The Rev'd Joseph Wolyniak, Chaplain

Fr Joseph joined ECP as chaplain beginning in the fall of 2016.

Baptized at St Patrick Catholic Church in downtown Detroit, Joseph was received into the Anglican Communion via the Church of England in 2009. He comes to ECP with experience in a variety of campus ministry settings, having served as a Chapel Lector at St John’s College Chapel–Oxford, Chaplain's Assistant at Raleigh Episcopal Campus Ministry, and Chapel Assistant at Duke University Chapel. He also worked in residence life as a Graduate Resident in Edens Quad at Duke University and the Connor Community at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.

Prior to his reception into the Anglican Communion, Joseph worked alongside the Roman Catholic Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province doing parish-based community organizing and advocacy with The Franciscan Coalition for Justice and Peace. Having left parish ministry to pursue doctoral study in theology, he and his wife joined the Oxford Catholic Worker community–an extension of the London Catholic Worker providing hospitality to refugees and asylum seekers. He returned to parish ministry as a Theologian-in-Residence at the Church of the Ascension in Denver, CO, and was subsequently appointed to the Bishop's staff in the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado as a Missioner for Discipleship & Theological Education in the Office of Faith Formation, supporting campus ministry, adult faith formation, and Anglican Studies at Iliff School of Theology.

Joseph was ordained to the diaconate by The Rt Rev'd Anne Hodges-Copple (Bishop Pro Tem, Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina) at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Raleigh, NC, on the Feast of St Barnabas (June 11) 2016; and to the priesthood by The Rt Rev'd William Stokes (Bishop of New Jersey) at Princeton University Chapel on the Third Sunday of Advent (December 11) 2016. In the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, he is an active member of the Commission on Ministry/Committee on Priesthood, Board of Examining Chaplains, and Campus Ministry Commission.

An Episcopal Church Foundation Fellow and co-founder of The Scholar-Priest Initiative, Joseph holds a BS in neuroscience and a BA in philosophy from East Carolina University, a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) and Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University, and is a DPhil candidate in Theology (History, Doctrine & Ethics) at Oxford University (Harris Manchester College). His academic interests include Anglican moral theology, animal ethics, early modern intellectual history, Catholic Social Teaching, the thought of John Henry Newman, and contemporary issues at the nexus of science, technology, and faith. His dissertation is on the thought and legacy of Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626), in particular his reformulation of the theological virtues — faith, hope, and love.

Joseph is married to The Rev’d Elizabeth Costello (Associate Rector, St Thomas' Episcopal Church–Whitemarsh, PA) and they are the proud, if exhausted, parents of a rambunctious toddler, Evelyn Thérèse.

In his spare time, Joseph likes to spend quality time with his wife and daughter (including spontaneous day trips and jaunts to museums, parks, and vegan restaurants in New York City or Philadelphia), see a movie at Princeton Garden Theater, hike and drink good beer (not at the same time), listen to NPR (offering many a factoid beginning with "I heard on NPR...."), and watch college sports of most any variety (but most especially East Carolina football and Duke basketball).

Connect with Fr Joseph to discuss any matter at any time: j.g.w [at] princeton.edu or fb.com/jwolyniak.