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boston collegemorrissey college of arts and sciences

graduate program

theology

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Boston College offers exceptional resources for Catholic and ecumenical study of all fields of theology. The

Theology Department provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary for reasoned reflection on their own values, faith and tradition, as well as on the religious forces that shape our world. Boston College offers unusual resources for Catholic and ecumenical study in all areas of theology. Not only is the Theology Department considered one of the foremost such departments in the country, but the city of Boston is also one of the richest environments in the world for the study of theology.

The Boston Theological Institute (BTI), a consortium of theology faculties primarily in the Boston-Newton-Cambridge area, has as its constituent members the following institutions: Andover-Newton Theological School, Boston College Department of Theology, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, Boston University School of Theology, Episcopal Divinity School, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Harvard Divinity School, Hebrew College, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary and St. John’s Seminary. This consortium offers complete cross-registration in several hundred courses, the use of library facilities in the 10 schools, joint seminars and programs and faculty exchange programs (bostontheological.org).

welcome to graduate theology

contentsProgram Overview 1

Faculty 3

Courses 9

Outcomes 10

Academic Resources 11

Student Life & Campus Resources 12

Admission & Financial Information 14

Ph.D. ProgramThe goal of the doctoral program in theology is the

formation of theologians who excel intellectually in

the church, the academy and society. It is confessional

in nature and envisions theology as “faith seeking

understanding.” Accordingly, the program aims at

nourishing a community of faith, scholarly conversation

and research and teaching centered in the study of

Christian life and thought, past and present, in ways

that con-tribute to this goal. It recognizes that creative

theological discussion and specialized research

require serious and in-depth appropriation of the great

philosophical and theological traditions of the past, as

well as ecumenical, interdisciplinary, inter-religious and

cross-cultural cooperation.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students are expected to acquire a rigorous mastery of

the Judeo-Christian tradition, enabling them to critically

probe the foundations of various theological positions.

Students are expected to command the tools and

techniques of research particular to their field and to

organize and integrate their knowledge in such a way as

to make an original contribution to the academic study

of theology.

Students are expected to engage in ecumenical, inter-

religious, interdisciplinary and cross-cultural academic

conversation as appropriate to their discipline.

Students are expected to acquire the skills and

competencies necessary to present papers at appropriate

academic conferences and to publish the results of their

research in respected peer-reviewed journals.

Students are expected to acquire the skills and

competencies necessary to succeed not only as active

scholars, but also as effective teachers.

program overview

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welcome to graduate theologyAREAS Of SpECIALIzATION

Students in the doctoral program focus their studies in

one of five major areas—Historical Theology/History

of Christianity, Systematic Theology, Biblical Studies,

Theological Ethics or Comparative Theology. The faculty in

each major area determine requirements regarding course

distribution, language requirements, comprehensive

examinations and minors. A minimum of two years of full-

time course work is normally required. Doctoral students

in our program typically serve as teaching assistants during

their second and third years and as teaching fellows during

their fifth year.

The Historical Theology/History of Christianity (HT/HC)

area studies past theological reflection on the faith and

practice of the Church, with a particular focus on early

and medieval Christianity. The HT/HC area strives to

appreciate these theological expressions both within their

immediate historical contexts (social, cultural, institutional)

and within the broader trajectories of theological

development in the Christian tradition.

Systematic Theology is the contemporary intellectual

reflection on the content of divine revelation as an

interrelated whole. The faculty seek to develop the student’s

ability to treat theological material systematically and

constructively; that is, according to a method that attends

to the coherence and interconnectedness of the elements

of the Christian tradition. The necessary role of historical,

dogmatic and descriptive theological activity is thereby

acknowledged. Systematic theology emphasizes the inter-

relationships that exist among central theological themes

and topics while being sensitive to the socio-cultural

contexts and dynamics within which these issues emerge.

The Biblical Studies area focuses on the canonical books of

the Bible, both within their historical and cultural worlds

and in relation to their reception within the Christian

and Jewish traditions. All students acquire a thorough

competency in both the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and

the New Testament, including competency in Hebrew,

Aramaic and Greek. Students may learn other ancient

languages and literatures as their research requires.

The comprehensive exams cover the whole Bible, with

emphasis on either the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible or the

New Testament, and include a specialized exam in an area

of study pertinent to the student’s dissertation.

Theological Ethics includes the ecumenical study of major

Roman Catholic and Protestant ethicists and attends

to the Biblical foundations and theological contexts of

ethics. Proceeding from the conviction that faith and

reason are complementary, the program explores the

contributions of philosophical thought, both past and

present. It includes a strong social ethics component

as well as offerings in applied ethics. The exploration

of contemporary ethics is set in a critical, historical

perspective and encourages attention to the global and

multicultural character of the Christian community.

Comparative Theology prepares students for careful

theological reflection, usually from a Christian

perspective, on non-Christian religions in their

particularity and regarding their significance for

theology. Comparative Theology entails the study of one

or more religious traditions in addition to one’s own, as

well as critical reflection on one’s own tradition in light

of the other tradition or traditions. Students are expected

to acquire a significant understanding of a major non-

Christian religion as well as a critical method used in the

study of religions; for example, philosophy of religion,

comparative religion or history of religions.

Like all other areas of theology, Comparative Theology’s

ultimate horizon is knowledge of God, the transcendent

or the nature of ultimate reality; it aims to be

constructive theology. The practitioner, while rooted in

one tradition (in this program, normally Christianity),

becomes deeply affected by systematic, consistent

attention to the details of one or more other religious

and theological traditions, thereby informing continuing

theological reflection upon his or her own tradition.

It is this focused attention to the distinctive details of

different traditions that distinguishes Comparative

Theology from the Theology of Religions, but also opens

the possibility of a newly and more deeply informed

Theology of Religions.

In turn, this study is brought into dialogue with some

particular theme or topic of study in Christian Theology,

and articulated in light of a Theology of Religions.

Students in this area are thus prepared to take up a

wide range of research projects and also to teach one or

more religious traditions in addition to chosen areas of

Christian Theology.

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M.A. Joint Program in Philosophy and TheologyIf you have questions and interests that lead you into both

philosophy and theology, or would like to deepen your

understanding of each field by opening it to the other,

you might consider pursuing an M.A. in philosophy and

theology at Boston College.

Drawing on the resources of major departments and

distinguished authorities in each field, and situated at

the heart of a prominent Jesuit, Catholic university, this

program is structured around distinct concentrations

that address major areas of common concern to the

two fields, and explores their historical, systematic and

disciplinary relations. Students develop a program of study

in discussion with an academic advisor and take courses in

the standard graduate programs offered by the Philosophy

and Theology departments. Concentrations include: Faith,

Science and Philosophy; Foundations in Philosophy

and Theology; Medieval Philosophy and Theology; and

Philosophy and Religions.

This program is designed to address the various interests

of students who wish to augment graduate study of

philosophy with greater exposure to theology or graduate

study of theology with greater exposure to philosophy;

plan to teach or are currently teaching in private secondary

schools; or simply feel in need of intellectual enrichment.

faculty profilesprogram overview

stephen f. brown Professor

Ph.D., Université de Louvain

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Medieval philosophy and theology, especially 13th and 14th centuries

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Philosophical Debates at Paris in the Early Fourteenth Century (Brill, 2009). Historical Dictionary of Medieval Philosophy and Theology (Scarecrow Press, 2005).

lisa sowle cahillJ. Donald Monan Professor

Ph.D., University of Chicago

RESEARCH INTERESTS

History of Christian ethics; Christology and ethics; Catholic social teaching and globalization; gender equality; bioethics; war and peacebuilding

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Catholic Social Teaching as Political Theology.” In Cambridge

Companion to Political Theology, eds. E. Phillips and C. Hovey (Cambridge University Press, 2016). “Renegotiating Aquinas: Catholic Feminist Ethics, Postmodernism, Realism, and Faith.” Journal of Religious Ethics, 43 (2015), 193-217. Global Justice, Christology, and Christian Ethics (Cambridge University Press, 2013).

jeffrey l. cooley Associate Professor

Ph.D., Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Hebrew Bible in its ancient Near Eastern context; calendars; Sabbath; the intersection of ancient scholarship and literature; divination in the ancient Near East; myth and method; intercultural contact in the ancient Mediterranean

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Poetic Astronomy in the Ancient Near East: The Reflexes of Celestial Science

in Ancient Mesopotamian, Ugaritic, and Israelite Narrative. HACL 5, Winona Lake (Eisenbrauns, 2013). “Celestial Divination in Ugarit and Ancient Israel: A Reappraisal.” Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 71 (2012), 21-30. “Astral Religion in Ugarit and Ancient Israel.” Journal of Near Eastern

Studies, 70 (2011), 281-87.

boyd taylor coolmanAssociate Professor

Ph.D., University of Notre Dame

RESEARCH INTERESTS

History of Christian theology, particularly in the medieval period; life and thought of the Victorines in the first half of the 12th century and in developments in early 13th-century scholastic theology at the Universities of Paris and Oxford

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RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“On the Subject Matter of Theology in the Summa halensis and St. Thomas Aquinas.” The Thomist, 79 (2015), 439-66. “The Christo-Pneumatic-Ecclesial Character of Twelfth-Century Sacramental Theology.” In The Oxford Handbook on

Sacramental Theology, eds. H. Boersma and M. Levering (Oxford University Press, 2015). “In whom I am well pleased: Hugh of St. Victor’s Trinitarian Aesthetics.” Pro Ecclesia, 23(3) (2014), 331-54.

m. shawn copeland Professor

Ph.D., Boston College

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Theological and philosophical anthropology and political theology; African and African-derived religious and cultural experience; African-American intellectual history

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Enfleshing Freedom: Body, Race, and Being (Fortress Press, 2010). The Subversive Power of Love: The Vision of Henriette Delille: The

Madeleva Lecture in Spirituality (Paulist Press, 2009).

catherine cornille Newton College Alumnae Chair in Western Culture

Ph.D., Catholic University of Leuven

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Comparative theology; theology of religions; interreligious dialogue; religious hybridity; concrete questions in the Hindu-Christian and Buddhist-Christian dialogues

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Soteriological Agnosticism and the Future of Theology of Interreligious Dialogue.” In The Past, Present and Future of

Theologies of Interreligious Dialogue, eds. T. Merrigan and J. Friday (Oxford University Press, 2016). “The Problem of Choice in Comparative Theology.” In Methods and Criteria for Comparative Theology, eds. F. Clooney and K. von Stosch (Fordham University Press, 2016). Co-author, Christian Identity Between Secularity and Plurality (Dharmaram Publications, 2015). Co-ed., Women and Interreligious Dialogue (Wipf and Stock, 2013). Ed., The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Inter-Religious Dialogue

(Wiley-Blackwell, 2013). Ed., Interreligious Dialogue and Cultural Change (Wipf and Stock, 2012).

john a. darr Associate Professor

Ph.D., Vanderbilt University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

New Testament, specifically, the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles; literary criticism and theory; Biblical characters and characterization; synoptic relations

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“‘Be not anxious’: Reading Martha and Mary (Lk. 10.38-42) Within Luke’s Overall Discourse on Anxiety.” In Reading

Ideologies: Essays on the Bible and Interpretation in Honor of Mary

Ann Tolbert (The Bible in the Modern World 40), ed. T. Liew (Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2011). “Belittling Mary: Insult, Humiliation and Early Developments in Mariology.” In From the Margins 2: Women of the New

Testament and Their Afterlives, eds. C. Joynes and C. Rowland (Sheffield Phoenix, 2009). “‘Vivre pour raconter’: point de vue critique et éthique lucanienne.” In Regards croisés sur la Bible: Études sur le point de

vue (Éditions du Cerf, 2007).

doug finn Assistant Professor

Ph.D., University of Notre Dame

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Patristic exegesis; Trinitarian theology; interface between ancient philosophy and literature and early Christian theology; theology of St. Augustine; theology and preaching of John Chrysostom

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Sympathetic Philosophy: The Christian Response to Suffering according to John Chrysostom’s Commentary on Job.” In Evil and Suffering in the Patristic Period, Holy Cross Studies in

Patristic Theology 3, ed. B. Beck (Baker Academic, forthcoming). Life in the Spirit: Trinitarian Grammar and Pneumatic

Community in Hegel and Augustine (University of Notre Dame Press, 2016). “Spirit and Church in the Early Augustine.” Augustiniana, 64 (2014), 153-85. “Hegel.” In Oxford Guide to the Historical Reception of

Augustine, ed. K. Pollmann (Oxford University Press, 2013).

richard r. gaillardetzDepartment Chairperson, Joseph Professor of Theology

Ph.D., University of Notre Dame

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Ecclesiology; Vatican II; ecumenism; authority and ministry

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RECENT PUBLICATIONS

An Unfinished Council: Vatican II, Pope Francis and the Renewal

of Catholicism (Liturgical Press, 2015). Co-ed., A Church with Open Doors: Catholic Ecclesiology for the

Third Millennium (Liturgical Press, 2015). Co-author, Keys to the Council: Unlocking the Teaching of

Vatican II (Liturgical Press, 2012). Ed., When the Magisterium Intervenes: The Magisterium and

Theologians in Today’s Church (Liturgical Press, 2012).

yonder gillihan Associate Professor

Ph.D., University of Chicago

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dead Sea Scrolls; Matthew and Paul; apocalypticism; Christian origins within the context of Jewish sectarianism in the late Second Temple period

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Civic Ideology, Organization, and Law in the Rule Scrolls: A Comparative Study of the Covenanters’ Sect and Contemporary Voluntary Associations in Political Context.” In Studies in the

Texts of the Desert of Judah (Brill, 2012). “The רג Who Wasn’t There: Fictional Aliens in the Damascus Rule.” Revue de Qumran, 98 (2011), 257-305. “Associations.” In Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism, eds. J. Collins and D. Harlow (Eerdmans, 2010). “Posture or Gesture? A Note on חושל/חשל in the Qumran Penal Codes.” Revue de Qumran, 94 (2009), 291-96.

roberto s. goizuetaMargaret O’Brien Flatley Professor

Ph.D., Marquette University

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Ed., Opera and Religion (special issue). Religion and the Arts,

17(3) (2013). “To the Poor, the Sick, and the Suffering.” In Vatican II: A

Universal Call to Holiness, eds. A. Ciorra and M. Higgins (Paulist Press, 2013). “The Theologian as Wounded Innocent.” Diálogo: A Bilingual

Journal Published by the Center for Latino Research at DePaul

University, 16(2) (2013), 37-42. “Christ of the Borderlands: Faith and Idolatry in an Age of Globalization.” In Religion, Economics, and Culture in Conflict

and Conversation, eds. M. O’Connell and L. Cassidy (Orbis Books, 2011). Christ Our Companion: Toward a Theological Aesthetics of

Liberation (Orbis Books, 2009).

faculty profiles

kristin heyerProfessor

Ph.D., Boston College

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Catholic social thought; migration ethics; conscience and moral agency

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Co-ed., Conscience and Catholicism: Rights, Responsibilities and

Institutional Responses (Orbis Press, 2015). Kinship Across Borders: A Christian Ethic of Immigration (Moral Traditions series) (Georgetown University Press, 2012). Co-ed., Catholics and Politics: The Dynamic Tension between

Faith and Power (Georgetown University Press, 2008). Prophetic and Public: The Social Witness of U.S. Catholicism (Moral Traditions series) (Georgetown University Press, 2006).

michael himes Professor

Ph.D., University of Chicago

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Ongoing Incarnation: Johann Adam Möhler and the Beginnings

of Modern Ecclesiology (Crossroad Herder, 1997). Co-ed., The Legacy of the Tübingen School: The Relevance

of Nineteenth-Century Theology for the Twenty-First Century (Crossroads, 1997). Johann Sebastian Drey: A Brief Introduction to the Study of

Theology (translation and introduction) (University of Notre Dame Press, 1994).

kenneth r. himes, o.f.m. Professor

Ph.D., Duke University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Ethical issues in war and peacebuilding; development of Catholic social teaching; the role of religion in American public life; fundamental moral theology

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Targeted Killing and the Ethics of Drone Warfare (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016). “Humanitarian Intervention and the Just War Tradition.” In Can War Be Just in the 21st Century? eds. L. Johnston and T. Winright (Orbis Books, 2015). “Unemployment in the First World: The U.S. Experience.” In Concilium: Globalizations and the Church of the Poor, eds. D. Pilario, L. Cahill, M. Bingemer and S. Nadar (SCM Press, 2015; reprinted in French, German, Spanish, Italian and Dutch editions). Christianity and the Political Order: Conflict, Cooptation, and

Cooperation (Orbis Books, 2013).

