Tilden H. Edwards, PhD.
Tilden, an Episcopal priest, is Shalem's Founder and Senior Fellow. He served as Shalem's Executive Director from 1979 until 2000 and continues to be involved in Shalem's Clergy Spiritual Life and Leadership Program, the Spiritual Guidance Program, regional gatherings and the Society for Contemplative Leadership.
Born in Austin, TX, Tilden grew up in Texas, New York, Oregon and California. He holds degrees from Stanford and Harvard, a doctorate from the Union Graduate Institute, a Certificate of Anglican Studies from the Episcopal Theological Seminary, and an honorary doctorate from Virginia Theological Seminary.
From 1967-1978, Tilden was Executive Director of the Metropolitan Ecumenical Training Center in Washington, DC, an organization focused on social and congregational concerns in twelve denominations of the religious community. At the same time he was director of the Urban Training Program for seminarians from five seminaries in the Washington area. Prior to that, he was part of the team ministry of the Church of St. Stephen and the Incarnation in Washington, DC.
Tilden is the author or editor of eight books—Spiritual Director, Spiritual Companion; Living in the Presence; Spiritual Friend; Sabbath Time; Living with Apocalypse (ed.); All God’s Children; and Living Simply Through the Day; Embracing the Call to Spiritual Depth: Gifts for Contemplative Living—and has written numerous journal articles about various aspects of the spiritual life.