Sarah Barton: Sarah is a Doctor of Theology candidate in Theology and Ethics at Duke Divinity School, as well as a registered and licensed occupational therapist. Sarah's research focuses on the intersections of disability and theological anthropology. She specifically investigates how theologies and practices of baptism across the ecumenical spectrum can foster communities of belonging for people living with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities. As Sarah finishes her dissertation, she looks forward to revising it to publish a trade book for clergy and lay leaders, as well as spending greater time holding workshops and formational experiences around the baptismal covenant and issues at the intersection of disability, theology, and ecclesial life. Sarah has six years of experience working as a pediatric occupational therapist, with clinical specialties in populations with Autism Spectrum Disorder, muscular dystrophies, medical complexity, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sarah has published in multiple interdisciplinary settings around themes of disability theology, disability studies, intellectual disability, spirituality and health, and clinical pediatrics. Sarah received her B.S. in Biology from Seattle Pacific University in 2009 and her M.S. in Occupational Therapy from Boston University in 2012. She completed her M.T.S. at Duke Divinity School in 2014. Sarah currently resides in Michigan where she is a faculty fellow at Western Theological Seminary. She enjoys spending time trying yummy food with her spouse, Andrew Phillips, who is a United Methodist Elder, and going hiking with their tiny dog, Jed.
Watch a video interview with Sarah Barton.
Joshua Rodriguez-Hobbs: Josh serves as the Episcopal Chaplain to the Johns Hopkins Hospital, a shared ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. Before going to seminary, Josh was encouraged by his bishop to take a gap year. During this year, Josh worked as a Chaplain Resident in Covenant Health System’s Clinical Pastoral Education program in Lubbock, TX, where he discovered his love of chaplaincy. Josh’s call to ministry is rooted in this experience of lay chaplaincy. Today, Josh provides sacramental ministry to Episcopal patients through the Johns Hopkins Hospital as well as serving as the unit chaplain to two inpatient psychiatric units and as a Certified Educator Candidate in the hospital’s Clinical Pastoral Education Program. Josh is also active in the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center’s Healthy Community Partnership Program (HCP), which provides local clergy and lay leaders to provide medical advocacy and spiritual care to members of their faith communities. Josh’s project will support the HCP by providing training and grants to five local Episcopal parishes to begin or expand a public health ministry. Josh is a graduate of Yale Divinity School and Berkeley Divinity School, the Episcopal Seminary at Yale, and has previously served as a parish priest and a hospice chaplain.