Boston College places 13th worldwide in theology, divinity, and religious studies
The prestige and global reputation of the Theology Department in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences and the Clough School of Theology and Ministry helped Boston College to place 13th worldwide among schools of theology, divinity, and religious studies in the QS 2025 Rankings, released on March 12, 2025 in London.
QS rankings
Candlemas Lecture 2025: Dr. Graham Ward
2025 Annual Candlemas Lecture: Dr. Graham Ward: “Loneliness: A Theological Appraisal”
Dr. Graham Ward is the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford and Extraordinary Professor of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology at the University of Stellenbosch.
Among his books are Cities of God, Cultural Transformation and Religious Practice, True Religion, Christ and Culture, The Politics of Discipleship, Unbelievable, and Unimaginable.
For the last ten years he has been working on Ethical Life, a major four-volume systematic theology, which includes two already-published volumes How the Light Gets In and Another Kind of Normal and the upcoming Salus.
New hire: Dr. Jos Moons, SJ
We are very pleased to announce that, in Fall 2025, Dr. Jos Moons, S.J. will join our faculty as Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology.
A graduate of Tilburg University (The Netherlands), as a Catholic theologian his areas of theological expertise encompass ecclesiology, pneumatology, and synodality.
We look forward to his theological contributions and to his teaching.
New Minors and Expanded Major
The Theology Department has launched three new minors and an Expanded Theology Major.
The new minors are Catholic Education and Theology, offered in conjunction with the Lynch School of Education and Human Development; Theology and Philosophy, in partnership with the Philosophy Department; and Interreligious Studies.
Compared to the Theology Major, the Expanded Theology Major has increased credit hours and an optional thesis.
The Theology Department continues to offer its Theology Minor as well as its popular minors in Religion and Public Life and Faith, Peace, and Justice.
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New hire: Dr. Roberto De La Noval
We are very pleased to announce that, in Fall 2025, Dr. Roberto De La Noval will join our faculty as a full-time Assistant Professor of the Practice in Christian Theology.
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Dr. De La Noval will contribute to the Perspectives program by teaching two sections of Perspectives on Western Culture each year.
We look forward to benefit from his competence and his involvement in the life of the Department.
Top 100 Books of the Century
Darald and Juliet Libby Millennium Professor of Theology and Law Cathleen Kaveny’s 2016 book Prophecy without Contempt: Religious Discourse in the Public Square has been chosen by the online journal Current as 36th of the top 100 books of the 21st century.
Joseph Chair of Theology
Dr. Kristin E. Heyer has been appointed the Joseph Chair of Theology. The appointment recognizes her excellence as a scholar and a teacher. Congratulations!
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Dr. Lisa Sowle Cahill: 2024 Ann O’Hara Graff Memorial Award
At the 78th Annual Convention in Baltimore, MD (June 13-June 16, 2024), Dr. Lisa Sowle Cahill was awarded the prestigious 2024 Ann O’Hara Graff Memorial Award.
Dr. M. Shawn Copeland: President's Award 2024
At the 70th Annual Convention at Regis University, in Denver, CO (May 30-June 2, 2024), the College Theology Society awarded Dr. M. Shawn Copeland the prestigious 2024 President's Award.
In Memoriam: Dr. Thomas E. Wangler
Dr. Thomas E. Wangler, a retired associate professor of theology who taught at Boston College for 44 years and was active in faculty governance, died on April 24. He was 85.
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2024 Yves Congar Award for Theological Excellence
On April 15, 2024, Barry University’s Department of Theology and Philosophy honored Dr. Mary Ann Hinsdale, I.H.M., with the 2024 Yves Congar Award for Theological Excellence.
Receiving the award, Dr. Hinsdale delivered the lecture "Synodality: Pitfalls and Promises of a New Moment in the Catholic Church."
In her lecture, Dr. Hinsdale addressed four topics that have emerged from the synod: 1) the “conversations in the Spirit” which were the hallmarks of its process; 2) its vision of a community receptive to the diverse voices and gifts of all the baptized, especially those on “the peripheries”; 3) the resistance on the part of some bishops and others to walking a path of listening and genuine dialogue; 4) the hopes and challenges that await the synodal gathering in the fall of 2024 and the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council in 2025.
The Yves Congar Award for Theological Excellence of Barry University’s Department of Theology and Philosophy recognizes the contributions of contemporary theologians who embody the spirit of Cardinal Yves Congar, O.P. (1904-1995), by working, writing, and teaching in light of the tradition while moving that tradition forward to meeting the challenges of today.
Dr. Hinsdale is a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Monroe, MI) and an Associate Professor of Theology at Boston College. Her academic specializations are in theological anthropology, ecclesiology, and feminist and ecological theologies. A former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, her publications include Women Shaping Theology, “It Comes from thePeople”: Community Development and Local Theologies, co-authored with Helen Lewis and Maxine Waller, and many articles and book chapters.
