Meet Our Faculty & Staff

Biography

“My study of Buddhism definitely shed new light on my understanding of Christianity and even of Franciscan spirituality. It also brought me home, but the home I found is not ony the Christian tradition but also the Buddhist. The journey to Buddhism is a way to my new home where my adopted home, the Christian tradition, is now renewed and merged with my old home, the Buddhist tradition.” Yongho Francis Lee, OFM—Becoming a Christian and Practicing Comparative Theology for a Korean Theologian.

Yongho Francis Lee, OFM, a Franciscan friar of the Korean Province, is Assistant Professor of Systematic and Comparative Theology at the Franciscan School of Theology, where he joined the faculty in January 2024 after four years of teaching at the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome.

He received his academic training at Boston College for Licenticate in Sacred Theology and the University of Notre Dame for PhD. His research focuses on the Church’s engagement with cultural and religious diversity, particularly the dynamic interactions between Eastern and Western religious traditions. He has a special interest in the dialogue between Buddhism and Franciscanism, as exemplified in his book, Mysticism and Intellect in Medieval Christianity and Buddhism: Ascent and Awakening in Bonaventure and Chinul, as well as in several journal articles. Through studying, living, and teaching in various countries, he has developed a strong commitment to intercultural learning and living. In addition to his work in intercultural and interreligious theology, he has developed an interest in the visual representation of Franciscan spiritual and theological concepts, examining their historical development and cross-cultural adaptation. His current research includes a study of the fresco cycle in the Luke Wadding Cloister at Saint Isidore College, Rome. Seeking to bridge his intellectual and pastoral work, he also gives talks and leads retreats, particularly for Korean-speaking Secular Franciscans in North America, who have had fewer opportunities to encounter the Franciscan intellectual and spiritual traditions.

Degrees

• Ph.D. in Theology – University of Notre Dame
• Licentiate in Sacred Theology – Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
• B.A. in Theology – Catholic University of Korea
• M.S. – Seoul National University
• B.S. – Seoul National University  

Courses

Intercultural Theology: In contemporary theological discourse, scholars increasingly recognize the pivotal role of culture in shaping both theology and the Church. This course delves into the intricate interconnections between culture, the Church, theological frameworks, and the dissemination of Gospel messages. It provides an overview of mission history and diverse approaches to mission, while critically examining the significance of local cultural and religious contexts in the evolution of local theologies.

Theology, Church and World: An Introduction to Theology: An introductory course in theology which will discuss sources, methodology, relationship to the world, and an understanding of the Catholic magisterium. This course is intended for first-year theology students.

Franciscan Christology: This foundational course in Christology examines the historical development of Christological thought, from the biblical understanding of the identity of Jesus Christ to modern efforts to interpret his life and teachings in diverse contexts. The course also highlights the distinctive contributions of Franciscan thinkers in the High Middle Ages, grounded in Patristic theology and continuing to hold significant relevance today.

Introduction to Christian Spirituality: This course explores the historical development of Christian spirituality by examining the inspirational texts that have touched the mind and heart of Christians throughout history. The course also discusses the development of the definition of spirituality and various approaches to the modern studies of spirituality.

Intellectual and Spiritual Life in Christianity and Buddhism: Bonaventure and Chinul: This course examines the intellectual and spiritual legacies of two influential figures in Christianity and Buddhism: Bonaventure (c.1217–1274), a Franciscan theologian, and Chinul (1158–1210), a Korean Zen master. Both dedicated their lives to integrating intellectual inquiry and spiritual practice in pursuit of the ultimate goals of their respective traditions. A key focus of the course is the tension between two modes of religious discourse: positive (cataphatic) and negative (apophatic) theology. These approaches reflect different understandings of the divine or the ultimate, particularly in relation to its immanence and transcendence. The course fosters a meaningful dialogue between these traditions and between Western and Eastern perspectives.

