Current Dissertationists:

The following students have successfully passed their candidacy exams and are working on their dissertations. Their work represents the diversity of research interests in the theology department.

 

 

Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity


John Conroy
"The wages of sin is death..." (Rom. 6:23): Paul and Philo on the Death of the Soul
Advisor: Gregory Sterling

David George
Jesus' Lack of Emotion in Luke: The Lucan Redactions in Light of the Hellenistic Philosophers
Advisor: Gregory Sterling

Bradley Gregory
The Theological Relationship Between Poverty and Charity in the Wisdom of Ben Sira: Its Biblical Roots and Second Temple Context
Advisor: Gary Anderson
for further information: c.v.

Todd Hanneken
The Book of Jubilees Among Apocalypses: an Examination of the Boundaries of Ancience Jewish Thought and Literature
Advisor: James VanderKam
for further information: personal webpage

Paul Kim
Paul and Hellenistic Judaism on Desire
Advisor: David Aune

Brad Milunski, O.F.M. Conv.
Covenant Making at Sinai: Its Textual Reception in Early Judaism
Advisor: James VanderKam

Daniel O'Hare
"Have You Seen, Son of Man": Theological Themes in LLX Ezekiel 40-48
Advisor: Gary Anderson

Teresa Reeve
Luke 3:21-4:25 and the Rite of Passage in Ancient Literature, Liminality and Transformation
Advisor: M.R. D'Angelo

Ardea Russo
Behind the Heavenly Door: Earthly Liturgy and Heavenly Worship in the Apocalypse of John
Advisor: David Aune

David Andrew Teeter
Exegesis in the Transmission of Biblical Law in the Second Temple Period
Advisor: Gary Anderson

Molly Zahn
The Forms and Methods of Early Jewish Reworkings of the Pentateuch in Light of 4Q158
Advisor: James VanderKam

 

 

History of Christianity


Kimberly Baker
Augustine on Action, Contemplation, and Their Meeting Point in Christ
Advisor: John Cavadini
for further information: c.v.

Lee Blackburn
“I Will Behold the Wonder of Your Law”:  Cyril of Alexandria on Mosaic cult and Aaronic Priesthood
Advisor: Brian Daley

Shawn Colberg
"Be Glad and Rejoice for Your Reward is Very Great in Heaven:" Catholic Views of "Reward" in Medieval and Reformation Theology
Advisor: Joseph Wawrykow

Amy Donaldson
Explicit references to New Testament Variant Readings Among Greek and Latin Church Fathers
Advisor: Brian Daley

Wes Foreman
Christian Hexameral Commentary
Advisor: Brian Daley

Michael Heintz
The Pedagogy of the Soul: Origen's Homilies on the Psalms
Advisors: John Cavadini & Brian Daley
for further information: c.v.

David Kneip
The Spirit, the Bible, and the Church: Neglected Aspects of Cyril of Alexandria's Pneumatology
Advisor: Brian Daley

Daria Lucas
The Grace of the Holy Spirit, the Virtue of Charity, and the Gift of Wisdom: Pneumatology and Divinization in Aquinas' Summa Theologiae
Advisor: Joseph Wawrykow

Damon McGraw
John Henry Newman: Apocalyptic Theologian
Advisor: Cyril O'Regan

Scott Moringiello
Irenaeus Rhetor
Advisor: Robin Darling Young

Christopher Wells
Reading and Writing the Form of the Word: Sacrament and Imitation in Summa Theolgiae III and Related Texts
Advisor: Joseph Wawrykow

 

 

Liturgical Studies


Kimberly Belcher
Sacramental Perichoresis: The Trinitarian Structure of the Reformed Roman Rite of Infant Baptism
Advisor: Nathan Mitchell

Nancy Johnson
Living Death: Baptism and the Christian LIfe int he Cappadocians
Advisor: Maxwell Johnson

Sue Rozeboom
Concipiat Fides, Spiritum Vere Unire Quae Locis Disiuncta Sunt: The Derivation of John Calvin's Understanding of the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
Advisor: Nathan Mitchell

Nicholas Russo
The Origins of Lent
Advisor: Maxwell Johnson

Frankie White
Gift and Givenness in Contemporary Sacramental Theology: An Evaluation and Comparative Analysis of Gift Imagery in Louis-Marie Chauvet, Jean-Luc Marion and David N. Power
Advisor: Nathan Mitchell

Walter Whitehouse
Tradition in Service of Reform: Pius X and Participation
Advisor: Nathan Mitchell

Michael Whitehouse
Manus Impositio: The Ritual Use of Handlaying in Postbaptismal and Related Rites in the Early Western Churches
Advisor: Maxwell Johnson

 

 

Moral Theology


William Jarrod Brown
Among the Nations:  Translation and the Paradigmatic Witness of the Church in the Social Ethics of John Howard Yoder
Advisor: Gerald McKenny

Charles Camosy
"Treatment of Imperiled Newborns: the Social Quality of Life Model in Light of Catholic Social Teaching."
Advisor: Maura Ryan
for further information: c.v.

Patrick Clark
Sharing the Sufferings of Christ: Martyrdom as an Art of Moral and Theological Virtue
Advisor: Jean Porter
for further information: c.v.

Anselma Dolcich-Ashley
Ethics and the Crisis in the U.S. Catholic Church
Advisor: Jean Porter

James Helmer
The Rights of Peoples?: A Christian Theological Analysis of Cultural Rights
Advisor: Jean Porter

Matthew Loverin
Obedient unto Death: The Person and Work of Jesus Christ in Karl Barth's Theological Ethics
Advisor: Gerald McKenny

 

 

Systematic Theology

Rhodora Beaton
The Sacramentality of words in Roman Catholic Theology since Vatican II: Insights from Karl Rahner and Louis-Marie Chauvet
Advisor: Mary Catherine Hilkert

Kristin Brantman Colberg
Toward a Theology of Local Church: Examining the Relationship between Catholicity and Locality at Vatican II and its Significance for Contemporary Theology
Advisor: Robert Krieg

Krista Duttenhaver
Christian Platonism as a Radical Politics: Simone Weil and the Mystical-Political
Advisor: Cyril O'Regan
for further information: c.v.

Harold Ernst
The Providence of God and the Passion of Christ: Divine Providence in the Theology of Thomas Aquinas
Advisor: Joseph Wawrykow & Cyril O'Regan

Kenneth Garcia
The Desire of the Mind for God and the Telos of the Catholic University
Advisor: Lawrence Cunningham

Anthony Lee
From Sacrament of Salvation to Sign that Interrupts: The Evolution in Edward Shillebeeckx's Theology of the Relationship between the Church and the World
Advisor: M. Catherine Hilkert

Sarah Morice-Brubaker
Place of the Spirit: A Trinitarian Theology of Location
Advisors: Gerald McKenny & Cyril O'Regan

LaReine-Marie Mosely
Salvation Despite the Death of Jesus? the Cross in the Soteriology of Edward Schillebeeckx: an African American Christian Female Perspective
Advisor: M. Catherine Hilkert

Danielle Nussberger
Saint as Theological Wellspring: A Critical Appraisal of Hans Urs Von Balthasar
Advisor: Cyril O'Regan

Steven Rodenborn
Hope in Action: Subversive Eschatology in the Political Theologies of Johann Baptist Metz and Edward Schillebeeckx
Advisor: M. Catherine Hilkert

Ernesto Valiente
Truth, Justic, and Forgiveness: Reconcilation in the Christology of Jon Sobrino
Advisor: Matthew Ashley

Christiainity and Judaism in Antiquity
___________________________________________________________________________

 

Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity


John Conroy
"The wages of sin is death..." (Rom. 6:23): Paul and Philo on the Death of the Soul
Advisor: Gregory Sterling

David George
Jesus' Lack of Emotion in Luke: The Lucan Redactions in Light of the Hellenistic Philosophers
Advisor: Gregory Sterling

Bradley Gregory
The Theological Relationship Between Poverty and Charity in the Wisdom of Ben Sira: Its Biblical Roots and Second Temple Context
Advisor: Gary Anderson
for further information: c.v.

Todd Hanneken
The Book of Jubilees Among Apocalypses: an Examination of the Boundaries of Ancience Jewish Thought and Literature
Advisor: James VanderKam
for further information: personal webpage

Paul Kim
Paul and Hellenistic Judaism on Desire
Advisor: David Aune

Brad Milunski, O.F.M. Conv.
Covenant Making at Sinai: Its Textual Reception in Early Judaism
Advisor: James VanderKam

Teresa Reeve
Luke 3:21-4:25 and the Rite of Passage in Ancient Literature, Liminality and Transformation
Advisor: M.R. D'Angelo

Ardea Russo
Behind the Heavenly Door: Earthly Liturgy and Heavenly Worship in the Apocalypse of John
Advisor: David Aune

David Andrew Teeter
Exegesis in the Transmission of Biblical Law in the Second Temple Period
Advisor: Gary Anderson

Molly Zahn
The Forms and Methods of Early Jewish Reworkings of the Pentateuch in Light of 4Q158
Advisor: James VanderKam

 

History of Christianity


Kimberly Baker
Augustine on Action, Contemplation, and Their Meeting Point in Christ
Advisor: John Cavadini
for further information: c.v.

Lee Blackburn
“I Will Behold the Wonder of Your Law”:  Cyril of Alexandria on Mosaic cult and Aaronic Priesthood
Advisor: Brian Daley

Shawn Colberg
"Be Glad and Rejoice for Your Reward is Very Great in Heaven:" Catholic Views of "Reward" in Medieval and Reformation Theology
Advisor: Joseph Wawrykow

Amy Donaldson
Explicit references to New Testament Variant Readings Among Greek and Latin Church Fathers
Advisor: Brian Daley

Wes Foreman
Christian Hexameral Commentary
Advisor: Brian Daley

Michael Heintz
The Pedagogy of the Soul: Origen's Homilies on the Psalms
Advisors: John Cavadini & Brian Daley
for further information: c.v.

