Religious Writer and Theological Contributor

Alina Buzdugan

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change!" - Alina Buzdugan

Alina Buzdugan is a writer and theologian who brings compassion, faith, and life experience to everything she shares at Bible Chat.

Alina dedicated 18 years of service at Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in Greenwood Village, Colorado, where she served as a chanter, leading thousands of liturgical services and sacraments. Additionally, she served as the Youth Director for 7 years, participating in summer camps, basketball tournaments, and retreats that helped nurture the spiritual growth of the church’s youth. Alina also led ministries, trained volunteers, and played a key role in fostering a strong, faith-centered community. In her role at Saint Catherine, she also led spiritual retreats at monasteries for adults and taught emotional intelligence and personal growth and development classes.

After her time at Saint Catherine, Alina spent one year at Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Loveland, Colorado, where she continued her work with retreats, ministry training, and personal connection, as well as teaching emotional intelligence and personal growth courses.

Her heart for service led her to work with street children and homeless youth in both Romania and the U.S. for five years, deepening her commitment to marginalized communities. Alina also spent two years as a novice sister in a monastery, discerning her calling to monastic life.

Currently, Alina serves as the Content Strategist for The Bible Chat Podcast & US and Global Philanthropy Lead for the Bible Chat Charity Association, where she ensures that all content reflects sound Christian values, emotional understanding, and practical insights. Her work at Bible Chat is deeply rooted in Scripture and personal experience, focusing on topics such as prayer, forgiveness, trauma-informed ministry, and community life.

Alina believes that faith should be active and full of love, and her background in cultural studies and emotional intelligence allows her to connect with people from all walks of life. Through her work, she fosters healing, understanding, and growth, both in individuals and communities.

Education and Experience

Professional Experience

1. Pastoral Assistant - Adult Ministries: Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, Loveland, CO (JANUARY 2024 - DECEMBER 2024)
2. Ministry Coordinator/Communications Manager/Chanter: Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox Church, Greenwood Village, CO (AUGUST 2004 – MARCH 2022)
3. AmeriCorps/Urban Servant Corps: Urban Peak Shelter for Homeless and Runaway Youth, Denver, CO (AUGUST 2002 - AUGUST 2003)
4. AmeriCorps/Urban Servant Corps, Neighborhood Partners Volunteer, Denver, CO (AUGUST 2003 - AUGUST 2004)
5. Social Worker and Outreach Counselor: Saint Macrina Social Center for Street Children, Bucharest, Romania (APRIL 1998 - JUNE 2000)
6. Foster Care Family Assistant: Rhea Home for Children, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (JANUARY 1995 – JANUARY 1997)

Community/Volunteer Experience

JULY 5, 2024 - JULY 11, 2024 & JULY 6, 2018 - JULY 13, 2018

Project Mexico Home Building Volunteer, Tijuana, Mexico

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

• Dry Bones: Non-profit for Denver’s homeless youth (2017 - 2022)
• Philoptochos: Women’s philanthropic society of the Greek Orthodox Church (2016 - 2019)
• Village Resource Center: Connecting needs with faith community resources (2014 - 2021)

Education

1. Master of Arts in Social and Cultural Anthropology, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium (2000 - 2001)
2. Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj, Romania (1993 - 1997)
3. Continuing Education
4. Mental Health First Aid USA Certification, Denver, Colorado (October 2016)
5. Developing Emotional Intelligence, Denver, Colorado (June 2015)
6. Certified Stephen Minister, Denver, Colorado (Sept 2015 - May 2016)

Languages

English: Native or bilingual proficiency; Romanian: Native or bilingual proficiency; Greek: Professional working proficiency

About our Faith Review Process

At TheBibleChat.com, our mission is to help you grow in your faith with content that is both biblically accurate and spiritually enriching. That's why we work with a dedicated team of writers, theologians, and faith leaders who share a passion for God's Word and a commitment to truth.