Select Publications

“The Wadding Cloister of St. Isidore’s College in Rome: An Uncelebrated Visual and Textual Treasury of Franciscan Spirituality, History, and Art,” Archivum Franciscanum (Forthcoming in 2026)

“Moderne Evagelisierung in Korea im Lichte von Kapitel 16 der franziskanischen Regula non bullata.” In Lebenskunst: 800 Jahre Franz von Assisi, Exhibition Catalogue (46th special exhibition of the Dommuseum zu Salzburg). Edited by Reinhard Gratz, Florian Mair, Benedikt Mertens, and Bernd Schmies, 295-305. Dommuseum zu Salzburg, 2026. (Translated from English to German)

“Papa Francesco e Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso: Fraternità e responsabilità universale nel mondo dell’iper-connessi.” In In Dialogo: Letture filosofiche della “Fratelli Tutti” di Papa Francescoi. Edited by Andrea Bizzozero, Antonio Clemenza, Earnesto Dezza, and Carlos Alberto Gutiérrez Velasco, 81-98. Caltanissetta: Salvatore Sciascia Editore, 2024. (In Italian)

“The Second Admonition of St. Francis of Assisi in Dialogue with the Four Noble Truths.” In Studies in Interreligious Dialogue 32, no. 1 (2022): 95–112.

Mysticism and Intellect in Medieval Christianity and Buddhism: Ascent and Awakening Bonaventure and Chinul. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2020. “Becoming a Christian and Practicing Comparative Theology for a Korean Theologian.” International Journal of Asian Christianity 3, no. 2 (2020): 224–35.

You can find a full list of Dr. Lee’s publications here.

Biography

“Christian celebration of liturgy and the sacraments is a privileged way in which the Incarnation of the Word of God continues in our midst. In liturgy, God, who is a Trinity of love, invites us into participation in this Trinitarian communion. My own scholarly interest in liturgy and the sacraments stems from lived experience of Christian worship and draws from liturgical-sacramental history and theology to reflect on liturgical practice today.”

Christopher M. O’Brien, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Sacramental and Liturgical Theology at the Franciscan School of Theology, where he joined the faculty in 2025 after receiving his doctorate in Liturgical Studies/ Sacramental Theology from The Catholic University of America.

Prior to his time at CUA, he received a B.S. in Physics (minor in Religious Studies) and an M.A. in Education from Stanford University, and an M.Div. from the University of Notre Dame. He also spent five years teaching physics and mathematics, mostly at Catholic high schools. He has researched and published on a variety of topics related to liturgical-sacramental history, theology, and practice. His research and writing focuses on liturgical participation through language, symbol, and embodied action. His research has especially focused on the liturgical participation of children, as exemplified by his forthcoming monograph, Infant Communion in Roman Catholicism: A Historical Liturgical Theology (Liturgical Press Academic), which explores the practice of infant communion in the Roman Catholic Church from historical, theological, and pastoral lenses. Related to his work in liturgical participation is his interest in the relationship between liturgy and ethics. His article, “Ecology and the Eucharist: Pope Francis’s Liturgical Theology of Caring for Our Common Home” (Studia Liturgia) studies the connection in Pope Francis’s thought between eucharistic worship and care for creation. His current research attends to the history and theology of lay communion from the chalice in Roman Catholicism. His article, “Chalice of Salvation: Historical, Symbolic, and Phenomenological Reflections on Communion with the Blood of Christ” (Religions), weaves together historical, theological, and phenomenological perspectives on the practice of lay communion from the chalice, and lays the groundwork for a future monograph on the topic. Outside of teaching and research, he is convener of the Christian Initiation seminar at the North American Academy of Liturgy and a member of the executive committee of the Catholic Academy of Liturgy.

Degrees

• Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies/ Sacramental Theology – The Catholic University of America
• M. Phil. in Liturgical Studies/ Sacramental Theology – The Catholic University of America
• M. Div. – University of Notre Dame
• M.A. in Education – Stanford University
• B.S. in Physics (minor in Religious Studies) – Stanford University

Courses

Introduction to Liturgy: An introductory course on fundamental elements of Catholic Liturgy, including historical development of celebration of the Eucharistic liturgy, organization of liturgical space, important Church norms on liturgical practice and theology.

Introduction to Sacraments: An exploration of the sacraments of the Catholic Church, their scriptural and historical background, development over the centuries and current practice. Special emphasis will be placed upon the Franciscan tradition in the theology of the sacraments.

Children, Liturgy, and Ministry: This course explores the relationship between children and Christian liturgy from historical, theological, and pastoral/ practical perspectives. Topics include the history and theology of the sacramental initiation of children, the spirituality of children, liturgical catechesis for children, and recent movements towards engaging children more actively in liturgical prayer.

Sacraments of Initiation: This course takes as its foundation the liturgy and theology of Christian Initiation expressed in the documents of the Second Vatican Council and in the current Roman Catholic liturgical rites: the Order of Baptism of Children, the Order of Confirmation, and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. In addition to studying the celebration and theology of the current rites, the course employs a historical-theological approach to examine how the practice and theology of Christian Initiation has developed from early Christianity to today in a variety of cultures and contexts.

Select Publications

You can find a full list of Dr. O’Brien’s publications here.

Biography

“Francis and Clare of Assisi show us a model of a Christian community modelled on the life of Jesus with His disciples, including men and women, with all creatures considered as brothers and sisters.  Their example inspires us on our synodal journey in the Church today.”

Bro. William Short, a Franciscan Friar of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, is Professor of Spirituality at the Franciscan School of Theology, where he joined the faculty in 1984 after completing graduate studies in Rome.

He received his M.A. from FST at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley CA and the STL and STD degrees  at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.  His research focuses on Franciscan theology and spirituality and he has a special interest in the Writings of Francis of Assisi, for which he has recently completed a newly revised English translation.  He is one of three general editors of the 3-volume collection Francis of Assisi: Early Documents(New City Press, 1999-2001). This premier English-language reference work on the saint involved collaboration with more than thirty scholars translating Latin documents from the early 13th through late 14th centuries.  He served as editor of the English edition of Bartholomew of Pisa, The Conformity in 3 volumes (New City Press, 2020).This encyclopedic overview of the Franciscan movement from the late 14th century was among the first books brought from Europe to the Americas in the 16th century, and was the object of attack by Luther and others in the Reformation. This translation from the Latin (by Christopher Stace) marks its first appearance in any modern language.  In addition to work on Franciscan topics, Br. Bill developed an interest in the digitizing of medieval Latin manuscripts during a decade’s work as director of the Quaracchi Editions at the International Center for Franciscan Studies and Research in Rome. His current work includes preparing the publication (by the Quaracchi Editions) of a revised English translation of the complete Writings of Saint Francis, based on the latest Latin critical edition.

Degrees

• S.T.D., Theology – Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome
• S.T.L., Theology – Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome
• M.A. in Philosophical & Systematic Theology, Franciscan School of Theology, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley
• B.A., University of San Francisco

Courses

Writings of Francis and Clare of Assisi: An exploration of predominant themes in Franciscan spiritual writing with special attention to Bonaventure, Angela of Foligno, Franciscan mystics and contemplatives and the Eremetical tradition 13th to 17th centuries.

Themes in Franciscan Spirituality: An examination of fundamental themes of Franciscan Spirituality: Incarnation; creation, image of God (in nature, in human person); Christocentrism; poverty; Mary and church; brother-sister relationships. Figures will include Francis, Clare, Bonaventure with some references to later mystics.

Franciscan Contemplative Tradition: This course is designed to introduce students to an important and underexplored area of Christian spiritual tradition, namely the tradition of contemplative forms of living and praying begun by Francis and Clare of Assisi in the thirteenth century.  This tradition has continued, with greater and lesser intensity, to our own day.  “Franciscan Contemplative Tradition” will serve as a survey of this tradition and some of its major figures up to the present.

