ay N. Forrest (D.Min.) is the founder and Director of the Center for Buddhist Naturalism. He is a certified meditation teacher, an ordained Humanist Celebrant, and the author of nine books, including Practical Buddhism: Wisdom for Everyday Life and Secular Buddhism: An Introduction. Before becoming a Buddhist Naturalist and a Humanist, Jay was a Pentecostal Evangelical Pastor with The International Pentecostal Holiness Church. In over two decades, Jay pastored churches in Wisconsin, Missouri, Tennessee, Arizona, and New Mexico. Jay did his undergraduate work at Central Bible College and Berean University, and received his Doctorate of Ministry from Trinity Evangelical Christian University. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity.