Joseph Franklin Johnson

  • Educator
  • Greenwood, SC 29646, USA
  • Jul 24, 2024
Full time Education: University/College Executive Ministry, Pastoral Nonprofit Publishing / Journalism Religious Education

Personal Summary

   I am a native of Greenwood, SC; born August 23, 1971. I attended local elementary, middle, junior high and high school and was involved in art and music and was raised in a pious Christian home.
I entered Lander University in 1989 and though an art major, was very interested in early Christianity. I entered Emmanuel College in the Fall of 1991, with the goal of one day teaching at the college level.

   After graduation in the Spring of 1995, I enrolled at Erskine Theological Seminary in the Fall, where I completed two Masters degrees. In the Spring of 1996, my wife and I were consulted by Greenwood Christian School to assess the religion curriculum and make recommendations and we began teaching in the Fall of 1997. We wrote and taught the religion curriculum for Middle and High School. I taught full time, chaired the religion department, and served on the curriculum committee, which led me to pursue the Doctor of Education degree in 2005.

   In October 2007, I became the minister at Rock Presbyterian Church in Greenwood, SC, but after four and a half years, I resigned in May 2012 since they could no longer afford a full-time minister. In 2013, my family entered the Catholic Church and we helped start a liberal arts K-12 cottage school in Greenwood, SC, where we serve as board members. In 2015, I joined the staff of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church as Pastoral Associate and in 2017, to Director of Christian Formation.

   In my educational research, I am interested in moral philosophy and pedagogy; character education in relation to religion; curriculum philosophy, classical pedagogy and the history of American education. In the field of religious studies, I am interested in Thomism, liturgics, existentialism and ontology, philosophy of religion, historical theology, patristics, ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue.

   I currently live in Greenwood, SC with my wife Toby, daughter Abi and son Benji. I enjoy yardwork, family genealogical studies, Scottish Highland Games and culture, music, coffee, card and board games.

Work Experience

Director of Christian Formation
Jul 2017 - Present Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church
  1. Religious Education (K5 - 8); Spiritual formation (K5 - Adult); catechist training
  2. Adult Catechesis: Philippians study; Catholicism 101; Vatican 2: Facts and Myths
  3. Guest speaker: Men’s Retreat (March, 2013 - 2015)
  4. Maintain website, social media
  5. Pastoral Care: Pre-Marriage, Annulment and Grief counseling; Funeral planning

Education

Doctor of Education
Aug 2005 - Nov 2014 Liberty University
Master of Arts in Theological Studies
Aug 1995 - May 1999 Erskine Theological Seminary
Master of Divinity
Aug 1999 - Jan 2004 Erskine Theological Seminary
Bachelor of Science in Religion (Church History)
Aug 1991 - Jun 1995 Emmanuel University