Select Publications

Books

Saints in the World of Nature: The Animal Story as Spiritual Parable in Medieval Latin Hagiography (Rome: Pontifical Gregorian University, 1983).

The Franciscans (Collegeville MN: The Liturgical Press/Michael Glazier Books, 1989).

Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, (with R. Armstrong, W. Hellmann, eds.), 3 Vols (+ Index) (Hyde Park NY: New City Press, 1999-2002).

Thomas of Celano, The Francis Trilogy. The Life of Saint Francis, The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul, The Treatise on the Miracles of Saint Franci. (with R. Armstrong, W. Hellmann, eds) (Hyde Park NY: New City Press, 2004).

Poverty and Joy: The Franciscan Tradition (London/ Maryknoll NY: Darton, Longman & Todd; Orbis Books, 1999).

United States Documents in the Propaganda Fide Archives Vol. 12 (editor) (Berkeley: Academy of American Franciscan History, 2002).

United States Documents in the Propaganda Fide Archives Vol. 13 (editor) (Berkeley: Academy of American Franciscan History, 2006).

Translations

Paolo Sacchi, Jewish Apolcalyptic: A History (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997).

Maria Pia Alberzoni, Clare of Assisi and the Poor Sisters in the Thirteenth Century (St. Bonaventure NY: The Franciscan Institute, 2004).

Carlo Paolazzi, Francis of Assisi, Writings (Spicilegium Bonaventurianum XXXVI/3) (Rome: Collegio S. Bonaventura – Frati Editori di Quaracchi, forthcoming)

Chapters, Articles

“Modern Editions of Medieval Franciscan Texts,” in Lydia Schumacher, Drew Rosato, eds., Oxford Handbook of Medieval Franciscan Thought (Oxford: Oxford University Press, forthcoming).

“The Friar as Historian: Luke Wadding at St. Isidore’s College, Rome,” in +Michael Blastic, Jeffrey M. Burns, William J. Short, eds., Building a House of Living Stones: Essays in Honor of Joseph P. Chinnichi, OFM, Friar and Historian (Academy of American Franciscan History, Catholic University of America Press: 2026), pp. 17-32.

“William of Ware in the Quaracchi Archives,” in Ernesto Dezza, Antonio Petagine, eds., William of Ware on the Sentences. Teaching Philosophy and Theology in the 13th Century between Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus (Turnhout: Brepols, 2025), pp. 29-36.

“Gli Annales (1625-54) di Luca Wadding,” in Pietro Maranesi, ed., Beati Francisci scriptores : un’introduzione alla storiografia su san Francesco dal XIV secolo ad oggi,  (Convivium Assisiense, Itinera Franciscana 19)(Assisi: Cittadella Editrice, 2024), pp. 41-57.

“Le opere di San Bonaventura: i Frati Editori di Quaracchi e la Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana,” (Il libro e lo spirito. Exhibition of codices and documentary sources on the 750th anniversary of the deaths of Bonaventure of Bagnoregio and Thomas Aquinas, Vatican Apostolic Library, 2025) in Archivum Franciscanum Historicum 117 (2024) 309-319.

“La Regola, cibo di vita comunitaria e spirituale,” in Jacques Dalarun, Paolo Canali, eds., La Regola francescana nella storia, (Presenza di San Francesco 88) (Milan: Edizioni Biblioteca Francescana, 2024) pp. 91-100.

“Saints in Bartholomew of Pisa’s Book of the Conformity,” in Sean L. Field, Marco Guida, Dominique Poirel, eds., L’Epaisseur du temps, Mélanges offerts à Jacques Dalarun (Turnhout: Brepols, 2021), pp. 413-428.

“Alexander of Hales in the Book of Conformities of Bartholomew of Pisa,” in Lydia Schumacher, ed., The Legacy of Early Franciscan Thought.  Veröffenlichungen des Grabmann-Institutes zur Erforschung der mittelalterlichen Theologie und Philosophie Vol. 67 (Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 2021), pp. 323-338.

