Профессор Йельского университета. Специалист в области гомилетики, церковной риторики, христианской коммуникации.
В 1967 г. получил бакалаврскую степень по гуманитарным наукам в Йельском университете. В 1970 г. - вторую бакалаврскую степень по богословию в Colgate Rochester Divinity School.
Докторскую степень получил в Virginia Theological Seminary.
В 1970-1977 гг. являлся помощником пастора в New Hartford Presbyterian Church.
В 1977-1986 гг. занимал должность доцента в Colgate Rochester Divinity School.
В 1986-1991 гг. являлся там же профессором гомилетики и приходского служения.
В 1991 - 2005 гг. занимал должность профессора в The Iliff School of Theology.
В 2000-2005 гг. являлся директором докторской программы по церковному служению в The Iliff School of Theology.
В 2002 -2005 гг. занимал должность вице-президента и главы департамента академических вопросов в The Iliff School of Theology.
С 2005 г. преподает в Йельской богословской школе.
Академические интересы: гомилетика, церковная риторика.
Избранная библиография
Монографии
- Meditation: Escape to Reality (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1977)
- Rage! Reflect. Rejoice! (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1977)
- Are You Saved? Answers to the Awkward Question (Westminster Press, 1979)
- Creating Fresh Images in the Pulpit: New Rungs for Jacob's Ladder (Listed as one of the ten most important books in 1983 by the Academy of Parish Clergy) (Judson Press, 1982)
- Open to Glory: Renewing Worship in the Congregation (with Carol Doran) (Judson Press, 1983)
- New Hymns for the Lectionary: To Glorify the Maker's Name, with Carol Doran(Oxford University Press, 1985)
- Imagining a Sermon (Abingdon Press: 1990)
- New Hymns for the Life of the Church (with Carol Doran) (New York: Oxford University Press 1992)
- The Parable of Ten Preachers (Nashville: Abingdon Press 1992)
- Trouble at the Table. Gathering the Tribes for Worship (with Carol Doran) (Nashville: Abingdon Press 1992)
- Borrowed Light: Hymn Texts, Prayers, and Poems (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994)
- Ten Strategies for Preaching in a MultiMedia Culture (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996)
- New Proclamation Series A, 1999, Easter Through Pentecost (Thomas H. Troeger, et. al.) (Minneapolis: MN: Fortress Press, 1999)
- Preaching While the Church is Under Reconstruction. The Visionary Role of Preachers in a Fragmented World (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1999)
- Imagining a Sermon, tr. by Hirohide Koshikawa. In Japanese. (Tokyo: The Board of Publications, The United Church of Christ in Japan, 2001).
Above the Moon Earth Rises: Hymn Texts, Anthems and Poems for a New Creation(New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2001) - Preaching and Worship (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2003)
- So That All Might Know: Preaching to the Whole Congregation(with Edward Everding) (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2008)
- God, you made all things for singing: Hymn texts, anthems, and poems for a new millennium (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009)
- Wonder Reborn: Creating Sermons on Hymns, Music and Poetry (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010)