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mary ann hinsdale, i.h.m. Associate Professor

Ph.D., University of St. Michael’s College, Toronto

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Ecclesiology, Christology, theological anthropology and feminist theologies; multidisciplinary approaches to Catholic Studies; use of participatory action research in theological reflection on the U.S. Catholic experience; Mary Magdalene as a resource for women’s ecclesial leadership

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“St. Mary of Magdala: Ecclesiological Provocations.” CTSA

Proceedings (2011). Women Shaping Theology (Paulist Press, 2006). “Infinite Openness to the Infinite: Karl Rahner’s Contribution to Modern Catholic Thought on the Child.” In The Child in

Christian Thought, ed. M. Bunge (Eerdmans, 2001). Co-author, ‘It Comes from the People’: Community Development

and Local Theology (Temple University, 1995).

m. cathleen kavenyDarald and Juliet Libby Professor

J.D., Ph.D., Yale University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Relationship of law, religion and ethics; religion and rhetoric

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Prophecy Without Contempt: Religious Rhetoric in the Public

Square (Harvard University Press, 2016). A Culture of Engagement: Law, Religion, and Morality (Moral Traditions series) (Georgetown University Press, 2016). Law’s Virtues: Fostering Autonomy and Solidarity in American

Society (Georgetown University Press, 2012). [First place award, “Faithful Citizenship,” Catholic Press Association]

james f. keenan, s.j.Canisius Professor; Director of Jesuit Institute

Ph.D., Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Virtue ethics; Thomas Aquinas; History of theological ethics; public health ethics

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

University Ethics: Why Colleges Need A Culture of Ethics (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015). A History of Catholic Moral Theology in the Twentieth Century:

From Confessing Sins to Liberating Consciences (Continuum, 2010). The Ethics of the Word: Voices in the Catholic Church Today

(Rowman & Littlefield, 2010). Co-author, Paul and Virtue Ethics (Rowman & Littlefield, 2010).

ruth langer Professor

Ph.D., Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Jewish liturgy and Christian-Jewish relations

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Jewish Liturgy: A Guide to Research (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015). Cursing the Christians?: A History of the Birkat HaMinim (Oxford University Press, 2011). Liturgy in the Life of the Synagogue (Eisenbrauns, 2005). To Worship God Properly: Tensions Between Liturgical Custom and

Halakhah in Judaism (Hebrew Union College Press, 1998).

fred lawrence Associate Professor

Ph.D., University of Basel

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Topics surrounding political theology; how Christian and other religions can mediate a normative order of values, without which a society cannot flourish and may not even survive

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“A Jewish and a Christian Approach to the Problematic of Jerusalem and Athens: Leo Strauss and Bernard Lonergan.” Divyadaan: Journal of Philosophy and Education, 26(1-2) (2015), 217-318. “Lonergan’s Search for a Hermeneutics of Authenticity: Re-originating Augustine’s Hermeneutics of Love.” In Lonergan’s

Anthropology Revisited, eds. G. Whelan and A. Gregoriana (Gregorian and Biblical Press, 2015). “Lonergan’s Hermeneutics.” In The Routledge Companion to

Hermeneutics, ed. J. Malpas (Routledge, 2014).

john j. makransky Associate Professor of Buddhism and Comparative Theology

Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Analyzing ways that concepts and practices of insight, compassion and devotion are inter-related in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism; exploring why, how and what Buddhist scholars and Christian theologians can learn from each other; co-designing programs that draw on Buddhist forms of understanding and practice to address current issues and needs

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“A Buddhist Critique of, and Learning from, Christian Liberation Theology.” Theological Studies, 75(3) (September 2014), 635-57. “Compassion in Buddhist Psychology.” In Wisdom and

Compassion in Psychotherapy (Guilford Press, 2012).

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“Compassion Beyond Fatigue: Contemplative Training for Educators, Activists and other Helping Professionals.” In Meditation

and the Classroom (SUNY Press, 2011). “Thoughts on Why, How and What Buddhists Can Learn from Christian Theologians.” Buddhist-Christian Studies, 31 (2011), 119-33. Awakening Through Love (Wisdom Publications, 2007).

h. john mcdargh Associate Professor

Ph.D., Harvard University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Psychological study of religious development; the integration of spirituality and psychotherapy; contemporary psychoanalytic theory and theological anthropology

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Imaging the Real: The Art of Poetry and the Art of Pastoral Attending.” Pastoral Psychology, 60(3) (2011).

gregorio montejoAssistant Professor

Ph.D., Marquette University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Theology; historical theology; philosophy; Thomas Aquinas; Christology; biblical theology; patristics; late antiquity

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Re-imagining God’s Apophatic Form: Aquinas, De divinis

nominibus, and the Pauline Corpus.” Patristic, Medieval and Renaissance Conference: The Scriptural Imagination. Villanova University, October 16, 2015. “Incorporation into Christ’s True Body as a Pueblo Crucificado: Thomas Aquinas and Borderland Ecclesiology.” ACHTUS (Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States) Colloquium, Milwaukee, June 9, 2015. “Review: Bernard McGinn, Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae:

A Biography; Lives of Great Religious Books.” Theological Studies, 76(3) (2015), 637.

james w. morris Professor

Ph.D., Harvard University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Islamic philosophy and theology; Sufism; Islamic humanities (especially poetry and music); the Qur’an; Shiite thought; pilgrimage and popular devotional life

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Openings: From the Qur’an to the Islamic Humanities (World Wisdom, forthcoming).

faculty profiles Approaching Ibn ‘Arabi: Foundations, Contexts, Interpretations

(Anqa, forthcoming). Ostad Elahi: Knowing the Spirit (SUNY Press, 2007).

