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| Personal background |
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The Reverend Dr. Gregory S. Neal is the Senior Pastor of St. Stephen United Methodist Church of Mesquite, Texas, and Rector of Grace Incarnate Ministries. While Dr. Neal has traveled extensively and has lived in North Carolina and elsewhere in the State of Texas, his heart is most at home in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, where his family lives.
Greg is a graduate of Southern Methodist University with the B.A. in History, Russian Language, and Theology, Duke University with the M.Div. in Theology and Biblical Studies, and Trinity Graduate College with the Ph.D in Systematic Theology and New Testament Textual Criticism. His doctoral dissertation was in the field of Sacramental Theology and dealt with the doctrine of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion. Essential elements of Neal's work on this subject have been re-drafted into readable English and have been published in his book: Grace Upon Grace.
Ministry Credentials:
Rev. Neal is a "Clergy Member in Full Connection" of the North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church, having been ordained a Transitional Deacon in 1991 and a Presbyter in 1994 by the Reverend Dr. Bruce P. Blake, then-resident Bishop of the Dallas Episcopal Area. While trained as a scholar and theologian, Dr. Neal is nevertheless called to the pastoral ministry of the Church of Jesus Christ. During his 17 years in the ministry he has served as Associate Pastor and Senior Pastor of several Churches in North Carolina and North Texas, including First Celeste (1992 - 1993), Cockrell Hill (1993-1996), First Trenton/Blue Ridge (1996-1997), Beverly Drive (1997-2001), and First Seagoville (2001-2007). Currently, Greg is in his 1st year as the Senior Pastor of St. Stephen United Methodist Church in Mesquite, Texas.
Activities:
Rev. Neal has served on several boards and committees of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, including several District Boards of Ordained Ministry and the Division for National and World Outreach of the North Texas Conference Board of Global Ministries. From 1994 - 2003 Dr. Neal taught the General Board of Global Ministry's Schools of Christian Mission, serving as a Study Leader in the Mission Schools of Missouri East, Missouri West, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Virginia. He also served as the Dean of the North Texas Conference Cooperative Mission School from 1996-1997. As a recognized speaker on several theological topics, including Sacramental Theology, Neal has lead numerous spiritual retreats, revivals, and study seminars for groups all across the United States. Among those who have sought him out for such services have been the United Methodist Women, the United Methodist Men, Clergy groups from several denominations, and dozens of local churches.
Greg is a member of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature. A member of the Order of Saint Luke, in the early 1990s he served as Prior of the Duke Divinity Chapter. His love of liturgy and the contemplative life, as well as his keen interest in the ecumenical movement, led to his being invited to become the first United Methodist Associate of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, an Anglican Monastic community which has fed him spiritually for 17 years.
Interests:
Dr. Neal is interested in many fields of Theological, Historical, and Biblical study, including Pneumatology, Christology, Philosophical Theology, New Testament Canonical and Textual Criticism, Pauline, Johannine, and Synoptic Studies, but his field of specialization is Sacramental Theology. Greg is an author of many articles and several books. One of his most important works is Grace Upon Grace: Sacramental Theology and the Christian Life, which can be ordered through The Grace Incarnate Store and Amazon.com. To read a chapter from this book -- "The Sacraments as Means of Grace" -- click here. Dr. Neal's most recent book, Seeking the Shepherd's Arms, is a work of Christian devotional literature and is also available online or in your local Christian bookstore. Never one to be idle, Dr. Neal is currently working on several books, each of which focuses upon topics within Sacramental Theology.
Among Reverend Neal's many interests may be found a love of languages, and especially the study of linguistic theory. Over the past 25 years he has been a student of 10 languages: Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac, Coptic, Akkadian, Old Church Slavonic, Russian, and Theological German. Recently, Dr. Neal has begun a study of Dutch, and he is beginning to work on modern Hebrew. Some day he hopes to study one of the Far Eastern languages, like Japanese.
Greg is also fascinated with computers and the internet, and enjoys designing websites as a means of furthering his ministry. Rev. Neal has been a Macintosh person since the mid-1980s, and prior to the advent of the Mac he used one of several Apple II computers. Hence, it should come as no surprise that he doesn't use a Windows PC.
Like many ministers, Greg is an avid reader of many different literary genre. In addition to the theological and biblical fields, he particularly loves Science Fiction and Fantasy, his favorite authors being Robert A. Heinlein, James P. Hogan, Larry Niven, and Andre Norton. He also enjoys Tom Clancy's "Jack Ryan" series, the "Father Dowling Mystery" novels of Ralph McInnery, and the works of Mark Twain. Check out his Bookshelf for works of the Biblical, Theological, Historical, and Scientific genre.
Dr. Neal loves motion pictures of many different kinds, including classic films and current releases. His favorite classic-movie actor is William Powell and his all-time favorite actresses are Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn. Being a Science Fiction fan, it should not be a surprise to anyone that Greg is also a fan of Star Trek, Stargate SG1, and the new Battlestar Galactica.
Greg is also an avid world traveler, and especially loves ocean-going vessels and cruise ships. The Holland America Line is his Cruise Line of choice; although he has traveled on ships of other Lines, he particularly loves the charm and old-world grace and high level of service that is provided by their officers and crew. Thus far, he has enjoyed well over 135 days aboard HAL ships as a passenger, and even more days as a Volunteer Chaplain, and looks forward to many more years of ocean voyages on the decks of HAL's "Damships." Check out his Photographs Page and his Cruise Photos Links Page for photos and reviews from many of his cruises and trips around the world. You can also find him posting on the CruiseCritic discussion board under the screen name "RevNeal," as well as over on the CruiseMates message board, so check out his postings either place. |
| Thoughts about SETI and SETI@home |
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Frequently Asked Questions:
"Why is Reverend Neal involved in SETI@home?"
Rev. Neal believes that the creativity of God is not limited to just this planet and our solar system. The revelation of God, found not only in Scripture but also in the General Revelation of the created order as a whole, demonstrates that God fashioned the Universe with order, beauty, structure, and purpose; for there to not be life -- and intelligent life -- elsewhere in this vast universe would violate the very nature of God that can be discerned through science. God doesn't waste resources -- and neither should we! -- and, so, it is inconceivable that God would waste the rest if this vast universe by not filling it with a multitude of other living beings. By searching for the signals of such beings, Rev. Neal believes that human beings are furthering the long-standing mandate which we have to come to understand the vast majesty of God's creation.
"Wouldn't discovering ETs be a disaster for Christians?"
Quite the contrary, the discovery of God's creative work among the intelligent species of other star systems will do more to confirm the majesty of the Creator than any other discovery that modern humanity might make. If the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator of the Universe -- and God is -- then why would God not create other life forms in other solar systems throughout this, and other, Galaxies? And, imagine, what might they teach us ... and what might we teach them? Missionary work, anyone? |
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