“The Explicatio regulae fratrum minorum in the Book of Conformities: Sources and Dissemination,” in “Non enim fuerat Evangelii surdus auditor…” (1 Celano 22): Essays in Honor of Michael W. Blastic, O.F.M. on the Occasion of his 70th Birthday (Leiden: Brill, 2020),pp. 201-222.

“The Moorman Letters in the Archive of the Collegio San Bonaventura (Quaracchi/ Grottaferrata/ Rome),” in Michael Robson and Patrick Zutshi, eds., The Franciscan Order in the Medieval English Province and Beyond (Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press B.V., 2018), 271-288.

 “The Book of Conformities, Its PrInters, Illustrators and Protestant Critics,” in Archivum Franciscanum Historicum 110:3–4 (2017), pp. 411–438.

“Early Franciscan Sources and Joachite Prophetic Sources in the Book of Conformities,”  inMichael Cusato et al., eds., Ordo et Sanctitas: The Franciscan Spiritual Journey in Theology and Hagiography, Essays in Honor of J. A. Wayne Hellmann, O.F.M., Conv. (Medieval Franciscans, Vol. 15), (Leiden: Brill, 2017)pp. 249–271.

“A Neglected Classic of Franciscan Spirituality, The Book of Conformities of Bartholomew of Pisa,” Berkeley Journal of Religion and Theology 2: 2 (2016), pp. 80-106.

Preface to Christopher Stace, A sua immagine/ In His Image: The Life of St. Francis in the frescoes of the Convent in Borgo a Mozzano (Borgo a Mozzano, Italy: Maria Pacini Fazzi Editore, 2016) pp. 8-9.

“The Liber de Conformitate of Bartholomew of Pisa and its Sibylline and Prophetic Literature,” Carthaginensia 31 (2015), pp. 881-899.

“The Rule and Life of the FriarsMinor,” M. Robson, ed., The Cambridge Companion to St. Francis of Assisi (Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 2011) pp. 50-67.

“The Earlier Rule,” “The Later Rule,” “Fragments on an Earlier Rule,” in M. Blastic, ed., The Writings of Francis of Assisi: Rules, Testament and Admonitions (St. Bonaventure NY: Franciscan Institute, 2011), pp. 17-222.

“From Contemplation to Inquisition:  The Franciscan Practice of Recogimiento in 16^th Century Spain,” in Timothy Johnson, ed.,  Franciscans at Prayer (The Medieval Franciscans 4) (Leiden: Brill, 2007).

“The Conversions of Francis of Assisi,”, Listening: Journal of Religion and Culture 40:2 (Spring 2006), pp. 73-84.

“Hendrik Herp, O.F.M., The Mirror of Perfection or Directory of Contemplatives” Introduction and translation, in Vita evangelica: Essays in  honor of Margaret Carney, O.S.F. (Franciscan Studies, 2006), pp. 407-33.

“Francis, the ‘New’ Saint in the Tradition of Christian Hagiography: Thomas of Celano’s Life of Saint Francis,” in Jay M. Hammond, ed., Francis of Assisi: History, Hagiography and Hermeneutics in the Early Documents (Hyde Park, New York: New City Press, 2004), pp.153-163.

“Recovering Lost Traditions in Spirituality: Franciscans, Camaldolese and the Hermitage,” Spiritus: A Journal of Christian Spirituality 3:2 (Fall 2003) pp. 209-218.

“Popular Religion: The Turn of the Last Millennium,” Chicago Studies, 37 (December, 1998) pp. 268-279.

“Hagiographical Method in Reading Franciscan Sources. Stories of Francis and Creatures in Thomas of Celano’s ‘Vita Prima’ (21:58-61),” Laurentianum 29 (1988) pp. 462-495; repr. in Greyfriars Review 4:3 (1990), pp. 63-89.

“Eden Restored:  A Medieval Vision of Saints and Nature,” Continuum (Spring, 1992).

