Semiotics, Church, and Culture Faculty and Team
Lead Mentor
Project Faculty
At the beginning of the program, Project Faculty are paired with their advisees to provide them with individual guidance and coaching. They help their advisees develop and focus their areas of specialization within the project portfolio research sequence.
Seminary faculty routinely serve as Project Faculty within the Doctor of Minstry program. See Portland Seminary faculty page for details.
Gregg Borror
Position: Project Faculty
Academic and Professional Background: BS Psychology, Warner Pacific College; MDiv. Western Seminary, Portland, OR; DMin. Portland Seminary
Expertise and Research Interests: Practical theology, philosophical and cultural considerations in light of biblical truth; Semiotic understanding and communication in
Email: gborror@georgefox.edu
Colleen Butcher
Position: Project Faculty
Academic and Professional Background: Bachelor of Music (BMus), University of Western Ontario; Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Schulich School of Business, York University; Doctor of Ministry, Semiotics and Future Studies (DMin), George Fox University. Certifications in Project Management, Business Analysis, and Agile Software Development. Adjunct Faculty at Clark College and Gonzaga University, WA.
Expertise and Research Interests: Professional expertise in Business Process Reengineering and Change Management. Research interests/expertise in creativity and innovation, especially as it relates to teaching and learning, design thinking, semiotics, and cultural engagement.
Email: cbutcher@georgefox.edu
Web: colleenbutcher.com
Mark Chironna
Position: Project Faculty, Faculty Advisor, Bishop, Pastor, Mentor
Academic and Professional Background: DMin, George Fox Evangelical Seminary, Portland, OR; MA, Saybrook University; BA,Wagner University
Expertise and Research Interests: Post Graduate Researcher at University of Birmingham in Pentecostal Theology.
Email: mchironna@georgefox.edu; semiodocchironna@gmail.com
Office: 321-304-4111
Karen Claassen
Position: Project Faculty; Designated Pastor
Academic and Professional Background: BA, University of California at Santa Cruz; MDiv, Princeton Theological Seminary; DMin, Portland Seminary .
Expertise and Research Interests: Multi-cultural, Aboriginal-Indigenous, and intergenerational ministry; leadership formation; mentoring students; conflict mediation and management; healthy practices for legacy congregations; preaching and teaching for the contemporary context; interim and intervention strategies.
Email: kclaassen@georgefox.edu
Phone: 208-816-8402
Cal Habig
Position: Project Faculty; Adjunct Online Faculty; Grand Canyon University (2009-present)
Academic and Professional Background: BS, Manhattan Christian College; MDiv, Emmanuel Christian Seminary; DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary.
Expertise and Research Interests: Lay leadership development; American church history; ethics in coaching relationships
Email: chabig@georgefox.edu; cal.habig@gmail.com
Office: 503-970-8449
Martina Hagler
Position: Project Faculty
Academic and Professional Background: Bachelor of Arts, Economics, Long Island University; Master of Arts, Christian Ministry, Dallas Baptist University; Doctor of Ministry, Semiotics, Church and Culture, George Fox University.
Expertise and Research Interests: Christian ministry, theological studies, global leadership & leadership formation, teaching, semiotics, and changing trends in church and culture.
Email: mhagler@georgefox.edu
Dan Lioy
Position: Project Faculty and Adjunct Professor; also, Senior Research Academic at South African Theological Seminary (South Africa); Professor of Biblical Theology at the Institute of Lutheran Theology (South Dakota); and Thesis Professor at Theological University of Apeldoorn (the Netherlands).
Academic and Professional Background: BSc, University of Southern California; MTh, Dallas Theological Seminary; PhD, North-West University, South Africa; Dual clergy rostered in the Evangelical Church Alliance and the North American Lutheran Church.
Expertise and Research Interests: Old Testament and New Testament exegesis,Old Testament and New Testamen Theology,Old Testament and New Testamen Hermeneutics, Hebrew, and Greek.
Email: dlioy@georgefox.edu
Phone: 503-508-1794
Web: Bible.org blogs
David McDonald
Position: Project Faculty
Academic & Professional Background: Dr. David McDonald is a preacher, teacher, and lecturer in colleges and seminaries worldwide. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine. David was awarded the first-ever post-doctoral fellowship at Portland Seminary and continues to integrate spiritual truth with sharp social analysis as the founder of the Fossores Chapter House, training creative pastors. (fossoreschapterhouse.com). His most recent book, Heirs of Eden, details a biblical defense of how God guides us through our passions, desires, and noble ambitions to heal the world.
Expertise and Research Interests: Creativity, Liturgics, Evangelism
Email: dmcdonald@georgefox.edu
Twitter: @fossores
Instagram: @fossoreschapterhouse
Eric Peterson
Position: Project Faculty; Pastor of Colbert Presbyterian Church in Colbert, WA
Academic and Professional Background: BA in Theology, Whitworth; MDiv, Princeton Theological Seminary; DMin from Portland Seminary.
Expertise and Research Interests: Sacramental Theology
Email: epeterson@georgefox.edu; eric@colbertpres.org
Office: 509-468-9923
Web: colbertpres.org
Mindy Smith
Position: Project Faculty; Director of Church Engagement at Whitworth University
Academic and Professional Background: B.A. in Theology Whitworth 1998; M.Div Princeton Seminary 2006; D.Min Preaching as Story" Portland Seminary 2018; Ordained PCUSA Minister; 10 years as Campus Pastor, Whitworth University
Expertise and Research Interests: Mindy's doctoral work centered around women and preaching. She runs a women's preacher cohort and does private coaching for preachers working to hone their craft.
Email: msmith@georgefox.edu; mindysmith@whitworth.edu
Office: 509-777-4341
Web: https://www.whitworth.edu
Len Wilson
Position: Project Faculty; Publisher, Invite Resources; Director of Innovation and Strategy, St. Andrew United Methodist Church, Plano, TX; Author, Consultant, Coach
Academic and Professional Background: BA, Communication, Summa Cum Laude, McMurry University. Master’s study at Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania. MA, Religious Communication, United Theological Seminary. DMin, Semiotics and Future Studies (DMin), George Fox University. Launched and developed three ministries. Author, ten books. Adjunct Professor, Northwest Nazarene University. Senior Leadership Editor at Abingdon Press, United Methodist Publishing House. Silver Telly Award winner.
Expertise and Research Interests: Communication Studies, Creativity, Innovation, Worship, Technology
Email: len@lenwilson.us
Cell: 972-841-3488
Web: lenwilson.us; standrewumc.org
Sunggu Yang
Position: Project Faculty; Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries, George Fox University
Seminary Doctoral Team
The Seminary Doctoral Team manages the program online platforms, organizes the Advances, and provides support to students and Project Faculty, in-person or online. In short, this team is the 'glue' that holds the various elements of the program together.
Program and Operations Coordinator, Doctoral Programs