Phil Snider is an award-winning author, pastor, public theologian, and teacher. He was born and raised in the heart of the Ozarks, where he still makes his home today.

He’s been a pastor at Brentwood Christian Church in Springfield, MO since 2003; he teaches courses in religious studies at Missouri State University and Drury University, as well as courses in ministerial practice and practical theology at Phillips Theological Seminary.

Phil’s pastoral work and scholarship explore the promises and possibilities at work in various liberation theologies, affect theologies and radical theologies, particularly in relationship to church practices.

Phil did his undergraduate work at Missouri State University (Springfield, MO), then earned his masters degree at Phillips Theological Seminary (Tulsa, OK) and doctorate at Chicago Theological Seminary (at the University of Chicago). He also holds a certificate in pastoral care and counseling from Forest Institute of Professional Psychology.

As an extension of his pastoral work with Brentwood Christian Church, Phil has served in various leadership capacities in the Springfield community over the years, including as President of the Drury University Board of the School of Religion, member of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council at Missouri State University, member of the Equity and Diversity Advisory Council for Springfield Public Schools, co-chair of the Springfield chapter of the NAACP Religious Affairs Commission, president of the Springfield Ministerial Alliance, representative leader to the Springfield Interfaith Alliance, and chair of the leadership table for Faith Voices of Southwest Missouri, which is dedicated to promoting economic dignity and race equity for all Missourians. He was the co-founder (with Katharine Sarah Moody) of the Subverting the Norm conference series at Drury University; he’s been the recipient of various leadership awards from a number of national and local organizations, including The Pilgrim Press (Cleveland, OH), GLAD Alliance (Indianapolis, IN), and Minorities in Business (Springfield, MO).

Some of the books Phil has written are, “Preaching as Resistance,” “Justice Calls,” “Preaching After God,” “The Hyphenateds” and “Toward a Hopeful Future,” co-written with Emily Bowen-Marler.