Seton Hall to Host Lecture on Logotherapy, Hope, and Recovery

Seton Hall University's Academy for Nature and Nurture (ANN) will host the Reverend Thomas (Tom) Edmondson, Christian minister, author and logotherapist, for a virtual lecture titled “Logotherapy: Finding Hope in Recovery” on Thursday, December 3, 2026, via Microsoft Teams, from 3 to 4 p.m. EST. Drawing upon the pioneering work of psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, M.D, Ph.D.

Edmondson will explore how the search for meaning can foster hope, resilience and personal transformation, particularly among individuals struggling with addiction and navigating the challenges of recovery. His presentation will highlight the spiritual dimension of the human person and the importance of discovering meaning even amid suffering, bringing insights from psychology, philosophy and pastoral theology into dialogue. Participants are invited to register through the event page to receive the Microsoft Teams meeting link.

A native of Georgia, Reverend Edmondson brings more than three decades of pastoral, educational and theological experience to his work in logotherapy. Ordained in 1992, he has served congregations in Georgia and Texas in a variety of ministerial roles, including 20 years as a bivocational pastor and high school teacher. He holds a bachelor's degree from Atlanta Christian College, a Master of Theological Studies from Emory University's Candler School of Theology and a Master of Arts in Jewish Studies from Emory University. His specialized qualifications include a Certificate in Pastoral Logotherapy from the Graduate Theological Foundation, a certificate in Noëtic Care and Counseling and a diplomate in Viktor Frankl's Logo-Philosophy from the Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy.

In 2026, he became an accredited member of the International Association of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis at the Viktor Frankl Institute in Vienna. He is the author of Faith Greater Than Our Challenges: What the Apostle Paul and Viktor Frankl Can Teach Us about Difficult Times (2021) and Introduction to Pastoral Logotherapy: A Psychology of the Human Spirit for Pastoral Care and Counseling (2026), both published by Wipf & Stock. Edmondson also founded Meaning in Ministry, an online resource offering articles, international interviews, translations and educational courses in pastoral logotherapy. In 2026, he established the Atlanta Center for Logotherapy, which offers individual and group sessions, book studies and educational programs. Together with his wife, the Reverend Ann Edmondson, he is also co-founder of Disciples Fellowship.

The event is hosted by Seton Hall's Academy for Nature and Nurture: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Resilience, an interdisciplinary research initiative dedicated to understanding addiction, promoting resilience and addressing contemporary mental health challenges. Directed by Distinguished University Research Professor Sulie L. Chang, Ph.D., the academy brings together faculty and graduate students from theology, psychology, social work, physics and the biomedical sciences to investigate the complex biological, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions of addiction and recovery.

Rooted in Seton Hall's Catholic Intellectual Tradition, ANN seeks to integrate biology, psychology, as well as Catholic theology and spirituality in advancing a holistic understanding of the human person. Through public lectures, interdisciplinary scholarship, graduate student research and community partnerships, including its collaboration with Prevention Links, the academy promotes innovative approaches to healing and human flourishing.

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