Biff Rocha

Biff Rocha is an Assistant Professor of Theology at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. He is currently a doctoral candidate in Theology from the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, where, in the program on the U.S. Catholic Experience, he specialized in the history of catechesis in the U.S., particularly in the nineteenth century. He is currently revising his doctoral dissertation which deals with the Italian American priest and scholar Januarius De Concilio and the authorship, history and theology of the Baltimore Catechism.

Biff earned an M.A. (2002) in Theological Studies at the University of Dayton, an M.A. (1998) in Communication, with an emphasis on Rhetoric at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a B.A. (1988) at Miami University, where he double majored in English and Political Science, and had a special focus on Geology.

Biff is a popular speaker who has presented at parishes and schools across the country. He has also published in popular periodicals including New Oxford Review and Hands On Apologetics. He has also presented scholarly paper before such learned societies as the American Academy of Religion, the American Society of Church History, the National Communication Association and the Central States Communication Association. He has also published scholarly articles in professional journals and proceedings including the Global Media Journal and the Proceedings of the Nineteenth Century Theology Group of the American Academy of Religion.

Biff was raised nominally Catholic, and then at college he became an evangelical Protestant and became heavily involved with Protestant para-church ministry, eventually becoming a full-time staff member with one of these organizations, and serving on mission trips to Italy and Japan. He eventually re-entered the Catholic Church, and has been instrumental in helping many others find their home in Rome.

Jason Shanks

A convert to the Catholic faith, Jason Shanks was raised Methodist. During college at Miami University of Ohio, he became active in an evangelical Protestant organization and began investigating the beliefs of Protestantism. This investigation ultimately led him, much to his surprise, to the Catholic Church. Jason sites his discovery of the Catholic understanding of the Eucharist as the ultimate turning point of his conversion process, saying, “I knew then, I had to be Catholic.”

Since his conversion in 1999, Jason has worked in many areas of ministry, but he finds speaking with groups on various issues of faith to be the most rewarding. Jason has held positions as a youth minister in the Catholic Church, is the co-founder of a Catholic youth camp for junior high students, and was President of Greater Columbus Right to Life for two years. He recently received an award for his work with GCRTL. He has published articles in Catholic magazines and newspapers, and has spoken to various groups and ages about the Catholic faith.

Jason has a Masters in Theology from the Pontifical College Josephinum with a concentration in Evangelization. He recently received a Master in Nonprofit Administration from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame. Currently, Jason is the Parish Administrator of St. Mary’s in Columbus, Ohio, where he lives with his wife, Melissa and his daughter Nora.

Jeffrey L. Morrow

Jeff Morrow is Assistant Professor of Theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. He also serves as a Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.

Jeff earned his Ph.D. (2007) in Theology at the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, in the program on the U.S. Catholic Experience, where he focused on historical theology and the history of biblical exegesis. He earned his M.A. (2003) in Theological Studies, with a focus on Biblical Studies, also at the University of Dayton. He earned his B.A. (2001) at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, where he double majored in Comparative Religion and Classical Greek, and minored in Jewish Studies.

Jeff originally comes from a Jewish background; he attended Hebrew school and had a bar mitzvah. In 1997 he became an evangelical Protestant and was heavily involved with para-church ministry as an undergraduate student. He entered the Catholic Church, Easter Vigil 1999.

Jeff is a popular speaker who speaks regularly at parishes and schools, as well as at larger events. He has made popular presentations at the Applied Biblical Studies and the Defending the Faith Conferences at Franciscan University of Steubenville, as well as with the Coming Home Network International. He has also published in popular periodicals including This Rock, The Catholic Answer and New Oxford Review.

Jeff's scholarly work is primarily in the history of biblical interpretation, but he has also presented academic papers, and published scholarly articles, on a variety of topics related to theology, religion and the Bible. He has published, or has forthcoming, scholarly works in academic journals including the Scottish Journal of Theology, New Blackfriars, Pro Ecclesia and the Evangelical Review of Theology. He has also made scholarly presentations before a number of learned societies, including the American Academy of Religion, the Society of Biblical Literature and the College Theology Society.

He currently resides with his wife Maria (a doctoral candidate in Theology, specializing in Moral Theology) and their two daughters Maia and Eva, in New Jersey.

Ryan

Ryan is a husband, father, entrepreneur. Raised in an evangelical Protestant home, the Catholic Church wasn't top of mind. At college he befriended several Catholics and began challenging them toward a more biblical faith (mainly the others authors on this site). But soon he was the one finding himself challenged, particularly on the issues of the Eucharist and Sola Scriptura. After nearly a decade of study (and refusing to study), Ryan, along with his wife Rachell and newborn son, Quinn, were received into the Catholic Church on Easter Vigil, 2009.

Ryan studied Comparative Religion and Rhetoric at Miami University, where he was active in campus ministry through Campus Crusade for Christ and Sigma Theta Epsilon. Ryan served in his home church for 6 years leading the Junior High and High School Sunday worship services and youth groups.

Ryan lives with his wife and son (and endless house guests), in Burlingame, CA.