The Reflective Heart: Discovering Spiritual Intelligence in Ibn

‘Arabi’s ‘Meccan Illuminations’ (Fons Vitae, 2005).

david mozinaAssistant Professor

Ph.D., Harvard University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

How Daoist thunder rituals work: how they are imagined as technologies for hailing, communicating with and even cajoling thunder deities, who are charged with serving under the command of the priest as his exorcists

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Summoning the Exorcist: The Role of Heart Seals (xinyin 心印) in Calling Down a Demon-Quelling Deity in Contemporary Daoist Thunder Ritual.” In Exorcism in Daoism, ed. F.C. Reiter (Harrassowitz Verlag, 2011). “Daubing Lips with Blood and Drinking Elixirs with the Celestial Lord Yin Jiao: The Role of Thunder Deities in Daoist Ordination in Contemporary Hunan.” Cahiers d’Extrême-Asie, 19 (2010), 269-303.

john j. paris, s.j.Michael P. Walsh Professor of Bioethics

Ph.D., University of Southern California

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Legal and medical ethics

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Decision Making for Seriously Compromised Newborns: The Importance of Exploring Cultural Differences and Unintended Consequences” (with A.A. Penn and M.P. Moore). Journal of Perinatology, 33 (2013), 505-8. “Physician Counseling, Informed Consent and Parental Decision Making for Infants with Hypoplastic Left-heart Syndrome” (with M.P. Moore and M.D. Schreiber). Journal of

Perinatology, 32 (2012), 748-51. “Patenting: European Stem Cell Ruling is Misleading” (with J.B. Green, J. Bernstein, R.M. Green, K.W. Goodman and C. Tauer). Nature, 479 (2011), 41. “The Resuscitation of ‘Slow Codes’: Fraud, Lies, and Deception” (with M.P. Moore). The American Journal of

Bioethics, 11(11) (2011), 13-29. “Rationing: A ‘Decent Minimum’ or a ‘Consumer Driven’ Health Care System?” The American Journal of Bioethics, 11(7) (2011), 16-18.

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pheme perkinsProfessor

Ph.D., Harvard University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Greco-Roman cultural setting of early Christianity; Hellenistic philosophy; Pauline epistles; Johannine writings; Resurrection and early Christian eschatology; Nag Hammadi corpus; Gnosticism; Irenaeus

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1 Corinthians (Baker Academic, 2012). Reading the New Testament (3rd ed.) (Paulist Press, 2012). Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels (Eerdmans, 2007). Peter: Apostle for the Whole Church (Fortress Press, 1994, 2000). Associate ed., The New Oxford Annotated Bible (3rd & 4th eds.), New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible Ephesians (Abingdon Press, 1997).

stephen j. pope Professor

Ph.D., University of Chicago

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Christian ethics and evolutionary theory; love and justice in contemporary Christian ethics; charity and natural law in Aquinas; Roman Catholic social teachings

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

A Step Along the Way: Models of Christian Service (Orbis Press, 2015). Solidarity and Hope: Jon Sobrino’s Challenge to the Christian

Theology, editor (Orbis Press, 2008). Human Evolution and Christian Ethics (Cambridge University Press, 2007).

andrew prevot Assistant Professor

Ph.D., University of Notre Dame

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Prayer and spirituality; phenomenology and theology; political and liberation theology; questions of identity; the doctrine of God

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Thinking Prayer: Theology and Spirituality Amid the Crises of

Modernity (University of Notre Dame Press, 2015). “L’excès cruciforme. Stanislas Breton et la théologie mystique chrétienne.” Transversalités: Revue de l’Institut Catholique de Paris,

135 (Oct.-Dec. 2015), 25-42. “The Gift of Prayer: Toward a Theological Reading of Jean-Luc Marion.” Horizons (Dec. 2014).

“Hearing the Cries of Crucified Peoples: The Prayerful Witness of Ignacio Ellacuría and James Cone.” In Witnessing: Prophecy,

Politics, and Wisdom, eds. M.C. Bingemer and P. Casarella (Orbis, 2014). “Ignacio Ellacuría and Enrique Dussel: On the Contributions of Phenomenology to Liberation Theology.” In A Grammar of Justice:

The Legacy of Ignacio Ellacuría, eds. J.M. Ashley and K. Burke (Orbis, 2014).

brian d. robinette Associate Professor

Ph.D., University of Notre Dame

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Phenomenology; hermeneutics; Mimetic theory; theological aesthetics; mystical theology; theologies of creation

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“La puissance d’un dépouillement sans limites repenser: repenser la creatio ex nihilo avec Stanislas Breton,” trans. Claire Vajou. Transversalités, 135 (2015), 43-53. “Deceit, Desire, and the Desert: René Girard’s Mimetic Theory in Conversation with Early Christian Monastic Practice.” In Violence, Transformation, and the Sacred, eds. M. Pfeil and T. Winright (Orbis Books, 2012). “The Difference Nothing Makes: Creatio Ex Nihilo, the Resurrection, and Divine Gratuity.” Theological Studies, 72 (2011), 525-57. Grammars of Resurrection: A Christian Theology of Presence and

Absence (Herder & Herder, 2009).

margaret a. schatkin Associate Professor

Ph.D., Fordham University; Th.D., Princeton Theological Seminary

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Critical edition of works of Chrysostom; patristic bibliography; patristic theology

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Prayer in the Mystagogy of Clement, Origen, and John Chrysostom.” In Seeing Through the Eyes of Faith: New Approaches

to the Mystagogy of the Church Fathers (Late Antique History and Religion 11), ed. P. van Geest (Peeters, 2015). “Holy Spirit in the Patristic Literature.” In: Holy Spirit: An

Unfinished Agenda, ed. J.T.K. Lim (Genesis Books/Word N‘ Works, 2015). “Review of: Roger S. Bagnall, Early Christian Books in Egypt.” The Ancient World: A Scholarly Journal for the Study of Antiquity, 44(2) (2014), 197-99.