Audio Visual

St. Francis of Assisi: A New Way of Being Christian. Lecture Series (Now You Know Media, 2007)

The Treasure of a Poor Man: St. Francis of Assisi and Franciscan Spirituality. Lecture Series (Rockville MD: Now You Know Media, 2008)

The Franciscan Intellectual Tradition. Lecture Series (Now You Know Media, 2009)

Saints and Animals. Lecture Series (Now You Know Media, 2010)

A Franciscan Retreat. Lecture Series (Now You Know Media, 2011)

Saint Bonaventure: The Soul’s Journey into God. Lecture Series (Now You Know Media, 2012)

The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi/ Los Escritos de San Francisco de Asís. Lecture Series (Oceanside CA: Franciscan School of Theology – Avalon Media, 2016)

Biography

“In seeking to understand how Scripture speaks to us today, we must take a broad view of the study of Scripture. To better understand the New Testament, we must study the Old Testament. To better understand the early texts of Christianity, we must learn about Judaism. We must also study the times and conventions of the human authors to better understand how God speaks through them. ‘For the words of God, expressed in human language, have been made like human discourse, just as the word of the eternal Father, when He took to Himself the flesh of human weakness, was in every way made like men’ (Dei Verbum §13). The more we learn, the more deeply we come to appreciate God’s great love for humanity and his invitation into relationship as expressed through Scripture and the Incarnation.”

Angela Zautcke, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Sacred Scripture at the Franciscan School of Theology, where she joined the faculty in 2023 after receiving a concurrent PhD in Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity and MA in Classics from the University of Notre Dame.

Prof. Zautcke’s research focuses on the study of Scripture within its Greco-Roman and Jewish context. She specializes in texts from the Second Temple Period of Judaism (mid-500s BCE to about 100 CE), which includes texts from both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Prof. Zautcke often takes a literary approach to the study of Scripture, considering how biblical texts use literary conventions from ancient Greco-Roman literature. She has a special interest in how biblical texts speak to the audience through vivid narration, as explored in her dissertation “You Are Witnesses of These Things”: Vividness and Persuasion in the Gospel of Luke. Drawing from her earlier study of Marriage and Family Therapy, she has a further interest in similarities between positive psychology and Scriptural perspectives on how to live well. Prof. Zautcke regularly gives talks on Scripture to various groups in the San Diego area.  

Degrees

• Ph.D. / MA – University of Notre Dame
• M.T.S. – University of Notre Dame
• M.T.S. – Franciscan School of Theology
• M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy – University of San Diego
• B.A. in English Literature – University of Southern California

Courses

Introduction to Old Testament: After a brief introduction to the Bible as a whole and various approaches to it, this course seeks to present an overview of the Old Testament by studying its main literary works, theological traditions, and the historical contexts in which they grew. The primary focus is on theology and spirituality.

Books of Second Temple Judaism: The Second Temple period of Judaism begins after the Israelites return from the Babylonian exile in 539 BC and lasts until 70 AD. This was a formative time in Judaism, and Jesus himself was a Second Temple Jew. The books of the Second Temple period therefore help us better understand the Jewish context of the New Testament. This class will focus on later books of the Old Testament, including the Deuterocanonicals – books that are in the Catholic canon but not Hebrew or Protestant Bibles. These books include 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Baruch, Wisdom, Sirach, Tobit, Judith, and the additions to Daniel and Esther.

Wisdom Literature: This course is a survey of the wisdom material of the Bible, focusing on the Old Testament. We will explore themes of Wisdom theology in the wisdom books and in other types of literature in the OT. With these themes in mind, we will also discuss how Wisdom theology appears in some works in the New Testament. Prerequisite: OT 501 Intro to the Old Testament, or instructor permission.

Luke-Acts: This course is a study of the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. We will explore these documents from a literary and historical perspective. To this end, we will examine the historical, cultural, and geographical setting of the gospel and Acts as well as its authorship, audience, literary techniques and characteristics, theology and important themes. We will also compare the purpose, themes and orientation of Luke’s Gospel with the other synoptic gospels and compare Acts with other contemporaneous GrecoRoman literature.

