Meet Todd T. W Daly, PhD. He is currently an Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics at Urbana Theological Seminary in Champaign, Illinois. He completed a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University, a M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Ph. D. in theology from the University of Edinburgh.
His writings have appeared in publications including Ethics & Medicine, The Journal of Evolution and Technology, Christianity Today, and several edited volumes dealing with trans humanist philosophy from a theological perspective, including Trans humanism and Transcendence (Georgetown University Press), and Religion and Trans humanism (Praeger).
Thank you, Dr. Daly, for sitting down with me and sharing your story with us.
Questions:
Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
A: I was at Iowa State University finishing my electrical engineering degree, had a job lined up at Motorola and I was involved in a Christian campus organization that gave some opportunity to do some teachings. I realized about 3-4 months before graduating that I should probably devote my life to teaching of some sort, I suspected that transition was going to come slowly and take time. I signed a contract, I was obligated to work with Motorola, I was about to get married, there was general concern that I remain gainfully employed, but my worst fears were confirmed at Motorola. It’s a great company, great people to work with but I knew that line of work, working with setting up cellular network, was not just for me. I started in seminary part time, I love that, but I also realized after getting a Masters of Divinity that I was not called to be a pastor. I have no real heart for pastoral ministry, so the only thing I thought I would like to do was get a PhD to teach. We moved to Scotland and we spent 4 years in Edinburgh, I was working on a PhD in Systematic Theology and Ethics, graduated in early 2000’s and interviewed for a job here in Champaign.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Champaign-Urbana, and what do you love there?
A: That’s really hard because there’s so many good ones like Black Dog, The Courier Café but my absolute favorite meal is at Fiesta Café on First Street. It’s the steak tampiquena, and it’s like a steak with wonderful spices.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in Champaign-Urbana?
A: Since the beginning of 2006.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Champaign-Urbana?
A: One of the most fascinating people I’ve met is Michael Aref who is a Palliative Care physician at Carle Hospital, and he is a gifted speaker. I hold him in very high regard because his whole position is working at caring for the least and the most marginalized, the most fragile- often a physical and emotional thing. He’s just a great guy.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: First and foremost, I’d like to go back to Edinburgh. We spent 4 years there and forged friendships that have been lasting and I think lifelong. It’s just a place with tremendous beauty with the North Sea to the east and lots of castle whirlwinds, and on the occasional clear day you get this beautiful view up to the highlands.
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: I would encourage people to pursue their callings and also at the same time to be aware that we often confuse careers with callings, they are not the same thing. I think, calling is something that you find to have to do because of the joy it brings, and also its tied deeply to making the world a better place and alleviating pain.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: One of them is to drive through Montana and Idaho, because I’ve never been to that part of the country. And the other would be to read through the entirety of Barth’s Church Dogmatics which is 14 volumes and St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica.
Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Champaign-Urbana?
A: Manette Cheese, going back to First Street. They’ve changed location but they’re not making Italian food anymore.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Champaign-Urbana?
A: The last 4 years I had an opportunity to be an assistant cross country coach for a middle school here in the area and we’ve had to train out of the Arboretum. I’ve come to love going there every year, especially in the fall, just being out in nature and seeing how wonderful it’s laid out.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
A: Hopefully still alive and probably doing the same thing.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: I was involved in a project once in Albania in early 1990’s. We were providing aide work to some remote villages in the Northern part of the country, had to be helicoptered into some of these places. I was team leader in one particular location, we were trying to land in this village and we found out that there was some hostility to assistance. When I jumped out of the helicopter, I was met with a villager who was ready to hit me over the head with a steel pipe. I jumped back on the helicopter and got out of there.
Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: Rest, Peace and Family.
Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose? Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?
A: It is easy and I know how my wife will answer this question, but I would totally go for a Physical fitness trainer that could keep me in shape. Although second would be a Chef.
