Author

Gretchen E. Ziegenhals

Spiritual director and retreat leader

Gretchen E. Ziegenhals is a spiritual director, worship leader and educator whose work combines broad experience in event design with a theology of hospitality and a love of the arts.

She directed programs at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity for over 13 years, including The Pastors and Scholars’ Studio, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence, Denominational Leadership, Foundations of Christian Leadership and, for seven years, A Convocation of Christian Leaders. In addition she has directed Duke Divinity School’s Study Leave program.

For 10 years, she was a facilitator and writer for the Lexington Seminar, a Lilly Endowment Inc. project that assisted Protestant theological seminary faculties with issues in teaching and learning. Prior to The Lexington Seminar she was an assistant editor at The Christian Century.

Ziegenhals is a graduate of Yale Divinity School and Williams College.

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The Art & Science of Vocational Discernment Course from FTE

This five-week course from The Forum For Theological Exploration is designed for ministry leaders who accompany young adults in exploring meaning and purpose. With this course, you will learn a framework that is adaptable, simple and deep to accompany young adults in hearing God's voice in how they can contribute to the world in powerful, meaningful ways. Enroll by April 12, 2026.

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