker is a graduate of Mount Union College (now the University of Mount Union) where he currently serves on the Board of Trustees. He received his Master’s Degree from Duke University and earned his Doctor of Ministry Degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. In May of 2018, Dr. Chalker received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from his alma mater, The University of Mount Union.