Prophetic Literature: A survey of prophets in the Old Testament proceeding along two axes: 1) a historical overview focusing on the “great” prophets of the 8th/7th/6th centuries; and 2) a thematic overview focusing on how the prophets spoke to their present and to the future.

Letters of St. Paul: This class introduces students to the Pauline epistles. Students will study the letters within the context of the Greco-Roman world and first-century Judaism to gain a better understanding of their theological message both for their original audience and today.

Psalms: This class introduces students to the language and literary form of the psalms. Students study the psalms in light of Old Testament theology, the canon of Scripture, communal worship and prayer.

Select Publications

• Oxford Study Bible contributor for introduction essays on 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Revelation
• Coauthored monograph titled Narrative Immersion in the New Testament Gospels and Acts: Experience and Transformation with De Gruyter Brill (under contract)
• Contributor to Give Us This Day
• Book review of Literary Theory and the New Testament, by Mical Beth Dinkler, Ancient Jew Review, 6 December 2022.
• Co-Editor with Mark Elliott and Raleigh C. Heth, Studies in the History of Exegesis (Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2022).
• “Erasing the Gospels: Sinaiticus Syriacus and Patterns among Syriac Gospel Palimpsests,”Early Christianity 12 (2021): 85-102.
• Contributing author to Christopher Baron, ed. The Herodotus Encyclopedia, (Hoboken: Wiley, 2021).

Academic Awards

• Notebaert Fellowship – University of Notre Dame
• Dean’s Fellowship – University of Notre Dame
• Mary Stuart Rogers Scholarship – Franciscan School of Theology
• Dean’s Scholarship – University of Southern California

Biography

“For me, history, theology, and ministry are inseparable. Whether in the classroom, the pulpit, the office or in the community our work can be an act of worship.”

An Oxford-educated historian, Joe is a widely respected scholar, teacher, and speaker in the history of American Catholicism and the development of Franciscan theology and spirituality. Past president of the American Catholic Historical Association (2007-2008), he authored the seminal work Living Stones: The History and Structure of Catholic Spiritual Life in the United States (1989, 1996). When Values Collide: The Catholic Church, Sexual Abuse, and the Challenges of Leadership (2010) won first prize in pastoral theology from several national organizations. His latest book is entitled American Catholicism Transformed from the Cold War to the Council  (Oxford, 2021). He has been general editor of the Franciscan Heritage Series, which makes available to contemporary audiences the spiritual, theological, and social inheritance of St. Francis of Assisi. Apart from his teaching duties, Joe has served in various administrative posts throughout his career: nine years as Provincial Minister for the Franciscan Friars of the Saint Barbara Province (1988-1997), two stints as Academic Dean at the Franciscan School of Theology, Chairman of the Commission for the Retrieval of the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition (CFIT, 2000-2013), and President of the Franciscan School of Theology (2011-2016).

Degrees

• D.Phil. – Oxford University
• M.A. – Graduate Theological Union
• M. Div. Franciscan School of Theology
• B.A. – San Luis Rey College

Courses

Themes in Contemporary Catholicism: Using some secondary studies in the history of the Catholic community in the United States, research materials, primary documents, and a seminar method, this course examines selected themes in contemporary Catholicism, 1945-1989: religion and society during the Cold War, the interpretation of the 1960s, challenges of race and ethnicity, family life, women in ministry, pastoral practice, and other issues.

American Catholic Spirituality: Through the use of original documents and case studies, this course examines selected themes in the history of Catholic religious practice in the United States: models of holiness, liturgy, rites of passage, the relationship between prayer and Institutionalization, popular devotions, etc. Special attention is paid to the relationships between faith, religious practice, spiritual experience, and culture.