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New hire: Dr. Jason Donnelly
We are very pleased to announce that, in Fall 2024 Dr. Jason Donnelly will join our faculty as a full-time Associate Professor of the Practice in Christian Theology.
With his long and remarkable experience teaching the year-long course Perspectives on Western Culture, Dr. Donnelly will further contribute to the Perspectives program by teaching two sections of Perspectives on Western Culture each year.
We look forward to benefit from his competence and his greater involvement in the life of the Department.
New hire: Dr. Ligita Ryliškytė, SJE
We are very pleased to announce that, in Fall 2024 Dr. Ligita Ryliškytė, SJE will join our faculty as Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology.
With her multidisciplinary training in medicine and theology, including biblical theology, and with her expertise in the thought of Bernard Lonergan, SJ, she contributes to the dialogue between theology and the sciences.
Her research also focuses on contemporary questions in Christology and soteriology, on theological method, and on the theology of history. We look forward to her theological contributions.
New hire: Dr. Matthew Vale
We are very pleased to announce that, in Fall 2024, Dr. Matthew Vale will join our faculty as Assistant Professor of Comparative Theology.
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, his expertise in Christianity and Buddhism, particularly Indian and Tibetan Buddhism (Yogācāra, Mahāmudrā, and Dzogchen), as well as in systematic theology, will further enrich our theological offerings.
New hire: Dr. Megan Loumagne Ulishney
We are very pleased to announce that, in Fall 2024, Dr. Megan Loumagne Ulishney will join our faculty as Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology.
A graduate of the University of Oxford, as a Catholic feminist theologian she conducts interdisciplinary research that draws from Catholic systematic and historical theology, the sciences, and feminist theology and philosophy. Her theological expertise also includes contemplative spirituality and the theology of Edward Schillebeeckx, OP. We look forward to her theological contributions.
New hire: Paul Ulishney
We are very pleased to announce that, in Fall 2024, Paul Ulishney will join our faculty as Visiting Instructor in History of Christianity.
He is currently completing his doctoral studies at the University of Oxford. His research primarily focuses on the history of eastern Christianities in the eastern Roman and Byzantine empires, the Sasanian empire, and the caliphate from the fourth to the ninth centuries CE. We look forward to his teaching.
In Memoriam: Celebrating the life of Dr. Richard Gaillardetz
Beloved spouse, father, and grandfather. Esteemed professor and theologian. Wake and Vigil: Wednesday, November 15, 2023. Funeral Mass: Thuersday, November 16, 2023, St. Ignatius of Loyola, Chestnut Hill, MA
Eternal rest grant unto Rick, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Funeral livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJErTgxAkyo
Lisa Sowle Cahill received the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award
At its annual meeting in Chicago (January 5-8, 2023), the Society of Christian Ethics honored Prof. Lisa Sowle Cahill with the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award. A scholar of global renown and influence, she is the author of eleven books and hundreds of articles examining the range of ethical concerns including sex and gender, bioethics, war and peacemaking, Catholic Social Teaching, and ethical theory. She is a former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and of the Society of Christian Ethics. She has served on the editorial boards of numerous journals of theology and ethics. She is a beloved teacher and mentor for many in our Society.
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New Directions in Ecclesiology
Thinking globally, and theologically BC Professor of Theology Carlos Mendoza-Álvarez, O.P.
Thinking globally, and theologically BC Professor of Theology Carlos Mendoza-Álvarez, O.P., brings an international sensibility to examining issues of oppression, violence, and resistance.
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The Roberto S. and Elizabeth T. Goizueta Fellowship
Established by Prof. Emeritus Roberto S. and Elizabeth T. Goizueta in 2020, this fellowship will be awarded annually to a student(s) enrolled in the Boston College graduate theology program and will provide a stipend-enhancement fellowship to the standard package for each of the first five years of their study in the program.
This award is intended to attract top students to the Boston College graduate theology program and enhance the diversity of the student body in the program, providing first preference to underrepresented populations studying theology and second preference to students focusing on Global Catholicism within the doctoral program.
Catholic Health Care track for Ph.D. in Theological Ethics
The Theology Department is excited to announce a Catholic Health Care track for its Ph.D. in Theological Ethics! Designed to train students for work in health care settings as ethicists, mission directors, and other related positions, this track affords an opportunity to combine rigorous theological training with expertise in health care practices of Catholic health care settings.
In addition to the usual requirements of the Ph.D. program, students in the Catholic Health Care track will participate in two internships, one in an acute care hospital and the other in a long-term care facility. These internships will together help students better understand the role of ethics in both short- and long-term health care.
For more information, check out the track’s full description.
