Authentic Theology aims at authentic, honest, and clear discussions about theology while engaging in public theology, public ministry, and theological advocacy for love, equality, justice, and mercy.
Authentic Theology is owned, operated, and published by Aukenjam LLC. Aukenjam’s work includes public theology (e.g., publishing theological journalism, writing, speaking, and public engagement), public ministry (e.g., prison ministry), and other forms of Christian ministry.
Steve Gardner is the president of Aukenjam LLC. As part of his work for Aukenjam LLC, he preaches in a prison and engages in public ministry and theology.
Steve received a Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) degree from Lipscomb University. He received a Master of Divinity (M. Div.) degree from the Wake Forest University School of Divinity, where he served as a writer for The Tablet and in a public-theology internship. He is trained in Biblical Hebrew and Greek and has basic proficiency and reading competency in both.
Separate from Aukenjam, he’s practiced law for over 25 years and continues to do so. He clerked for federal judges in North Carolina and Washington, D.C. In addition to a law degree, he has a master of science and a bachelor of science in electrical engineering.
Steve served an adjunct professor at a law school for seven years and a university graduate school for eight years, the chief editor of three quarterly publications (one academic, two professional), as a deacon and Sunday School teacher, and on boards of multiple non-profit organizations, including ones associated with the arts, education, children, engineering, law, homelessness, and health.
A long-time writer, he has written over 200 published articles and manuscripts on legal and religious topics. His articles on legal topics have been cited by the Supreme Courts of Delaware, Kentucky, Mississippi, and New Mexico, Courts of Appeal of Maryland, South Carolina, and Utah, a U.S. District Court, and a U.S. Court of Appeals and in over 10 treatises written by law professors and others and in several books. They have also been cited in over 50 law journals, including the Stanford Law Review, Berkeley Technology Law Journal, North Carolina Law Review, New York University Law Review, Cornell Law Review, Journal of Natural Resources & Environmental Law, Stanford Journal of Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, and Journal of Gender, Social Policy, and the Law. His articles on religious topics have been read by several hundred thousand and have been the subject of sermons and Sunday School lessons, cited by bishops in making decisions for 800+ congregations, cited in books and multiple articles on religious topics, and discussed by panels appearing on religious television broadcasts. In law school, he was the editor-in-chief of the law review.
In his work for Aukenjam LLC, he attempts to bring to bear his years of varied experience and education to make cross-disciplined observations (applying theology, law practice, science, engineering, and other disciplines) and to serve as an independent, authentic, theological voice and worker for love, equality, justice, and mercy.
All articles, papers, speeches, and other works published at AuthenticTheology.com or elsewhere by Aukenjam LLC are copyright, owned, edited, and published by Aukenjam LLC, all rights reserved. Aukenjam also owns, publishes at, and operates other sites, including the Authentic Theology Facebook page, the Church of Christ at Blogs and Conversation Facebook group page, and TheologySteve Twitter. Aukenjam LLC is the publisher of all articles, papers, speaking engagements, and other content and works published at AuthenticTheology.com, at those other sites if associated with Steve Gardner or other person associated with Aukenjam LLC, and at any place if associated with Steve Gardner or other person associated with Aukenjam LLC and it is theological or ministry related. For reprints and requests for permissions relative to copyright, use the Contact page.
You can contact Aukenjam LLC through the Contact page or at president @ AuthenticTheology dot com.
The picture icon for the site is a picture Steve took from a small boat on the Sea of Galilee—get out of the boat and walk?
