William L. Edelen

William Edelen was born in West Texas and spent his boyhood there and in Oklahoma City. He flew for twelve years as a U. S. Marine Corp, pilot, flying both fighter planes and transports in World War II and Korea. This included one tour of duty as one of six personal pilots assigned to the staff of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Washington D. C.

He requested a discharge and returned to Oklahoma State University where he received the Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture and Biology. He then entered McCormick Theological Seminary (on the campus of the University of Chicago) where he received his Masters degree in Theology.

Edelen’s history

 Two years graduate studies in anthropology, University of Colorado.

 Lecturer of religion and anthropology, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington

 Weekly columnist for many western newspapers

 Special studies with Joseph Campbell, whom the New York Times called “The pre-eminent scholar in Comparative Religions and Mythology.”

 Active ordained Presbyterian and Congregational minister, 30 years

 Author of Toward the Mystery, Spirit, Spirit Dance, and Earthrise (chosen by the National Methodist Women’s organization as one of their national study books in 1986.)

In 1990 he received a grant from the Annenberg Foundation to promote religious literacy through writing and speaking. He started a Sunday Symposium at Oakmont in Santa Rosa, California, a weekly meeting where he lectured for 45 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of discussion.

In 1994, after moving to Palm Springs, California, he started a similar Sunday Symposium at the Palm Springs Tennis Club. It is an outstanding group of free thinkers that meets every other Sunday except August and September. His home base is Palm Springs where he now lives.

He has lectured widely in the Western states from Colorado, Idaho and New Mexico to California. He has written a regular weekly column for many Western newspapers including The Desert Sun of Palm Springs, The Chieftain of Pueblo, Colorado, The Idaho Statesman of Boise Idaho and The News Press of Santa Barbara, California.

His website is: www.williamedelen.org. This site publishes all of his weekly columns plus other information. The Edelen Ministries is an IRS approved charity that exists for the purpose of educating and raising the level of religious literacy.