Faculty Directory
Richard Lennan
Professor of Systematic Theology
Professor Ordinarius
Chair, Ecclesiastical Faculty
Richard Lennan
Dr.Theol
Contact
Simboli Hall 214
Telephone: 617-552-6522
Email: lennan@bc.edu
Education
- B.A., University of Newcastle
- S.T.B., Catholic Institute of Sydney
- M.Phil., University of Oxford
- Dr. Theol., University of Innsbruck in Austria
Research Interests
Ecclesiology, Ecumenism, Theology of Ministry; he is particularly interested in the Theology and Spirituality of Karl Rahner
Expertise
- Ecclesiology
- Ministerial Formation
- Systematics
Profile
Richard Lennan is a priest of the diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, ordained in 1983. After graduate studies at the University of Oxford and the University of Innsbruck (Austria), where he wrote his dissertation on Karl Rahner’s ecclesiology, he taught from 1992-2007 at the Catholic Institute of Sydney. During this time, he was a member of the Australian Anglican-Catholic dialogue and served as President of the Australian Catholic Theological Association (2005-07) Richard moved to the United Sates in 2007 to teach at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, MA, and is currently Professor of Systematic Theology in the School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College, where he also chairs the Ecclesiastical Faculty.
Richard’s research and teaching focus on ecclesiology, ministry, and the theology of Karl Rahner. He has authored or edited nine books. He is an editorial consultant for Theological Studies and served as a theological advisor to the preparation of Light from the Southern Cross (2019), a document on reforming governance in the Catholic Church in Australia. Most recently, Richard was a member of the theological panel for the Plenary Council of Australia (2021-22).