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faculty profiles

david vanderhooft Associate Professor

Ph.D., Harvard University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Hebrew Scriptures, especially the Former and Latter Prophets; historical, cultural, theological and comparative analyses of ancient Israel’s literature; the relationship between Israel and the ancient empires of Assyria and Babylonia

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Co-author, The Yehud Stamp Impressions: A Corpus of

Inscribed Impressions from the Persian and Hellenistic Periods in

Judah (Eisenbrauns, 2011). [Winner, 2012 G. Ernest Wright Prize, American Schools of Oriental Research] “Habak-kuk.” In The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the

Bible, ed. M. Coogan (Oxford University Press, 2011). “el-m¬dînâ ûm¬dînâ kiktabah: Scribes and Scripts in Yehud and in Achaemenid Transeuphratene.” In The Judeans in

the Achaemenid Age: Negotiating Identity in an International

Context, eds. G.N. Knoppers, O. Lipschits and M. Oeming (Eisenbrauns, 2011). “Twenty-Seven New Yehud Stamp Impressions from the 2008 Excavation Season at Ramat- Raùel” (with O. Lipschits, Y. Gadot and M. Oeming). MAARAV, 16(1) (2009), 7-28.

james m. weiss Associate Professor

Ph.D., The University of Chicago

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

“Too Much a Prince to be but a Cardinal: The College of Cardinals in the Age of the Baroque.” In Patronage and

Consumption in Baroque Rome, ed. S. Leone (University of Chicago Press, 2011). Humanist Biography in Renaissance Italy and Reformation

Germany: Friendship and Rhetoric (Ashgate, 2010). “Humanism,” “Renaissance,” “Beatus Rhenanus” and "Stanislaus Hosius.” In The New Westminster Dictionary of

Church History (Vol. 1), ed. R. Benededto (Westminster John Knox Press, 2008). “Kennst Du das Land wo die Humanisten blühen? The Role of Italy in the Biographies of German Humanists, 1485-1585.” In Germania Latina …: Politik, Wissenschaft, humanistische

Kultur … (Vol. 1), eds. E. Kessler and H. Kuhn (Fink, 2003).

The combined and varied interests of the faculty,

as indicated in the faculty profiles, ensure that the

department offers a wide variety of graduate course

electives. While the number and content of the graduate

electives varies from year to year, the following list is

illustrative of the range of courses offered.

fALL 2016Suffering, Solidarity and the Cross Copeland

Inaug Serm and Questions Brown

The Minor prophets Vanderhooft

peace, Justice and Reconciliation pope

Christ in New Testament perkins

Mercy and Justice Kaveny

Vatical II: History, Interpretation, Reception Gaillardetz

13th Century franciscan Theology Coolman

American Catholic and Social Reform K. Himes

Comparative Religion/History and Methods Cornille

Daoism Mozina

Virtue Ethics Keenan

Theological Anthropology Hinsdale

Theology of Historical praxis Lawrence

SpRING 2017Authority in the Church Gaillardetz

Aquinas: Biblical Commentaries Montejo

Theological Aesthetics Goizueta

Early Modern Theology M. Himes

Graeca perkins

Hans Urs Von Balthasar prevot

20th C Catholic Moral Teaching Keenan

Mercy and Justice Kaveny

Lonergan Christology Wilkins

philosophy/Church fathers Schatkin

Jerusalem and Athens: foundational Methodology Lawrence

Curating Revelation Gillihan

peace, Justice and Reconciliation pope

courses

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outcomes

Recent Dissertations2015-2016John R. Barker, OFM, “Disputed Temple: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Book of Haggai”

Stephanie Corigliano, “Towards a Hermeneutic of Yoga in Modern Times: A Comparative Study of practice and Detachment in Hinduism and Christianity”

Maria Angela Socorro S. Cruz, “prophets Likewise: An Exploration of the prophetic Office of the Laity as an Expression of the Sensus Fidelium”

Marianne Tierney Fitzgerald, “Theology and Activism in Latin America: A Reflection on Jon Sobrino’s Christology of the Resurrection and Grassroots Organizations protesting Gender-Based Violence”

Nichole Flores, “Guadalupe in the public Square: Religious Aesthetics and the pursuit of Justice”

Christopher D. Jones, “The Midday Demon’: A Moral, Theological and Biopsychosocial Analysis of Acedia”

Monica Jalandoni Nalupta, “filipino fortitude”

James O’Sullivan, “Development as Human Rights: An Examination of Catholic Social Teaching and the Right to Development”

Cristina Richie, “Moving Environmental Bioethics into the 21st Century: Green Bioethics and the Common Good”

Kate Ward, “Wealth, poverty and Economic Inequality: A Christian Virtue Response”

2014-2015Stanislaus Subba Reddy Alla, “Care and Access: Catholic and Hindu Approaches to Ethics in Healthcare”

Anthony P. Coleman, “Lactantius and the Doctrine of providence”

Christopher R. Conway, “Liberative Service: A Comparative Theological Reflection on Dalit Theology’s Service and Swami Vivekananda’s Seva”

Jeremy V. Cruz, “Social Equality in Recent Catholic Social Thought: Toward an Ethic of Global Social Equality”

John P. Edwards, “Developing a ‘Theology in the Order of Discovery’: The Method and Contribution of James Alison”

Conor M. Kelly, “Service and Justice, peace and Solidarity: Theology and Ethics for Work and Leisure”

Nicole L. Reibe, “preaching participation: The Theology of Achard of St. Victor”

Robert J. Rivera, “A Christology of Liberation in an Age of Globalization and Exclusion: The Contributions of Jon Sobrino and Edward Schillebeeckx”

Andrew B. Salzmann, “The Holy Spirit and the Life of the Christian According to Hugh of St. Victor: Dator Et Donum, Cordis Omne Bonum”

Brian Traska, “philosophy as faith Seeking Understanding: An Interpretation of Bernard Lonergan’s 1972 Lectures on philosophy of God and Systematic Theology”

Jennifer S. Wade, “Resisting Violence through the Meditative Body: A Theological Anthropology of Transformational Anger in Judith Butler and The Revelations of Divine Love”

Glenn Willis, “Drive All Blames into One: Rhetorics of ‘Self-Blame’ and Refuge in Tibetan Buddhist Lojong, Nietzsche and the Desert fathers”

Recent PlacementsThe Theology Department takes an active role helping students search for attractive academic positions. Our recent students’ placements have included:

Barry University

Carroll College

Catholic Theological Union

College of the Holy Cross

Creighton University

Duquesne University

Emmanuel College

fairfield University

fontbonne University

Gonzaga University

Heythop College

Laboure College

Lincoln Christian College

Loras College

Loyola Marymount

Manhattan College

Marion Court College

Marquette University

Marymount University

Merrimack College

University of portland

Rivier College

Sacred Heart University

Saint Anselm College

Saint John’s University

Saint Joseph College

Saint Leo University

Saint patrick’s Seminary and University

Seattle University

University of San francisco

University of Scranton

Villanova University

Xavier University

Yale Divinity School

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morrissey college of arts & sciences

The oldest and largest of the University’s eight schools and colleges, the Morrissey College

of Arts and Sciences offers graduate programs in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, leading to the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts and Master of Science. In addition, numerous dual-degree options are offered in cooperation with the Carroll School of Management, the Boston College Law School, the Lynch School of Education and the Graduate School of Social Work.

