Our Pastor

The Rev. Dr. George Walters-Sleyon was appointed the pastor of St. James, AME Church, Danbury, on Saturday, June 14th by the Right Reverend, Bishop Samuel L. Green, Sr. He was born in Liberia/West Africa but was raised on three continents: Africa, the United States/North America, and the United Kingdom/Europe. Dr. Walters-Sleyon has a multi-cultural, multi-racial and a Jesus Christ-Wesleyan-Richard Allen-DuBoisian perspective of life, ministry, theology and humanity.

He brings to St. James a vest ministry and academic experience from Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom. Dr. Walters-Sleyon has served several churches in the Pentecostal denomination, the United Methodist Church, and presently, the African Methodist Episcopal Church since 1989 when he first responded to the Call of God upon his life.  He is an author, pastor, speaker/consultant, professor, poet and singer/songwriter and gospel recording.

Dr. Walters-Sleyon’s academic background is interdisciplinary. He earned his undergraduate from Central University College in Ghana/West Africa, his Master of Divinity  and his post-graduate masters-S. T. M. from Boston University School of Theology in Philosophy, Social Ethics, and Religion/Theology. Dr. Walters-Sleyon earned his PhD from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland/UK, where he studied Comparative Criminal Justice/Criminology, Practical Theology, and Ethics.

He has earned a teaching certificate as an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) of the United Kingdom. Dr. Walters-Sleyon is a McDonald Distinguished Fellow at Emory University’s Center for the Study of Law and Religion and an Associate Fellow at the Scottish Center for Crime and Justice Research in Glasgow/Scotland.  He teaches Applied Ethics, Principles of Sociology, Introduction to Philosophy, Introduction to Criminology and World Religions at Bunker Hill Community College and other universities in Boston. His research interests include systematic/liberation/mystical/practical and philosophical theologies, Christian ethics, mass incarceration and race, chaplaincy, congregation/ministry development, blended worship, Christian spiritual enrichment, prayer and preaching.

Dr. Walters-Sleyon is the author of five books including several articles:  Locked Up and Locked Down: Multitude Lingers in Limbo Revised Edition (2017); Nuggets from the Night: An Anthology of Poetic Expressions (2020); Prison Chaplains on the Beat in US and UK Prisons (2021); God in the Name of God Jesus Christ (2022), and his recent book; The Rush for Black Diamonds, Vol. One (2024).

Besides his academic and pastoral interests, Dr. Walters-Sleyon is a singer songwriter and gospel recording artist with three albums: “I Believe,” “Hold On You Will Survive,” and “Beyond the Blues.” One of his songs, “God’s Been Good to Me” was nominated Gospel Single of the Year in 2004. Dr. Walters-Sleyon is married to Mrs. Alomiza Walters-Sleyon, a former elected member of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia, and together they have five children. 

He can also be reached at:

• sleyon820@gmail.com

• www.georgewalterssleyon.com