Interpreting the Church Today: An intellectual and pastoral resource for ministry, this course uses both a historical method and theological analysis to examine key issues in Church renewal from the time of the Second Vatican Council to the present. Its primary goal is to develop an overall understanding of how the Church changes and develops in history and society and how understanding this might help shape the pastoral minister’s reflections, practice, and spirituality. Running throughout the will be an occasional reflection on Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortations and Encyclicals.

History, Theology, Spirituality in the Franciscan Tradition: A basic introduction to the early theological development of the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition, this course examines key thinkers, themes, and texts from 1209-1322: Francis and Clare of Assisi, Robert Grosseteste, Alexander of Hales, Bonaventure, Peter John Olivi, John Duns Scotus, and William of Ockham. Attention will be paid to their social context and meaning.

An exploration of predominant themes in Franciscan spiritual writing with special attention to Bonaventure, Angela of Foligno, Franciscan mystics and contemplatives, and the Eremetical tradition 13th to 17th centuries.

Francis of Assisi: Early Documents: Presents the principal events in the life of Francis of Assisi and discusses the historical context of early Franciscan documents written between 1228 and 1280. The student will be able to offer a critical reading of early Franciscan documents according to the particular emphases of each text.

Writings of Francis and Clare of Assisi: A careful reading of the complete writings of the two saints of Assisi, exploring their “Gospel form of life,” the bases of Francis-Clarian spirituality; their images of God, Christ, Church, and the human person. All texts are available in English translation.

Select Publications

For a complete list of publications. See Dr. Chinnici’s Curriculum Vitae.

Biography

“Real history is an essential tool for the Church. We cannot live in a make-believe past or approach the future with an inadequate historical understanding. We must honestly confront our past. I hope that my courses and scholarship provide this necessary tool.“

Jeff Burns is widely published in local church history and in the history of the immigrant Church. He is a professional archivist for the Archdiocese of San Francisco and a popular youth group moderator at a local school and parish. In addition, he serves as an ordained Deacon for the Diocese of Oakland.

Degrees

• Ph.D. – University of Notre Dame
• M.A. – University of Notre Dame
• B.A. – UC Riverside

Courses

History of the Immigrant Church in the U.S.: This course explores the development and interaction of the many cultures which have made up the Catholic Church in the United States–Native American, Spanish, Irish, French, German, Polish, Italian, African-American, Latino, Filipino, Vietnamese, and other Asian groups. Non-ethnic cultures will also be explored, including pre-conciliar Catholic and conservative, liberal, and radical Catholic cultures. The course will examine the many conflicts the diversity of cultures engendered.

Modern Social Justice Prophets: This course examines the history of Christian (especially Catholic) social justice movements in the U.S. in the 20th century by focusing on representative leaders such as Dorothy Day, Peter Maurin, Pat, and Patty Crowley, Mother Jones, Thomas Merton, the Berrigan brothers, Cesar Chavez, Catherine de Hueck, Janet Kalven, Jane Addams, Walter Rauschenbusch, Martin Luther King, Jr., A.J. Muste, and others.

History of Evangelization and Mission Since 1492: This course explores the Catholic Church’s attempts at mission and evangelization since the 15th century in Latin America, the United States, Canada, the Philippines, China, Japan, Vietnam, and Africa and modern efforts from the U.S. (i.e., Maryknoll). The methods, definitions of success, controversies engendered, and the conflict of cultures are examined.

Select Publications

Disturbing the Peace: A History of the Christian Family Movement, 1949-1974 (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press)

Keeping Faith: European and Asian Immigrants; part of the American Catholic Identities: A Documentary History Project (with Joseph White and Ellen Skerrett), (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books) 2002

We Are the Church: A History of the Diocese of Oakland, 1797-2002 (Strasbourg, France: Editions du Signe)

“Mexican Americans and the Catholic Church in California, 1910–1965,” Gilbert Hinojosa, ed., History of Hispanic Catholics in the United States (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press)

“Que es esto? The Transformation of St. Peter’s Parish in the Mission, San Francisco, 1913-1990″, James Wind and James Lewis, eds., American Congregations (Chicago: University of Chicago Press)