Professor Dr. Cynthia Lindner

Biography

Cynthia Lindner received her Doctor of Ministry from the University of Chicago Divinity School, where her training emphasized biblical studies, ethics, and psychological studies. With over thirty years of experience, she has worked as a parish pastor, hospice chaplain, and pastoral psychotherapist. Her teaching and research interests center on contemporary ministerial identity formation, multi-religious theological education, practice ethics, preaching, and pastoral care in a multicultural society. She also examines the role of religious communities in addressing communal violence and trauma, the interface of corporate worship with public witness, and the impact of identity formation on congregational life. Currently, she serves as the Faculty Director for the Ministry Studies and is the director of the Chicago Commons Project, an early-career pastoral leadership development program funded by the Lilly Endowment. Additionally, Lindner explores the concept of pastoral multiple-mindedness in her book, 'Varieties of Gifts: A Multiplicity of Well-Lived Pastoral Life', published in 2016 by Rowman & Littlefield, and she is developing new research projects focused on narrative experiences in congregational life and the collaboration of pastoral practices. She is a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and the International Association of Spiritual Care.

Research Interests