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Dr. Lace Williams-Tinajero, author of “The Reshaped Mind: Searle, the Biblical Writers, and Christ’s Blood,” (Brill, 2011) writes about the connection between language and the diverse ways people think of, speak of, believe in and ultimately worship God.

Her other interest is spirituality and parenting a child with special needs, especially learning to manage the fear in relation to her son’s incurable tumor condition, she said.

Williams-Tinajero is a native of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and grew up in the Catholic and Lutheran traditions. She completed a masters in doctrine and theology at Luther Seminary in St. Paul (2000). She earned a Ph.D. in theology, with concentrations in New Testament and systematic theology, at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. (2008). Her areas of research include biblical interpretation and speech act theory, and the ‘blood’ language in scripture.

In 2005 she authored ”Christian Unity: The Communal Participation in Christ’s Body and Blood.”

She resides in Spokane Valley with her husband Ernesto (Tito) and son Tito Jr.

Most Recent

The phone call

Lace Williams-Tinajero | Apr 19, 2013

The other morning I was in that in-between state of half awake, half asleep. I had a dream in which I wore a mask and tried to get my parents to guess who I was. I’ve wondered what to call such invisible states marking life’s transitional moments — dreamy to conscious, life to death, healthy to sick, sinner to saint. I’ve often thought of these in terms of crossing some line or threshold. But that morning, something caused me to rethink whether such ‘lines’ exist.
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Measuring God’s presence

Lace Williams-Tinajero | Mar 11, 2013

Yesterday I passed a cemetery, which my toddler calls a park, and noticed a woman standing at the foot of a grave. Red flower topped the stone. With her hands folded in front, she stood half turned as if wanting to leave yet a longing made her unable. Later I pondered the nature of God’s presence...
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Experiencing acts of kindness in an unexpected place

Lace Williams-Tinajero | Jan 18, 2013

Last week, our family was treated to dinner at Red Robin. When I arrived with our son, Tito, we had difficulty getting through the entrance. Too many people waiting to be seated. Holding my son’s hand, we made our way up to the hostess. When I mentioned we were there for Make-A-Wish, the sea of bodies parted.
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Transcending personal beliefs, part 4

Lace Williams-Tinajero | Dec 5, 2012

The phone rang. Upon answering, my dad was on the line to ask a question that, coming from him, took me by surprise. “What do you know about Calvinism?” Before I could respond, I heard my dad say, “Here is my daughter.” Shortly, I was on the phone with one of his paint contractors.
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Transcending personal beliefs, part 3

Lace Williams-Tinajero | Sep 21, 2012

Continuing with the question of the possibility of transcending personal beliefs, and the need to do so to discover another’s humanity, I delve into John R. Searle’s theories of language and mind. Have you ever considered how your language skills have evolved? From crying and screaming to understanding the alphabet. From cooing and mumbling to building words with letters.
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The cup runneth over for some, not all

Lace Williams-Tinajero | Aug 24, 2012

Two main groups gathered for one purpose on Aug. 20 at Spokane City Hall. Supporters of the Spokane Guilds' School, and the homeless, packed the basement because of the Vehicle Interference (Panhandling) Ordinance that would prohibit all groups from collecting money on the streets of Spokane, city-wide.
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Theology student encounters secular philosopher

Lace Williams-Tinajero | Aug 10, 2012

We had never met, though I recognized him when he came for me at our arranged time. Shorter than I, he stood about 5 feet tall, gray and hunched over.
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Encountering Jesus?

Lace Williams-Tinajero | Jul 9, 2012

He walked out of the woods. I watched from a distance, though I still felt afraid. He stood where the weeds meet the road.
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The possibility of transcending personal beliefs, part 2

Lace Williams-Tinajero | Jun 30, 2012

In part 1 of my series, I shared a story involving two of my former students, one an agnostic young woman, the other a young Islamic man from Pakistan, and how we experienced a rare and profound moment of transcending our differences to discover each other’s humanity.
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