With approximately 1,000 students and 400 full-time faculty, the Graduate School is small enough to know you as a person, but large enough to serve you and prepare you for a rewarding life and satisfying career.

Academic Resources

THE INSTITUTE Of MEDIEVAL pHILOSOpHY AND THEOLOGY

Boston College’s Institute of Medieval Philosophy and

Theology unites the teaching and research efforts of faculty

members in the Theology and Philosophy departments.

The focus of the institute is on the relationship between

medieval philosophy and theology and modern continental

philosophy and theology.

The concentration of the Philosophy and Theology

departments at Boston College lies in modern continental

thought, so the context for carrying on a dialogue between

medieval and modern philosophy and theology is well

established. To foster this dialogue and encourage the

scholarly retrieval of the great medieval intellectual

tradition, the institute offers fellowships and assistantships

and sponsors speakers programs and a faculty-student

seminar to investigate new areas of medieval philosophical

and theological research. The institute also runs a research

center to assist in the publication of monographs and

articles in the diverse areas of medieval philosophy and

theology, and encourages the translation of medieval

sources and the editing of philosophical and theological

texts. For more information, call 617-552-0436.

THE LONERGAN CENTER

The Lonergan Center at Boston College fosters studies

related to the work of the Jesuit theologian and philosopher

Bernard Lonergan (1904-1984). Inaugurated in 1986, the

center houses a growing collection of Lonergan’s published

and unpublished writings, as well as secondary materials

and reference works; it also serves as a seminar and meeting

room. The center is located in Bapst Library. Boston College

sponsors an annual Lonergan Workshop, which provides

resources, lectures and workshops. For more information,

call 617-552- 8095 or visit bclonergan.org.

THE BOSTON COLLEGE SCHOOL Of THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY

Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry (STM)

offers its students opportunities for comprehensive graduate

theological education and spiritual formation for ministry.

The School of Theology and Ministry offers an array of

academic, theological, spiritual and pastoral courses for

ministry, academic specialization and continuing education

in faith.

THE BOSTON THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE

The Boston Theological Institute (BTI) allows graduate

students to cross-register at Andover-Newton Theological

School, Boston University School of Theology, Episcopal

Divinity School, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary,

Harvard Divinity School, Hebrew College, Holy Cross

College (Greek Theology School) and St. John’s Seminary.

BOSTON AREA CONSORTIUM

The Boston Area Consortium allows graduate students to

cross-register for courses at Boston University, Brandeis

University and Tufts University.

BOSTON COLLEGE LIBRARIES

The University is home to eight libraries, containing 2.95

million volumes; more than 700 manuscript collections,

including music, photos, art and artifacts; 625,000

e-books; and more than 600 electronic databases. O’Neill

Library, Boston College’s main library, offers subject-

specialist librarians to help with research, to set up alerts to

publications in areas of interest and to answer any research-

and library-related questions.

THE BOSTON LIBRARY CONSORTIUM

The Boston Library Consortium allows Boston College

students access to millions of volumes and other services at

19 area institutions in addition to the world-class resources

available through the Boston College Library System.

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student life & campus resources

Boston College is located on the edge of one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Just six

miles from downtown Boston—an exciting and dynamic place to live and learn—Boston College is an easy car or “T” ride away from a booming center for trade, finance, research and education.

Home to some of New England’s most prestigious cultural landmarks, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston Symphony Hall and the Freedom Trail, Boston provides a rich environment for those passionate about art, music and history. For sports fans, Boston hosts a number of the country’s greatest sports teams: the Celtics, Patriots, Bruins and, of course, Fenway Park’s beloved Red Sox. Found within a short drive from Boston are some of New England’s best recreational sites, from the excellent skiing in New Hampshire to the pristine beaches of Cape Cod.

Boston also offers a wide range of family friendly attractions, including the Children’s Museum, New England Aquarium, Franklin Park Zoo and the Museum of Science. There are roughly 50 universities located in the Boston area, and the large student population adds to the city’s intellectually rich and diverse community. Events, lectures and reading groups hosted by world-renowned scholars abound on area campuses, providing abundant opportunities to meet and network with other graduate students and faculty throughout the Boston area.

The UniversityBoston College is a Jesuit university with more than

14,000 students, 786 full-time faculty and more than

170,000 active alumni. Since its founding in 1863, the

University has known extraordinary growth and change.

From its beginnings as a small Jesuit college intended to

provide higher education for Boston’s largely immigrant

Catholic population, Boston College has grown into a

national institution of higher learning that is consistently

ranked among the top universities in the nation: Boston

College is ranked 30th among national universities by

U.S. News & World Report.

Today, Boston College attracts scholars from all 50 states

and over 80 countries, and confers more than 4,000

degrees annually in more than 50 fields through its eight

schools and colleges. Its faculty members are committed

to both teaching and research and have set new marks for

research grants in each of the last 10 years. The University

is committed to academic excellence. As part of its most

recent strategic plan, Boston College is in the process

of adding 100 new faculty positions, expanding faculty

and graduate research, increasing student financial aid

and widening opportunities in key undergraduate and

graduate programs.

