AMOS SMITH BIOFor a complete bio and other cool stuff visit the author on the web at www.rcmr5.orgThe son of an artist (mom) and a Foreign Service diplomat (dad), Amos Smith lived his first ten years overseas and finished his growing up years in Virginia. Highlights of Amos' travels include a year overseas working for Habitat for Humanity in 1989, a month long trip to Pechersk Lavra (a preeminent center of East Orthodox Christianity) in Kiev, Ukraine in 1990, a year-long India and Nepal adventure in 1993, and yearly retreats to a string of monasteries across the Western States from the year 2000 to the present.Amos earned a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Religion from The University of California at Santa Cruz in 1993, a Masters of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley in 1998, and a Doctor of Ministry from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2008. He is a lifelong student of three streams: Progressive Christianity, Contemplative Christianity, and Eastern Mystic Christianity.Amos began his interest in religion when serving as an acolyte and crucifer at Saint George's Episcopal Church in Arlington, Virginia, where he was mentored by the pastor.During college days, Amos became a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Friends' silent meetings for worship were Amos's introduction to silent prayer and Contemplative Christianity. Amos found his way to the United Church of Christ in 1994.In 1999 Amos began his career as a United Church of Christ minister in Montana at the base of The Beartooth Mountains. Amos, an avid backpacker and mountain climber, loved hiking in The Beartooths. Since Montana Amos served as an ordained minister for 17 years in Washington, Oregon, and Arizona. He is now part of a Quaker silent meeting in Washington.Amos is a family man, hiker, walker, weight lifter, seasoned Centering Prayer practitioner, retreat leader, and author. His writing has been published in various newspapers and magazines including The Billings Gazette, The Spokesman Review, Friends Journal: Quaker Thought and Life Today, and Chicago Seminary Press.Read more about this authorRead less about this author