Ray and Star Silverman are authors, teachers, and program developers who lead seminars on spiritual development, creative conflict transformation, and relationship enhancement. Their popular seminar, Rise Above It: Spiritual Development through the Ten Commandments has been taught across America, as well as in Africa, Japan, Korea, France, Brazil, England, Sweden, Australia, and in the Philippines. Portions of the book have been translated into Czech, Swedish, Japanese, French, Portuguese, and Korean. Their new book, Rise above It: Spiritual Development for College Students, summarizes and synthesizes their experience of teaching this course to college students over the past 18 years.


Star has an MA in Education (University of Denver). Ray has a PhD in English and Education (University of Michigan), MAT in English (Wesleyan University), and MDiv  (Bryn Athyn College). Ray currently serves as Professor of Religion and English at Bryn Athyn College. He has also taught at Lincoln University, Urbana University and Mercer University. He is the editor/reviser of Helen Keller's spiritual autobiography, Light in My Darkness, and has written the introduction to Helen Keller's How I Would Help the World, a USA book awards finalist. His book, The Core of Johnny Appleseed was published in 2012 by the Swedenborg Foundation.  


In 1986 Ray and Star became certified Marriage Enrichment Trainers (Association of Couples for Marriage Enrichment), studying with David and Vera Mace, the founders of the marriage enrichment movement. They have also completed training sessions in PREP: Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (with Susan Blumberg, Scott Stanley, and Howard Markman), PAIRS : (with Lori Herman Gordon), Imago: Couplehood as a Spiritual Path (with Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt), Life Coaching with Couples (with Patrick Williams and Lisa Kramer), and The Ultimate Relationship Program (with Tony Robbins and Chloe Madanes). They have presented at Smart Marriages in Boulder and San Francisco on The Spiritual Dimensions in Marriage and are planning another book in the Rise Above It series. This next book will be Rise Above It: Spiritual Development for Couples.

Ray and Star have been married since 1976. They have seven children and many grandchildren. They currently live in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania.