David F. Potter

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I am an ordained Episcopal Priest called to contemplative activism. Living in the nation's capital, I strive to equip and empower lives marked by both spiritual vitality and active faith. 

    

Our present social fabric is threadbare—as seems only increasingly evident. Opportunities for meaningful connection and shared belonging are rare, and their erosion brings a desperate situation. Beyond the surface level of much division though, I believe a mutual yearning exists: for wholeness, for renewal, for new life. And, wherever true, this is itself a sign of tremendous hope—because healing and transformation begin with a meager longing for what is possible. No matter how fledgling or far-fetched our visions for a truly common life may be, our collective flourishing begins with a simple-yet-profound act of imagination. 

    

Before completing the Master of Divinity degree at Yale Divinity School, I trained in conflict transformation studies and restorative justice practices. My work since—in community development, faith-based mobilizing, and spiritual formation—has been in one way or another tethered to this foundation.

    

I call Washington, D.C. and the Anglican tradition home, though my earliest roots will ever remain in Midwest Evangelicalism. The many stories and places of creative tension I have inherited, lived, and witnessed have shaped me and formed two core convictions. In this time of seemingly constant change, I believe we are primed for social transformation. And I believe ways of living and loving that honor our shared humanity matter deeply—that we are better together.