Reimagining the Moral Life - A book honoring Lisa Sowle Cahill's 45 years of teaching and research
This volume of original essays honors the work of Lisa Sowle Cahill on the occasion of 45 years of teaching Christian ethics at Boston College. In addition to contributions from almost all of the doctoral students she directed during her career, Reimagining the Moral Life provides an interpretive overview of Dr. Cahill’s specific contributions to Christian ethics and the impact her work has had.
Catholic Theologian Shawn Copeland to Serve as McDonald Chair at Candler School of Theology
M. Shawn Copeland, professor emerita of systematic theology at Boston College, will be the Alonzo L. McDonald Family Chair on the Life and Teachings of Jesus and Their Impact on Culture. In this role, Copeland will present two public lectures and teach a systematic theology course, “Suffering, Solidarity, and the Cross.” Her first lecture will be held on October 14 via webinar. The second lecture will take place during the spring semester.
Prof. Copeland is both a professor emerita and an alumnus of Boston College's Theology program.
Prof. Jim Keenan honored with a Catholic Press Association Award
Prof Jim Keenan was honored with a Catholic Press Association second place CPA Book Award for Street Homelessness and Catholic Theological Ethics (Orbis Books). BC alumni Meghan J. Clark and M.T. Dávila also contributed to the book.
Prof. Natana DeLong-Bas' book: Islam: A Living Faith
As the faith tradition of 1.6 billion people globally, Islam is the second-largest—and fastest-growing—of all the world’s religions. Still, many in the West harbor misconceptions about its people, practices, and beliefs.
Through rich and thorough exploration, Natana DeLong-Bas’s Islam: A Living Faith challenges ignorance with facts and false impressions with stories of lived faith. Weaving personal narratives with major historical and contemporary events and developments, DeLong-Bas skillfully and sensitively conveys the teachings, people, and practices of the Islamic faith. This introduction includes sections on the Five Pillars, the Qur’an, and the legacy of Muhammad, as well as sections on the origin of sectarian identities, the purpose of Shariah and Islamic law, the mystical tradition of Sufism, and Muslim-Christian relations. Stocked with terms, definitions, and recommendations for additional resources, Islam: A Living Faith is perfect for use in the classroom.
Prof. Natana DeLong-Bas' book: Shariah What Everyone Needs To Know
"This volume offers a much needed discussion of hotly debated issues such as the status of women, gender issues, family life, freedom, human rights, war, jihad, peace, criminal law, and justice in light of sharí'ah ... Though it is purposefully written for the awareness of the general public, it is still recommended for students, political analysts, policy makers, and religious leaders in the West as well as elsewhere in the world." -- Reading Religion, American Academy of Religion
Prof. Jeremy Wilkins' book: Before Truth: Lonergan, Aquinas, and the Problem of Wisdom
“Jeremy Wilkins provides a detailed and reliable examination of the thought of Aquinas and Lonergan, as well as some historical context, criticism, and evaluation of their contributions. It makes a tremendous contribution to systematic theology, will immediately become a must-read for Aquinas and Lonergan scholars, and will remain an important book for many years to come.” – Mark Miller, author of The Quest for God and the Good Life: Lonergan’s Theological Anthropology (CUA Press)
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Celebrating M. Shawn Copeland: Memory, Freedom, and Solidarity
A 2019 two-day event celebrated the life and work of Dr. M. Shawn Copeland, Professor of Theology and African and African Diaspora Studies at Boston College, who retired at the end of this academic year.
Copeland has made an extraordinary impact on the interdisciplinary fields of Theological Anthropology, Black Catholic Studies, Lonergan Studies, Womanist Theology, Political Theology, Decolonial Theory, and Christian Spirituality, to name only a few. Scholars from around the country are gathered to honor her achievements and to interpret the ongoing significance of her creative, challenging, revolutionary thinking
Blessed Are The Peace Makers ~ Prof. Lisa Sowle Cahill
In her new book Blessed Are the Peacemakers: Pacifism, Just War, and Peacebuilding (Fortress Press, 2019), Monan Professor of Theology Lisa Sowle Cahill offers a historical understanding of pacifism and just war theory, while advocating a newer approach to conflict situations called peacebuilding.
According to Cahill, peacebuilding seeks to transform conditions of violence and bring about a just and sustainable peace. It is particularly needed in the 21st century as evidence grows that other approaches have failed to achieve sustainable peace.
She writes: “Peacebuilders agree on the preeminent importance of taking non-violent yet forceful measures to deter ongoing violence, undo social injustice, and bring opposed groups together around a negotiated vision of social coexistence and cooperation.”
M. Shawn Copeland Honored for a Lifetime of Distinguished Theological Achievement ~ June 2018
M. Shawn Copeland, professor of theology at Boston College, received the John Courtney Murray Award from the Catholic Theological Society of America.
The award is given in recognition of a lifetime of distinguished theological achievement. Named for an influential American Jesuit theologian (and Boston College alumnus), the John Courtney Murray Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Catholic Theological Society of America, the principal association of Catholic theologians in North America and the largest professional society of theologians in the world.