Thandeka (minister) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rev. Dr. Thandeka
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| Born |
Sue Booker
March 25, 1946 New Jersey
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| Education | Claremont Graduate University (Ph.D.)
UCLA (M.A.) Columbia University, School of Journalism (M.A.) University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (B.A.) |
| Occupation | Theologian and activist |
| Known for | Contemporary affect theory, critical vision theory, theology, philosophy |
Thandeka is a Unitarian Universalist minister and an American thinker. She created a special way of understanding religion called "affect theology."
Her affect theology connects religious understanding with human feelings. It mixes ideas from an old thinker named Friedrich Schleiermacher with new discoveries about how our brains process emotions. Thandeka is also the leader of Love Beyond Belief, which is a non-profit group.
About Thandeka
Thandeka was born Sue Booker in New Jersey on March 25, 1946. Her mother, Emma, was an artist and teacher. Her father, Merrel D. Booker, was a Baptist minister and a professor.
In the 1960s, Thandeka became interested in the Unitarian church. She became a Unitarian Universalist minister in 2001. In 1984, she received the name "Thandeka" from Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In the Xhosa language, "Thandeka" means "beloved" or "one who is loved by God."
Thandeka studied journalism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Columbia University. She later earned a master's degree in the history of religions from University of California, Los Angeles. In 1988, she earned her Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University.
Her Work
Thandeka has taught at many universities and schools. These include San Francisco State University, Williams College, Harvard Divinity School, and Brandeis University.
Understanding Feelings and Faith
Thandeka's work looks at how our feelings and emotions are part of our religious and spiritual lives. Her book, The Embodied Self, explores the idea that feelings are very important in human experience. She believes feelings help people connect their minds and bodies.
Her work also looks at how new scientific ideas about emotions, like those from Jaak Panksepp, relate to religion. Thandeka's affect theology focuses on emotional awareness as a key part of religious experience, rather than just beliefs.
Thinking About Identity
Thandeka also has different ideas about how we understand identity. She believes we need to look closer at ideas like racism and white privilege.
She uses ideas from neuroscience to understand how people's identities are formed. Thandeka hopes her ideas can help different groups of people find common ground and work together.
