ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr. Reginaldo Paranhos Braga, Jr. is Associate Professor of Religion and Education at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, where he has also served as Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. A theologian, educator, and pastor with transnational experience, his vocation integrates over two decades of teaching, research, and institutional leadership with pastoral work in multicultural and ecumenical settings. Born in Recife, Brazil, he was ordained in the União de Igrejas Evangélicas Congregacionais do Brasil and now serves as a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). His pastoral ministry in Brazil and the United States (New York City, Yonkers) has centered on community empowerment, including the creation of immigration legal clinics, computer and language literacy programs, and pastoral care for immigrant families. His service as a chaplain with the American Red Cross during the September 11 crisis shaped a pastoral identity rooted in resilience, compassion, and solidarity in contexts of trauma. Dr. Braga holds a Doctor of Education in Religion and Education from Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary, with a dissertation titled Towards a Pedagogy of Grace: In Search of Transcendence and Integration in Paulo Freire. He also earned a Master of Theology in New Testament Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary, a Bachelor of Theology from the Seminário Teológico Congregacional do Recife, and a Licentiate in Portuguese and English from the Universidade Católica de Pernambuco. His teaching focuses on critical theory, religious education, transformative pedagogies, and intercultural mission. At ITC he has designed and led international immersion programs and partnerships with institutions in Brazil, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Ghana, and Cuba, preparing leaders to engage the church’s mission in post-secular and intercultural contexts. He has also served as consultant and evaluator for the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) and has chaired academic sections of the Religious Education Association and the American Academy of Religion. He is the author and editor of works on religion, human rights, pedagogy, and intercultural mission, including Religião, Violências e Direitos Humanos (2019). His current research explores pedagogical and social practices of authenticity inspired by the medieval Iberian convivencia among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. As founder of Point of Encounter, a nonprofit mobilizing education, health, sports, and arts initiatives in vulnerable communities in Brazil and the United States, Dr. Braga embodies a model of leadership that connects academy, church, and civil society. Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, he continues to serve as a bridge-builder across cultures, languages, and ecclesial traditions in service to the mission of the global church.