Reach out to Randy Woodley for Booking Questions
Meet Dr. Randy Woodley
Dr. Woodley addresses a variety of issues concerning American culture, faith, justice, race, our relationship with the earth, and Indigenous realities. He recently retired as Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture and Director of Intercultural and Indigenous Studies at Portland Seminary, Portland Oregon. His expertise has been sought in national venues as diverse as Time Magazine, The New York Times, Politifact, Christianity Today, The Huffington Post, and Planet Drum: A Voice for Bioregional, Sustainability, Education, and Culture. Randy identifies strongly with issues of eco-justice, diversity, and racial justice. He has found the sweet spot of sharing difficult truths, in the spirit of love and acceptance through his teachings and writings. Randy’s authentic and timely messages dig to the root of our own imbalanced and unjust systems in an effort to restore us all to ways of harmony.
Dr. Woodley earned a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies and remains active in ongoing discussions in a variety of areas concerning spirituality, earth-care, racial and ethnic identity, diversity, peace, social justice, eco-justice, interreligious dialogue, Indigenous studies, agriculture, and spirituality. A former member of the Oregon Dept. of Education, American Indian/Alaska Native Advisory Board, Dr. Woodley has taught for Cook Indian School, at Bacone Indian College, and was a founding board member of NAIITS, the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies. Dr. Woodley was co-founder and Program Director of the NAIITS/George Fox Master of Arts Intercultural Studies degree. Raised in the mean streets near Detroit, Michigan, he was a first-generation college student, and maternally, a first-generation non-coal miner. During his academic career, Randy attained the rank of both tenured and distinguished professor while at George Fox University.
Randy was raised in a section of Ypsilanti called Willow Run, and later moved to Saline, Michigan. He spent several summers on his uncle's ranch in Oklahoma, a lifestyle he would later cherish and personalize. He is recognized as a Cherokee descendant by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians.
Randy and his wife Edith, are the founders of Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm & Seeds. Through Eloheh they invite people to a new relationship with Creation and model sustainable farming practices and Earth justice. You can learn more about their work here. And more about their Cultural Consultant work at Sho-Kee here.
Randy, Edith
and Eloheh
I happily count Randy and Edith as family and mentors. It would be difficult and would take up far too much space here to recount the ways they have shown me kindness, taken me in, and gone out of their way to support and encourage me in my work and life, particularly when it involves struggles for Indigenous justice, ecological defense, and solidarity with peace and sovereignty movements in Korea. I am hardly alone. The Woodleys have been involved in mentoring Indigenous leaders and others for over three decades. Their service among the most disenfranchised people in America led them to become serious about important issues such as peace, racism, and eco-justice for everyone.
-Seth Martin, Folksinger and Activist
Meet Randy Woodley:
(an interview,
“Decolonize Your Faith”)
"Holy Heretics" was one of my favorite interviews of all time! Definitely, the most fun! Gracious hosts and great questions that allowed me to tell the gritty truth! Lots of important information in the Show Notes.
Video Interview:
The Harmony Tree
Doug Pagitt helps Randy peel back the many layers of this unique children’s book, The Harmony Tree: A Story of Healing and Community. This book is “a story for adults that children will like!”
Some of Randy Woodley’s Work
