Chloe Johannes Specht

Hi there, my name is Chloe.

I grew up at the feet of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. I have always felt at home standing in the banks of a river.

But my upbringing wasn’t quite as picturesque as the tranquil mountain streams. I was raised in a small, conservative community — the oldest daughter in a homeschooling, evangelical pastor’s family.

My world didn’t begin to open up — believe it or not — until ventured off to bible college.

That stint in higher ed led to travels, then grad school, and then even more travel. And as the world I was raised in began to crack, a whole new universe of possibility was opening up to me.

At heart, I am a teacher.

I love to share what I’m learning on my little corners of the internet. I hold a Master of Divinity, and I’ve studied abroad in Israel and Palestine.

I’m also a storyteller, an abolitionist, and an advocate for liberating spiritual care. In 2021-2022, I was a fellow with Sojourners, a DC-based justice org. In 2020, I was also a fellow with The Center for Public Justice.

My work as a queer, autistic theologian is my deepest passion. I am a licensed pastor in a progressive and inclusive denomination, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and I currently serve a vibrant LGBTQ+ congregation in central Kentucky.