I immigrated with my family to the United States from Vietnam when I was four. I am now a theologian, philosopher, and artist in Houston, Texas, creating work to narrow the divide between ideas and beauty.

I've spent seven years on the Nobel Peace Prize Committee for the American Friends Service Committee, taught philosophy and theology at universities, and hold degrees in both fields. My work has appeared in the Houston Chronicle, the Journal of Pastoral Care, and NPR's This I Believe.

But I've learned the most from the places where people live in the land between pain and hope, and where these stories are told.

Why I Write

I write because transformative ideas shouldn't be locked in academic language. The wisdom traditions that shaped how billions understand suffering and hope deserve to be accessible and opened up to all.

I'm Vietnamese-American. I'm a Christian shaped by a variety of spiritual backgrounds, including Buddhist and Taoist thought. I write for people caught between worlds, hungry for wisdom that connects to the complexity of their lives.

My Approach

I don't write to have all the answers rather to ask better questions alongside you. I want to give you language for experiences you might not have had words for, and introduce you to traditions that changed my life, in a way that trusts your intelligence and honors your questions.

Jesus of the East explores how Eastern spiritual traditions help us see Jesus with fresh eyes. I'm working on a book about the how the beliefs shape our lives and how the system that lies underneath all beliefs might be more important than the beliefs themselves.

Let's explore together.