Rev. Susan Alker is an ordained interfaith minister. Her ministry exists to help people experience the deep and endless love of the Divine.
Susan’s path to ministry has been long and winding. Her religious journey began in a highly unusual manner, as she was born to parents who were members of a religious cult. She participated in the cult until her mid-20s, when she and others saw a chance to leave. The group had a lot of strange beliefs and was focused on terrifying doomsday prophecies. But one of the most pernicious teachings was that God was a harsh and judgmental deity who demanded perfection. In childhood, Susan had learned a faith based in deep fear, with “salvation” never assured. It took many years and a lot of effort to unwind the effects of the cult.
Several years ago, Susan began to feel the Spirit showing up in her life in new ways. Through direct experience, she was surprised to discover, deep in her bones, that God actually truly and fully loved her. And beyond that, God loved everyone! God’s love even included the Earth itself and all of creation. Shortly thereafter, Susan began to feel a call to ministry. The love of the Divine was too wonderful to keep to herself. It needed to be shared with others – as many as possible – and she felt that she was being asked to participate in that.
Susan believes that God loves everyone more fully than we can ever imagine. She believes that the Spirit delights in each of us and is thrilled when we reach out to communicate. The Divine is always present with us and within us – and we can see and experience God’s love in ourselves and in all of creation.
Her personal practice is based in contemplation and mysticism. While she is a follower of Jesus and draws inspiration from the Bible, she also believes there are many sources of inspiration and many ways to experience the Divine. She has found that she experiences the Divine/Holy most readily in outdoor, natural settings.
In addition to ministry, Susan teaches courses in ethics and law at Fairfield University in Connecticut. She is also a licensed attorney in the State of New York. She is currently a part-time student at Yale Divinity School and a member of the Andover Newton Seminary program at Yale University, where her research is focused on eco-mysticism and eco-spirituality.