V. Rev. David Alexander, Ph.D
Archpriest of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Father David Alexander is an Archpriest of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. He is a longtime student and associate of Professor Renos Papadopoulos, founder of the Centre for Trauma, Asylum & Refugees (CTAR) at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom.
Fr. David completed his Ph.D. at Essex under the supervision of Professor Papadopoulos and Archimandrite Nikolai Sakharov. For the following nine years, he served as a fellow at CTAR, traveling with Professor Papadopoulos and collaborating in care, research, writing, teaching, consultation, and clinical and academic supervision.
His 2025 book, Leaping Into the Hands of God: Lessons from My Teachers on Hypostatic Spiritual Care (SVS Press), presents the foundational principles he received during these years. He writes not only as a student, but also as a missionary, chaplain, and professional caregiver with more than twenty years of experience serving survivors of political violence and natural disaster. The book is used as an assigned text in pastoral theology courses at Saint Vladimir’s and Saint Tikhon’s Seminaries.
