Bio

Here’s my brief bio:

J. F. (Jim) Alexander is theologian-in-residence at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in San Jose, California, and author of I Am Sophia, a spiritual adventure.

If you’d like to know more . . .

A seeker with a restless intellect, I have engaged for decades with academic, spiritual, and popular theology, comparative religious studies, and philosophy. My first book, I Am Sophia, was published in 2021. Lauded as "gripping" and "visionary," this work combines a space-travel story with theological dialogues in an extended parable about God, love, and Christianity’s future. I lead the Theological Expeditions seminar at Trinity Cathedral, an inclusive and inquisitive faith community where in 2022 the dean appointed me lay theologian-in-residence. I am a member of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Christian Philosophers.

I also am a licensed attorney and part-time general counsel to the spacefaring international nonprofit LunARC. And as of 2026, I serve on a 13-member board of bishop, clergy, and laity with fiduciary responsibility for the finances, properties, and legal affairs of The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of El Camino Real, which comprises 40 parishes, plus associated schools and ministries, in coastal California and Silicon Valley.

The son of a disabled American veteran and a social worker, I grew up in the Texas Panhandle. I’ve spent most of my adult life in northern California, though I also lived for some years on the East Coast and in Germany. My education spans the liberal arts, international affairs, law, and theology, with meaningful forays into science and technology. My wife and I have been married for twenty-three years, and we are the parents of a college student. In my free time, I hike among towering redwoods, practice yoga, and debate the finer points of the Star Trek canon.

View my latest reflections on theology, spirituality, and society.