The Rev. Nate Craddock is a writer, composer, pastor, podcaster, professional astrologer, and public theologian in southwest Michigan, where he runs Soul Friend Astrology, produces the Jailbreak the Sacred podcast, drinks a lot of Diet Coke, and writes about spiritual formation in the context of his own journey to integration.

Or tries to, at least.

Nate is a chaplain to weird kids. His people aren’t church folk: they’re astrologers and anarchists, magicians and mathematicians, queer folk and questionable company, post-theists and porn actors, reverent revolutionaries. Everyone who’s ever been at home with the weird kids in high school who hang out under the stairs after band practice find their way, somehow, to Nate’s social circle.

Nate loves the Eucharist and the Church. He wishes more people were able to experience what Church at its best can be. At the same time, he totally gets that people need to leave for one reason or another, and so he writes here to provide snacks for anyone’s ongoing spiritual journey—for the “Care of the Soul,” to use Thomas Moore’s phrase.

Nate completed his MDiv at Asbury Theological Seminary, [most of] his MA in historical musicology at the University of Kentucky, and a BA in music composition at Asbury University. After finishing seminary, he worked in human services for several years while figuring out where to land within the Church, and eventually found his way to the United Church of Christ after orbiting the world of Old Catholicism for a while.

Because of that, he’s church mutt and, for better or for worse, a terrible Protestant, but he absolutely and utterly adores the United Church of Christ and is beyond thrilled to have found a home that takes seriously its covenant to welcome all and work for justice.

Nate also completed a CPE unit in the psychiatric unit of a community hospital, and previously served as a pastoral assistant at Hope United Church of Christ in Alexandria, VA while working as a residential care provider, a foster care worker, a job coach for folks with different abilities, and a church planter for a spell. Nate was ordained in the Old Catholic tradition and is now has full ordained standing in the United Church of Christ.

Nate lifts weights, writes music, and learns languages for fun when not working. 今年の春から日本語を特別に勉強してました。Nate lives with his husband Michael and their Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Calvin, in Battle Creek, MI.

The majority of Nate’s writing these days is to be found on his astrology website, found here.

DISCLAIMER: This site is my personal site and my views do not necessarily represent the views of my congregation or association.