Drawing on spiritual wisdom from a variety of traditions, we work with progressive religious organizations, political nonprofits, and foundations interested in the spiritual infrastructure of the future. Recent projects include a peer support program for elected officials from across the country, a research project with the Henry Luce Foundation on spiritual podcasting, and a grant-supported initiative on spiritual parenting outside of religious traditions.
In the first phase of Nearness's work, its efforts centered on developing new experiments in spiritual community. In the second phase, alongside this ongoing community-building work, Nearness expanded to cultivate fresh work in theology, art, and literature, launching Kismet, a literary magazine of spirituality, religion, and mysticism.
Nearness was founded in 2021.
Alec Gewirtz is the co-founder of Nearness. He's written about religion and spirituality for The Nation, Jacobin, and other venues, and his work has been featured on BBC and in The Atlantic. A graduate of Princeton University with a degree in religious studies and a former Fulbright Research Scholar at a theological college at The University of Toronto, he lives in New York City.
Mathilde Hjertholm Nielsen comes to Nearness from a background in literature, where she worked as a freelance editor and writer after graduating with her MA in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University. She previously led communications and events for the Danish Church in New York and is interested in studying the relationship between theology and time.
Co-Founder Casper ter Kuile brings deep expertise on the evolution of community. He’s the author of The Power of Ritual (HarperOne, 2020), a former Harvard Divinity School Innovation Fellow, the co-founder of research and design firm Sacred Design Lab and the co-creator of podcasts Harry Potter and the Sacred Text and The Real Question. He lives with his husband in Brooklyn, NY.
EJ Baker is a designer and creative director with 10+ years of experience in brand, art direction, web design, and illustration. Via their independent practice, inkcap, they work with a diverse clientele, using their deep understanding of visual communication to drive change. They live in western Massachusetts.
