Ethicist joins CSTM faculty

What is the moral vision that would bring humanity into a healthier relationship with the Earth and with the rest of creation? That is the question animating the work of Clough School of Theology and Ministry Associate Professor of Moral Theology Daniel P. Scheid, who joined the faculty this academic year.

As a Catholic, he is interested in what Catholic social teaching says about ecology, but he is also curious about global perspectives. His studies—which include a bachelor’s degree in history from Princeton University—and his time spent living abroad have enhanced his interest in world views.

“How human beings approach the big-picture questions of life differently, in different contexts, has always fascinated me,” he said.

Scheid’s research is on interreligious ecological ethics, bringing Catholic social teaching insights on humanity’s relationship to the Earth and the cosmos into dialogue with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Indigenous teachings.

“I’m specifically looking at the ways we can use the wealth of our traditions in order to address this common planetary question,” said Scheid, author of The Cosmic Common Good: Religious Grounds for Ecological Ethics. “It’s an area that needs more attention and rigorous thought.”

A significant focus of Scheid’s work is Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical that calls on people to be better stewards of the planet while taking a critical stand against consumerism and irresponsible economic development.

“I’m interested in elucidating and elaborating on the theological and ethical insights that Francis offers in Laudato Si’, and looking at how the encyclical has been received by the global Church,” Scheid said.

Scheid’s field of interest aligns with one of the Society of Jesus’ universal apostolic preferences, or focal points for the Jesuit order for 2019-2029, “Care for our Common Home.”

“I have a great affinity for the Jesuits,” said Scheid, a member of Christian Life Community, the international association of lay Christians who have adopted an Ignatian model of spiritual life. “I’m excited to join a Jesuit university and be part of the larger national and international Jesuit network so I can deepen the commitment to Laudato Si’ and deepen the Ignatian approach to ecology. I would like for Laudato Si’ to have a greater reception in the American Church in particular, and the global Church, and BC is a great platform from which to do that.”

Scheid is no stranger to the BC campus, having earned a doctorate in theological ethics from the University in 2008. He also holds a master’s from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Prior to joining the Clough School, Scheid taught in the Theology Department of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh for 18 years.

His professional affiliations include membership in the Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church, Catholic Theological Society of America, Society of Christian Ethics, and Society for Hindu-Christian Studies.

Scheid says he has found a strong sense of community at the CSTM, citing the weekly Mass and repast the community gathers for on Thursdays. “CSTM is a place where theology is a lived practice,” he said.

Last fall, Scheid taught Comparative Religious Ethics and Introduction to Ecological Ethics. This semester, he is teaching Ecology in Catholic Social Teaching and The Moral Dimension of the Christian Life. His students are a mix of master’s and doctoral students.

“Something that attracted me to the CSTM is its global international perspective,” said Scheid. “My students have a range of backgrounds. In terms of ecology, for them to be able to say, ‘This is what it’s been like in my country,’ or ‘This is the primary issue on people’s minds in my country,’ is deeply enriching.”

At BC, Scheid is part of the Community of Scholars Ethics Seminar, where doctoral students and faculty who study moral theology and ethics at the CSTM and Theology Department present their research and comment on each other’s work.

“They are amazing colleagues. And I’ve discovered that there are a number of people here who incorporate ecology and ecological questions into their theology courses and research. So, BC is quite a hub for this, it turns out.”