Stephanie A. Ford

Stephanie Ford was ordained by the Alliance of Baptists in 2000 and joined Binkley’s staff in September 2011. At Binkley, she discovered thoughtful and progressive biblical thinking, spiritual nurture, social justice, and community. Stephanie deeply esteems Binkley’s priority of soul liberty, a rich legacy of her Baptist forebears.

In 1982, after receiving her B.A. and M.A in Elementary Education from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma — Stephanie continued her studies at Oklahoma State University, receiving an M.A. in English. For over a decade, she taught English as a Second Language at the college level. In 1996, Stephanie was awarded a Master of Divinity Degree from The Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Virginia. Meanwhile, she completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education, served as Steely Intern for Spiritual Life at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, and received a certificate in spiritual direction.

In 2003, Stephanie earned a Ph.D. in Spirituality from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and she continues to be passionate about sharing the spiritual wealth of the Christian tradition with others: prayer, the mystics of the Church, spiritual practices, and discernment. Stephanie is also eager for children of all ages to discover their own innate spirituality. She believes that each one of us is spiritual, though we come at our journeys in different ways.

She served for 10 years as Associate Professor of Christian Spirituality at the Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana, before coming to Binkley. She has also taught English, English as a Second Language, and Religion at the college level.

Stephanie enjoys children, and loves spending time with her daughter, Deepmala. Together they enjoy their dog, Anna, time outdoors, and most recently for Deepmala, horseback riding! Stephanie’s other pastimes include reading, travel, writing…and thrift store shopping!