Having grown up in the Church, I have lived and breathed the Bible for a long time, first in Sunday School and now as a biblical scholar. I know first-hand how this wonderful and strange text has a profound impact on identity and the way people move in the world.
Yet I also know the Bible can be abused in ways that makes some of us wonder if it still has value. As a biblical scholar, my job is to show why Scripture is still a world of wonder and guidance today. These ancient texts reveal the truth of God’s kindness toward us. They offer God-breathed wisdom collected across hundreds of years. And they open our eyes to the meaning of life and how to best navigate it.
Scripture is a source of discernment, and the practice of discernment drives the vision for The Redwood Center for Spiritual Care and Education. Discerning our times. Discerning our lives. Discerning the movements of the Holy Spirit. How do we best live in these days? How do we hear and follow God’s voice? In an information age that floods us with every imaginable thing, we can feel like deer caught in the head lights. But it is possible to learn how to notice and respond to the Spirit’s voice in daily life.
I promote discernment in two ways: by making biblical scholarship accessible and by teaching the Ignatian way of spiritual discernment. Concerning the first, I teach courses, speak in both academic and church settings, author helpful books and articles, and synthesize commentary on faith and culture. Access to quality and reliable scholarship is pivotal for discerning how to navigate this world in a Christ-like way. This is part of what it means to “love God . . . with all your mind” (Mark 12:30). But none of us have time to be an expert on everything. As a nerdy bookworm, that’s where I can help. I sort through the mass of material to translate the best scholarship on certain key issues, making it understandable and showing its relevance for real life.
Alongside translating scholarship for a popular audience, I teach discernment through Christian spiritual practices. My path to Ignatian Spirituality happened accidentally. Ignatius of Loyola, a pastor who lived in the 16th century, has much to teach us about discerning the movements of the Holy Spirit. Several years ago, I stumbled upon Ignatius and Ignatian Spirituality through the practice of spiritual direction. I was in a season of struggling to see or trust God’s active involvement in my life when someone pointed me to a spiritual director who attended my church. The experience was life-changing. Eventually, I decided to become a spiritual director myself and completed a certificate program with the Faithful Companions of Jesus, a congregation of Catholic sisters in the Ignatian tradition. While pursuing doctoral studies at Marquette University, I served campus staff at the Faber Center for Ignatian Spirituality, where I received additional mentoring, including in the Spiritual Exercises. Today I focus my Ignatian work in group settings, which also serves to alleviate the isolation many people experience in our transient culture.
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Additional Trivia about Karen R. Keen:
- Th.M. in Biblical Studies (Duke Divinity School), M.A. in Exegetical Theology (Western Seminary), M.S. in Education (counseling; Western Oregon University), B.S. in Psychology (Corban University; formerly Western Baptist College).
- Ph.D. drop-out. I achieved Candidacy (ABD) toward a doctorate in Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity at Marquette University before voluntarily leaving the program to pursue ministry. Candidacy required two years of course work, passing four language exams (Greek, Hebrew, German, and French), a year of study to pass several hours of comprehensive written and oral exams, and obtaining approval on a dissertation proposal. Someday, God willing, I hope to turn my dissertation research on violence in the Old Testament into a book!
- California girl who has lived in Oregon, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and now Texas. I also lived on a kibbutz in Israel for 8 months during my junior year of college.
- Author (see publications). I have loved writing since I started keeping a journal in 2nd grade (yes I still have them!).
- Takes teaching seriously. Certificates in EPIC 30 Online Teaching, Preparing Future Faculty, and Contemplative Pedagogies.
- Lover of trees, especially redwoods.
Contact: Click to e-mail Karen.