Adam Hayden
Age
I am 29 years old.
Occupation
By day I’m a Human Resources Workforce Analyst for Starbucks; by night I’m the director of the
Indianapolis Interfaith Conversation Network; in-between I’m a full-time college student.
Hometown
Born in Indianapolis, I grew up on Phoenix, Arizona, only to move back to Indy when I was 12. I’m a
native Hoosier, though, for what that’s worth. If you’ve been to the restaurant Farm Bloomington -- that’s what being from Indiana feels like to me.
Education
I spent 2000 to early-’02 studying philosophy at IU, testing my hypothesis that you can graduate while only attending a handful of classes. I disproved that hypothesis. Actually, I’m likely one of the few students who maintained a 3.8 average in Symbolic Logic, Medical Ethics, and Existentialism while flunking out of English Comp. This Fall, ’11, I’ll (finally) have my Associates complete, and I’ll return to IU(PUI) back at work onphilosophy, with a modified hypothesis to test, of course.
Faith Background
Running through my dad’s side of the family is a proud United Church of Christ, UCC.org, tradition. My dad is UCC clergy, his dad was, and my two uncles are UCC clergy. This manifested itself in two important childhood realities: First, it meant for years zero through 16-ish of my life religion, church, putting on your Sunday-shoes... It was all an expectation. That’s just what you do. People are watching, you know?
But that’s a surface-level reality. Growing up UCC also meant to me (reality number two) that I was exposed to a progressive, inclusive, open and affirming, still-speaking God from an early age.
The plot thickens when, at 17 or 18 years old, we discovered, through my mom, a connection to our Jewish lineage. I’m not sure how you would react, but for me this was big news. I’ve spent the past decade learning about the unique peoplehood, tradition, and theology of my Jewish brothers and sisters.
Why are you at Lockerbie Central?
I’m here because it is through tangible relationships with each other we experience the intangible sense of the Divine.
Books on Faith that Changed My Life
Eating Animals, Jonathan Safron Foer (not a “faith” book, but an important book);
Gonzo Judaism, Rabbi Elliot Goldstein
The Phoenix Affirmations, Eric Elnes
Religious Literacy, Stephen Prothero
Lost Tribe, edited by Paul Zakrzewski
A History of God, Karen Armstrong
The Portable Atheist, Christopher Hitchens
The Gnostic Gospels, Elaine Pagels
Forged, Bart Ehrman
and everyone (EVERYONE, seriously) who reads the Bible, ought to have The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha--these annotations will lend tremendous volumes of clarity to the text.
What's exciting you right now?
Community Involvement
Director, Indianapolis Interfaith Conversation Network
Leadership Team, Lockerbie Central
Equipping Ministry Chairperson, Friedens UCC
Director of Shalom Service worship, Friedens UCC
Local Steering Committee, J Street Indianapolis
Advisory Member, Faith Learning Initiative, CTS
I am 29 years old.
Occupation
By day I’m a Human Resources Workforce Analyst for Starbucks; by night I’m the director of the
Indianapolis Interfaith Conversation Network; in-between I’m a full-time college student.
Hometown
Born in Indianapolis, I grew up on Phoenix, Arizona, only to move back to Indy when I was 12. I’m a
native Hoosier, though, for what that’s worth. If you’ve been to the restaurant Farm Bloomington -- that’s what being from Indiana feels like to me.
Education
I spent 2000 to early-’02 studying philosophy at IU, testing my hypothesis that you can graduate while only attending a handful of classes. I disproved that hypothesis. Actually, I’m likely one of the few students who maintained a 3.8 average in Symbolic Logic, Medical Ethics, and Existentialism while flunking out of English Comp. This Fall, ’11, I’ll (finally) have my Associates complete, and I’ll return to IU(PUI) back at work onphilosophy, with a modified hypothesis to test, of course.
Faith Background
Running through my dad’s side of the family is a proud United Church of Christ, UCC.org, tradition. My dad is UCC clergy, his dad was, and my two uncles are UCC clergy. This manifested itself in two important childhood realities: First, it meant for years zero through 16-ish of my life religion, church, putting on your Sunday-shoes... It was all an expectation. That’s just what you do. People are watching, you know?
But that’s a surface-level reality. Growing up UCC also meant to me (reality number two) that I was exposed to a progressive, inclusive, open and affirming, still-speaking God from an early age.
The plot thickens when, at 17 or 18 years old, we discovered, through my mom, a connection to our Jewish lineage. I’m not sure how you would react, but for me this was big news. I’ve spent the past decade learning about the unique peoplehood, tradition, and theology of my Jewish brothers and sisters.
Why are you at Lockerbie Central?
I’m here because it is through tangible relationships with each other we experience the intangible sense of the Divine.
Books on Faith that Changed My Life
Eating Animals, Jonathan Safron Foer (not a “faith” book, but an important book);
Gonzo Judaism, Rabbi Elliot Goldstein
The Phoenix Affirmations, Eric Elnes
Religious Literacy, Stephen Prothero
Lost Tribe, edited by Paul Zakrzewski
A History of God, Karen Armstrong
The Portable Atheist, Christopher Hitchens
The Gnostic Gospels, Elaine Pagels
Forged, Bart Ehrman
and everyone (EVERYONE, seriously) who reads the Bible, ought to have The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha--these annotations will lend tremendous volumes of clarity to the text.
What's exciting you right now?
Community Involvement
Director, Indianapolis Interfaith Conversation Network
Leadership Team, Lockerbie Central
Equipping Ministry Chairperson, Friedens UCC
Director of Shalom Service worship, Friedens UCC
Local Steering Committee, J Street Indianapolis
Advisory Member, Faith Learning Initiative, CTS
