Santa Clara University

- James W. Reites, S.J.

Religious Studies department
James W. Reites, S.J.

James W. Reites, S.J.


Associate Professor

Fr. Reites was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. His undergraduate career spanned several universities and interests: Loyola University of Los Angeles for Engineering and Math, Immaculate Heart College for vocal and choral music, Santa Clara University for Classics and the humanities, and finally St. Louis University, where he earned his A.B. in Philosophy (1964). His M.S.T. in Theology from Santa Clara University followed seven years later, though once again his coursework included scripture and theology courses from other universities as well (Loyola University of LA and the University of San Francisco). In the same year, 1971, Fr. Reites was awarded his S.T.L. in Theology from Alma College/the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, and by 1977 he had completed his S.T.D. at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

Fr. Reites joined the Santa Clara University faculty in 1975 and teaches undergraduate courses on Catholic theology and spirituality, the New Testament and Christian tradition, religious autobiography, and the theology of C. S. Lewis, as well as a graduate course on the history of western Christian spirituality in the Graduate Program of Pastoral Ministries. His research interests range from theology and feminism to St. Ignatius and the early history of the Jesuits in Spain and Italy.

  Courses Research Activities CV  

Courses

Courses taught at Santa Clara University
  TESP 4 Christian Traditions
  TESP 5 Catholic Theology: Foundations
  SCTR 11 Origins of Western Religions
  SCTR 30 New Testament
  TESP 42 Theology of C. S. Lewis
  TESP 49 Christian Mysticism
TESP 65 Early Christianity
TESP 124 Theology of Marriage
  TESP Theology of Suffering
  TESP 147 Religious Autobiography
  TESP 153 Catholic Themes in Literature
TESP 182 Peace Making: Theologies, Methods, Modern Examples
SPIR 240 History of Western Christian Spirituality
  SPIR 242 Discernment and Christian Decision Making

Academic Appointments

  • Associate Professor, Religious Studies Department, Santa Clara University
2001-present
  • Visiting Lecturer, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA
Fall 2000
  • Assistant Director, Ignatius House, California Province Jesuit Novitiate
1999-2001
  • Associate Professor, Religious Studies Department, Santa Clara University
1981
  • Director, Graduate Pastoral Ministries Program, Santa Clara University
1996-1998
  • Chair, Religious Studies Department, Santa Clara University
1978-1994
  • Assistant Professor, Religious Studies Department, Santa Clara University
1977-1981
  • Acting Assistant Professor, Religious Studies Department, Santa Clara University
1975-1977
  • Teaching Assistant, Alma College, Los Gatos, CA
1969
  • Teacher, Theology, St. Ignatius High School, San Francisco, CA
1966-1968

Research

Research Interests
  • Theology
  • Feminism
  • C. S. Lewis
  • St. Ignatius, and the early history of the Jesuits in Spain and Italy


Publications
Books
St. Ignatius and the People of the Book: An Historical-Theological Study of St. Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Motivation in His Dealins with the Jews and Muslims. Roma: Typis Pontificiae Universitatis Gregorianae, 1977.
Articles
"To Speak Rightly About God: Feminist Theology and the Mystery of God. Part II: Discourse About God." Landas (Journal of Theology published at the Loyola School of Theology in Manila, Philippines) 8 (2 1994) 219-36.
"To Speak Rightly About God: Feminist Theology and the Mystery of God. Part I: Introduction to Feminist Theology." Landas 8 (1 1994) 64-71.
"Ignatius and Ministry with Women." The Way, Supplement 74 (Summer 1992) 7-19.
Joint Publications
With Donald Dodson, "Another Kind of Justice." Issues in Ethics 7 (3 1996).
Chapters in Books
"Ignatius of Loyola and the Conversos." In Columbus, Confrontation, Christianity: The European-American Encounter Revisited (ed. Timothy J. O'Keefe; Forbes Mill Press, 1994) 57-68.
Book Reviews
"Philip Caraman, S.J., Ignatius Loyola. A Biography of the Founder of the Jesuits (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1990)." Horizons 19 (1992) 165.
 
Awards & Grants
Globalization Institute Grant for Curriculum Development, Santa Clara University, 2002.
Ethics and Social Justice Grant, Santa Clara University, 2002.
Visiting Scholar, Ateneo de Manila, Philippines, Summer 1993.

Activities

Professional Memberships
  • American Academy of Religion
  • Catholic Historical Society of America
  • Catholic Theological Society of America
  • College Theology Society
  • Society of Biblical Literature

Activities
Director, Xavier Residential Learning Community, Santa Clara University, 2002-present.
Acting Director of Residential Learning Communities, Santa Clara University, 2002-2003.
Assistant Director of Novices, California Province, Society of Jesus, 1999-2001.
Director, Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries, Santa Clara University, 1996-1999.
Chair, Religious Studies Department, Santa Clara University, 1978-1994.