There is no application process for fellows. Rather, fellows are identified through Duke's on-going relationships and partnerships and offered sabbatical based upon promising intersections between the strengthening and deepening of the work of practitioners and the strategic goals and programs of the Center.

Fall 2007 Visiting Fellows:

Chris HeuertzChris knew that his life needed to count for the poor after spending several months in Calcutta with Mother Teresa in 1993. After graduating from Asbury College in 1994, Chris retuned to India to work with Word Made Flesh. By 1996 Chris was named Executive Director of Word Made Flesh and under his leadership the organization has expanded to more than 150 interns, staff members and board members.


Phileena HeuertzPhileena knew from an early age that she wanted to be a missionary, and during her junior year of college she had the opportunity to travel to India in pursuit of God’s heart for the poor. In 1995, Phileena participated in a summer program through Word Made Flesh, and the following year she joined the Word Made Flesh Servant Team ministering in India. Chris and Phileena married in 1996, and together they continued their passion for serving the poor through their work at Word Made Flesh. Chris currently serves as Executive Director and Phileena is Director of Community Care.

During his sabbatical, Chris focused on writing and publishing, learning and reflection, as well as dialogue and conversation. This included his work with Chris Rice and Emmanuel Katongole on a book for the Center’s Resources in Reconciliation Series. Chris is also writing a book tentatively titled “Simple Spirituality” for IV Press. Chris took advantage of the community at Duke, who helped develop a specific do-able writing collaboration between Chris and the Center for Reconciliation. Duke provided various on-campus professors and scholars to support Chris’ writing and to offer feedback along the way.

Phileena focused on spiritual formation, study and reflection, as well as dialogue and conversation during her sabbatical time. Phileena also took advantage of all that the Duke community offers. Specifically, Phileena conversed with various Divinity School professors, other theologians and practitioners in the area, and with various organizations within the Triangle. She was particularly interested in deepening relationships that will help to sustain her long time work.

Chris and Phileena’s presence strengthened the Center for Reconciliation’s strategic partnerships and synergies.  As previously mentioned, Chris worked on a small book to be part of the Center’s Resources for Reconciliation Series.  Chris also preached in Chapel, and both Chris and Phileena were available for conversations with students, gave guest lectures, and made connections with local congregations in Durham.

Fall 2006 Visiting Fellow:

David Porter

During the fall 2006 semester, David taught a course and began writing a book on the topic of “Thinking Biblically, Building Peace: Perspectives on Reconciliation and Conflict Transformation from the Northern Ireland Experience.”

David Porter is director of the Center for Contemporary Christianity in Ireland, formerly known as Evangelical Contribution on Northern Ireland (ECONI). David co-founded ECONI in 1987 and since 1994 has served as its first full time Director.

David leads a team of ten in working with the church on peacebuilding. He is specifically responsible for the Center’s work in dialogue with both Irish Republican and British Loyalist paramilitary groups in their moves towards peace, building relationships across the political divide and enabling a credible evangelical contribution to the British and Irish governments's work on the peace process in Ireland.

In 2000, David was appointed as a member of the Northern Ireland Civic Forum, set up under the 1998 Belfast Agreement, and chaired its working group on a plural society. Previously, Porter served as coordinator of Community Relations Programs at the Belfast YMCA, having spent 11 years with Interserve and eight years as a visiting tutor in Missiology at Belfast Bible College. He is a member of the UK Board of the Evangelical Alliance.

David earned his Honours Degree in Theology with Missiology from London Bible College and a Masters in Peace Studies from the University of Ulster.

Duke’s connections to David and his work are significant. Duke professors Stanley Hauerwas and L. Gregory Jones have spoken in Northern Ireland at David’s invitation, and in 2004-2005 David joined Center co-directors Chris Rice and Emmanuel Katongole in an international reconciliation project.