Daria Lucas
The Grace of the Holy Spirit, the Virtue of Charity, and the Gift of Wisdom: Pneumatology and Divinization in Aquinas' Summa Theologiae
Advisor: Joseph Wawrykow

Damon McGraw
John Henry Newman: Apocalyptic Theologian
Advisor: Cyril O'Regan

Scott Moringiello
Irenaeus Rhetor
Advisor: Robin Darling Young

Christopher Wells
Reading and Writing the Form of the Word: Sacrament and Imitation in Summa Theolgiae III and Related Texts
Advisor: Joseph Wawrykow

 

Liturgical Studies


Kimberly Belcher
Sacramental Perichoresis: The Trinitarian Structure of the Reformed Roman Rite of Infant Baptism
Advisor: Nathan Mitchell

Nancy Johnson
Living Death: Baptism and the Christian LIfe int he Cappadocians
Advisor: Maxwell Johnson

Sue Rozeboom
Concipiat Fides, Spiritum Vere Unire Quae Locis Disiuncta Sunt: The Derivation of John Calvin's Understanding of the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
Advisor: Nathan Mitchell

Nicholas Russo
The Origins of Lent
Advisor: Maxwell Johnson

Frankie White
Gift and Givenness in Contemporary Sacramental Theology: An Evaluation and Comparative Analysis of Gift Imagery in Louis-Marie Chauvet, Jean-Luc Marion and David N. Power
Advisor: Nathan Mitchell

Walter Whitehouse
Tradition in Service of Reform: Pius X and Participation
Advisor: Nathan Mitchell

Michael Whitehouse
Manus Impositio: The Ritual Use of Handlaying in Postbaptismal and Related Rites in the Early Western Churches
Advisor: Maxwell Johnson

 

Moral Theology


William Jarrod Brown
Among the Nations:  Translation and the Paradigmatic Witness of the Church in the Social Ethics of John Howard Yoder
Advisor: Gerald McKenny

Charles Camosy
"Treatment of Imperiled Newborns: the Social Quality of Life Model in Light of Catholic Social Teaching."
Advisor: Maura Ryan
for further information: c.v.

Patrick Clark
Sharing the Sufferings of Christ: Martyrdom as an Art of Moral and Theological Virtue
Advisor: Jean Porter
for further information: c.v.

Anselma Dolcich-Ashley
Ethics and the Crisis in the U.S. Catholic Church
Advisor: Jean Porter

James Helmer
The Rights of Peoples?: A Christian Theological Analysis of Cultural Rights
Advisor: Jean Porter

Matthew Loverin
Obedient unto Death: The Person and Work of Jesus Christ in Karl Barth's Theological Ethics
Advisor: Gerald McKenny

 

Systematic Theology

 

Rhodora Beaton
The Sacramentality of words in Roman Catholic Theology since Vatican II: Insights from Karl Rahner and Louis-Marie Chauvet
Advisor: Mary Catherine Hilkert

Kristin Brantman Colberg
Toward a Theology of Local Church: Examining the Relationship between Catholicity and Locality at Vatican II and its Significance for Contemporary Theology
Advisor: Robert Krieg

Krista Duttenhaver
Christian Platonism as a Radical Politics: Simone Weil and the Mystical-Political
Advisor: Cyril O'Regan
for further information: c.v.

Harold Ernst
The Providence of God and the Passion of Christ: Divine Providence in the Theology of Thomas Aquinas
Advisor: Joseph Wawrykow & Cyril O'Regan

Kenneth Garcia
The Desire of the Mind for God and the Telos of the Catholic University
Advisor: Lawrence Cunningham

Anthony Lee
From Sacrament of Salvation to Sign that Interrupts: The Evolution in Edward Shillebeeckx's Theology of the Relationship between the Church and the World
Advisor: M. Catherine Hilkert

Sarah Morice-Brubaker
Place of the Spirit: A Trinitarian Theology of Location
Advisors: Gerald McKenny & Cyril O'Regan

LaReine-Marie Mosely
Salvation Despite the Death of Jesus? the Cross in the Soteriology of Edward Schillebeeckx: an African American Christian Female Perspective
Advisor: M. Catherine Hilkert

Danielle Nussberger
Saint as Theological Wellspring: A Critical Appraisal of Hans Urs Von Balthasar
Advisor: Cyril O'Regan

Christopher Pramuk
Hagia Sophia: Imagination, Poetics, and Presence in the Christology of Thomas Merton
Advisor: Lawrence Cunningham

Steven Rodenborn
Hope in Action: Subversive Eschatology in the Political Theologies of Johann Baptist Metz and Edward Schillebeeckx
Advisor: M. Catherine Hilkert

Ernesto Valiente
Truth, Justic, and Forgiveness: Reconcilation in the Christology of Jon Sobrino
Advisor: Matthew Ashley