Fr. Daniel Johnson, OPA grew up in Albert Lea, Minnesota and was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition. In his twenties, he stepped away from the Church and spent a season practicing Soto Zen Buddhism and identifying as an atheist, an experience that ultimately led him to a life-changing rediscovery of faith within the Episcopal Church.
Fr. Daniel holds a B.A. in English from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota; an M.A. in Irish Literature from Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland; and an M.Div. with a concentration in Christian Spirituality from the Virginia Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) at Nashotah House Theological Seminary, focusing on English Mysticism.
Fr. Daniel is a life-professed friar in the Anglican Order of Preachers (OPA) and serves as Chaplain to the Virginia Chapter of the Society of Catholic Priests. He is also a Spiritual Director to both lay people and clergy.
A self-described lifelong nerd, Fr. Daniel loves comic books, science fiction, Japanese Samurai films, poetry, theater, literature, theology, philosophy, and all things Bible. Before ordained ministry, he enjoyed a dynamic creative life as an actor, director, playwright, and stand-up comedian. He also studied martial arts, including Taekwondo, Goju-Ryu, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He currently plays hockey in the local rec league.
Fr. Daniel lives in Fredericksburg with his wife, Shannon, a fourth-grade teacher. They have three children (Logan, Aubry, and Rhys), two dogs (Kylo and Beckett), and a perpetually hungry cat (Pepper).
