Meet Dr. Gary F. Green II
Gifted educator and author, dynamic speaker, and an audacious thinker.
Meet Dr. Gary F. Green II, a gifted educator and author, dynamic speaker, and an audacious thinker who believes in the transformative power of “green” ideas. Much of Dr. Green’s work is grounded by the belief that every person embodies their own brand of brilliance, a unique blend of intelligence ready to be discovered, developed, and deployed in a world that is strategically distracted. This belief has been the inspiration behind his drive to develop expertise that speaks to all sides of the human experience. He is a theologian who teaches anthropology and social transformation, an athlete trained in the neurophysiology of sport and embodiment, and a curator of conversations that expose dimensions of power as they play out in public space.
Through all his professional engagements, Dr. Green’s real passion lies in helping leaders unlock their own expertise through the lost art of paying attention.
Dr. Green’s perspective is rooted in the tension between his love for stand-up comedy and his experiences growing up as a young Black athlete in San Antonio, Texas. Insatiably curious as a kid, and conscious of the ways Black athletes were seen in society, Gary quickly learned how to play the games (of life) to avoid the wrong kinds of attention. He was heavily recruited out of high school and received a scholarship to play football at the University of Kansas, where he sought to pursue his childhood dream of playing in the NFL until injuries redirected his attention to a felt call toward pastoral ministry—so he thought. While pursuing his Master of Divinity and working as an associate pastor, Gary’s call widened after he witnessed the ways institutional religion often limited the scope of attention its leaders could pay and the questions they could ask. Still curious, he decided to pursue a Ph.D. and graduated from Brite Divinity School with a degree in pastoral theology and social transformation, a field predicated on paying care-full attention to persons within political systems.
In addition to his current roles as associate professor and (founding) Director of Racial Intelligence Systems—formerly Anti-Racist Initiatives—at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Dr. Green is the author of Playing the Game: Embodied Brilliance Beyond the Moral Limits of Race in Sport.
Still a student of stand-up comedy, Gary loves to laugh and make light of even the most death-dealing situations. And, as a lover of play and imagination, he brings to the consulting world a unique capacity for recognizing the connections between seemingly disparate ideas, and an ability to curate conversations that bring them to life. Gary is a husband, a father, and a natural leader who loves to coach people into their own greatness by training them to pay deeper attention to the dynamics of everyday life.
Education and Qualifications
Degrees
Bachelor’s in Applied Behavior (BGS)
University of Kansas
Master of Divinity (MDiv)
Central Baptist Theological Seminary
Doctor of Philosophy
Brite Divinity School
Professional Affiliations
American Academy of Religion
Black Sports Ministry Network (Founding Member)
National Strength and Conditioning Association
Society for Pastoral Theology
Jeff Stoner
Entrepreneur, Executive Coach, Student, Father, Husband
“Gary is one of the most incisive people I know, and he is gifted with a unique ability to cause people to see the 'hard stuff' in a way that keeps you engaged.”
“Whether it's in an academic, business, community, or simply a friendship setting, Gary does not stop helping you see. I work with Gary in all of these contextual settings, and his capacity to appreciate me, see my humanity, and help me see through my blindness is extraordinary. I am a better human being as a result of my relationship with Gary, and this is helping me be better for others in all phases of life."
RELEASING NOVEMBER 4
RELEASING NOVEMBER 4
Dr. Green’s New Book
Playing the Game: Embodied Brilliance Beyond the Moral Limits of Race in Sports
Playing the Game investigates the intersection of race and ethics in cultural misinterpretations of Black athleticism in the United States. The book demonstrates the way Black athletes expose the colonizing logic of white supremacy and the story it tells of a post-racial society. It applies womanist theological ethics and theologies of embodied spirituality to three exemplars--Marshawn Lynch, Steph Curry, and Deion Sanders--who epitomize the play of racial politics surrounding depictions of the Black male athlete as "beast."
Paul J. Georgoff
Founder and Chief Leadership Officer, 4MinuteLeader
“I would enthusiastically recommend Dr. Green to any organization seeking to deepen its leadership capacity and confront the real dynamics shaping its culture.”
As a human resources executive overseeing a cohort-based leadership development program, I had the privilege of experiencing Dr. Gary Green’s work firsthand through his Production of Culture program. What makes Dr. Green truly exceptional is not just the content he brings, but the way he brings it. He has a rare ability to hold space with both depth and clarity, guiding leaders into the complex, often uncomfortable terrain of power, culture, and systems thinking with compassion, courage, and precision.
Dr. Green doesn’t deliver information, he facilitates transformation. He invites leaders to examine the invisible forces shaping their organizations and equips them with language, perspective, and insight to begin making meaningful change. In the session I observed, it was clear that his presence, intellect, and approach were opening up new pathways for reflection and leadership in the room.
I would enthusiastically recommend Dr. Green to any organization seeking to deepen its leadership capacity and confront the real dynamics shaping its culture.
Published Works and Appearances
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New United Professor Brings Unique Perspective to Pastoral Theology (United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities)
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Disrupting White Supremacy (Part I) — Seeking Justice, Caring for Community (United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities)
Disrupting White Supremacy (Part II) — Reimagining Public Safety: Confronting the Problem of Policing (Plymouth Congregational Church)
Horizons of Hope: Reorienting Ourselves to the Reality of Not Yet (United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities)
Envisioning Ecumenical Possibilities for Anti-Racism (United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities)
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Special Episode: Interview with Gary Green (Two Feminists Annotate the Bible Podcast)
Playing the Game: Unmarking “Beast” from the Bodies of Young Black Men — A Conversation with Gary F. Green II (The Leadership Center for Social Justice Podcast)
Rehumanizing Athletes: God Between the Lines in Sports (Making it Work: God and Your Work Podcast)
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Playing the Game: Problems and Possibilities for Black Men in the United States (United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities)
Ray Ann Homeyer
MDiv, Religion and Theology,
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
“Rev. Dr. Gary Green’s courses land in the top ten best of any higher education course I have taken, due to his compelling pedagogy, insightful facilitation, and rigorous commitment to social transformation, personally, relationally, and structurally.”
In general, he is an innovative, creative thinker and learning from him has expanded and improved my own capacity to wonder and critically think, engage across a variety of differences in scholarship and relationship, write succinctly and constructively, and bring playfulness and creativity into everything I offer. I am going to continue to follow Dr. Green’s scholarship and creative offerings, and I highly recommend his leadership and work to all!
Contact Dr. Green
Ryan Cagle
Former Student,
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
"Dr. Green curated a learning environment that not only helped our green ideas become rooted, but gave us the space to lovingly and critically tend to them…"
While Dr. Green’s classes were some of the most challenging, during my time at seminary they were also some of the most rewarding. I say challenging because his classes were a space cultivated for the growth and nurturing of both students and our green ideas, and growth can be challenging. Dr. Green curated a learning environment that not only helped our green ideas become rooted, but gave us the space to lovingly and critically tend to them, creating the conditions for them to blossom in unexpected and life giving ways, and I am forever grateful.