The University is comprised of the following colleges and

schools: Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Carroll

School of Management, Connell School of Nursing,

Lynch School of Education, Woods College of Advancing

Studies, Boston College Law School, Graduate School of

Social Work and School of Theology and Ministry.

General Resources

HOUSING

While on-campus housing is not available for graduate

students, most choose to live in nearby apartments.

The Office of Residential Life maintains an extensive

database with available rental listings, roommates and

helpful local real estate agents. The best time to look for

fall semester housing is June through the end of August.

For spring semester housing, the best time to look is late

November through the beginning of the second semester.

Additionally, some graduate students may live on campus

as resident assistants. Interested students should contact

the Office of Residential Life.

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JOHN COURTNEY MURRAY, S.J., GRADUATE STUDENT CENTER

One of only a handful of graduate student centers

around the country, the Murray Graduate Student Center

is dedicated to the support and enrichment of graduate

student life at Boston College. Its primary purpose is to

build a sense of community among the entire graduate

student population and cultivate a sense of belonging to

the University as a whole. Its amenities include study

rooms, a computer lab, two smart televisions, kitchen,

deck and patio space, complimentary coffee and tea, and

more. Throughout the year, the center hosts programs

organized by the Office of Graduate Student Life and

graduate student groups. The Murray Graduate Student

Center also maintains an active job board (available

electronically), listing academic and non-academic

opportunities for employment both on and off campus.

MCMULLEN MUSEUM Of ART

Serving as a dynamic educational resource for the

national and international community, the McMullen

Museum of Art showcases interdisciplinary exhibitions

that ask innovative questions and break new ground in

the display and scholarship of the works on view. The

McMullen regularly offers exhibition-related programs,

including musical and theatrical performances, films,

gallery talks, symposia, lectures, readings and receptions

that draw students, faculty, alumni and friends together

for stimulating dialogue. Located on the main campus,

the McMullen Museum is free to all visitors.

CONNORS fAMILY LEARNING CENTER

Working closely with the Graduate School, the Connors

Family Learning Center sponsors seminars, workshops

and discussions for graduate teaching assistants and

teaching fellows on strategies for improving teaching

effectiveness and student learning. Each fall, the

Learning Center and the Graduate School hold a one-

and-a-half day “Fall Teaching Orientation” workshop

designed to help students prepare for teaching. The

center also hosts ongoing seminars on college teaching,

higher learning and academic life; assists graduate

students in developing teaching portfolios; and provides

class visits and teaching consultations, upon request.

Through these and other activities, the Connors Family

Learning Center plays an important role in enhancing

the quality of academic life at Boston College.

fLYNN RECREATION COMpLEX

The 144,000-square-foot Flynn Recreation Complex

houses a running track; tennis, basketball, volleyball,

squash and racquetball courts; an aquatics center with

pool and dive well; saunas and more. Its 10,000-square-

foot Fitness Center offers more than 100 pieces of cardio

equipment, a full complement of strength training

equipment and free weights, an air-conditioned spin

studio and three air-conditioned group fitness studios.

During the academic year, BC Rec holds more than 80

group fitness classes per week in a variety of disciplines,

including Zumba, spin, yoga, strength training, Pilates

and more.

BOSTON COLLEGE CAREER CENTER

The Boston College Career Center works with graduate

students at each step of their career development.

Services include self-assessment, career counseling,

various career development workshops, resume and

cover letter critiques, and practice interviews. In addition

to extensive workshop offerings, Career Center staff

members are available throughout the year for one-on-

one advising about any aspect of the career path. The

Career Resource Library offers a wealth of resources,

including books, periodicals and online databases.

student life & campus resources

14

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the Ph.D. program should have

completed the M.Div. or equivalent degree; a

master’s degree in religion, theology or philosophy;

or a bachelor’s program with an exceptionally strong

background in religion, theology and/or philosophy.

The deadline for receipt of applications for fall admission

is January 2 for the Ph.D. program and February 1 for the

joint Philosophy/Theology M.A. program. Please visit

bc.edu/gsas for detailed information on how to apply.

Application requirements include:

Application Form: Submitted online, via the GSAS website.

Application Fee: $75, non-refundable.

Abstract of Courses A concise overview of background Form: and related courses completed in an intended field or proposed area of study.

Official Transcripts: Demonstrating coursework completed/degree conferral from all post-secondary institutions attended.

GRE General Test: Official score report required for all applicants.

Three Letters of from professors or supervisors. Recommendation: It is highly advisable that at least one letter be from an academic source.

Statement of Purpose: A brief (approx. 3 page) discussion of an applicant’s interest in the program and academic goals.

Writing Sample: A sample of an applicant’s best work (usually a course paper or equivalent of no more than 25 pages) related to their proposed field of study.

Curriculum Vitae: A list of an applicant’s academic (Resume) and work experience.

Proof of English Official TOEfL/IELTS reports Proficiency: accepted. (International only)

Financial Assistance

DEpARTMENT fUNDING

The Theology Department offers full-tuition scholarships

and stipends to all doctoral students in good standing for

five years.

fEDERAL fINANCIAL AID

Graduate students can apply for federal financial aid

using the FAFSA. The loans that may be available to

graduate students are the Federal Direct Unsubsidized

Stafford Loan and Perkins Loan, based on eligibility.

If additional funds are needed, student may apply for a

Grad Plus Loan. For more information, see the Graduate

Financial Aid website at bc.edu/gradaid or contact the

Graduate Financial Aid Office at 617-552-3300 or

800-294-0294.

admission & financial information

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header

Department of TheologyStokes Hall North

140 Commonwealth AvenueChestnut Hill, MA 02467

617-552-4602E-Mail: gsasinfo@bc.edu

bc.edu/theology

boston collegemorrissey college of arts and sciences