About the author
The Rev. Dr. Thomas W. Shepherd is a retired U.S. Army Chaplain who has served religious communities around the world for more than 30 years in the clergy. Before studying for the ministry, he flew medical evacuation helicopters in Vietnam, earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses, Air Medal, Purple Heart, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. Shepherd holds a B.S.Ed. from the University of Idaho, Master of Divinity from Lancaster Theological Seminary, and Doctor of Ministry from Saint Paul School of Theology. He has served as assistant executive director of the Universal Foundation for Better Living and as senior minister of Unity churches in Georgia, South Carolina, and California.
In 2005, Shepherd became de facto chair of the one-person Historical and Theological Studies Department at Unity Institute, located at Unity Village, Missouri. His Q&A column, "That's a Good Question," has been one of the most popular features in Unity Magazine since the 1990s. Dr. Shepherd is the author of three books on theology, church history and practical spirituality: Glimpses of Truth (UFBL Press, 2000), Friends in High Places (iUniverse, 2006, 3rd edition), and Good questions (Unity House, 2009); he also writes science fiction novels under the pen name Thomas Henry Quell.
While living in California, Shepherd produced and moderated the critically acclaimed local acces TV program Coffee with the Clergy, a twice-weekly interfaith panel discussion, featuring interaction among religious leaders from diverse backgrounds on a wide range of topics which usually explored areas that were frankly controversial.
Currently teaching at Unity Institute, Dr. Shepherd finds time to host Let's Talk About It, a weekly Internet radio program on Unity.FM, and is "plodding through" several book-length writing projects. Dr. Tom, as his students call him, has ordained ministerial standing with Unity Worldwide Ministies (formerly the Association of Unity Churches International), the Unitarian Universalist Association, and the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. He lives in Lee's Summit, Missouri, with his wife Carol-Jean.