Elyse Raby is a Catholic systematic theologian. Her research focuses on the intersections of ecclesiology (the study of the church), embodiment, and gender. Long educated in the Jesuit tradition, Dr. Raby holds a Ph.D. from Boston College, a Masters in Theological Studies from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, and a Bachelors in Religious Studies from Fairfield University (CT). As a teacher, she invites her students to encounter the sacramental worldview of Catholicism, to explore Christianity’s relevance for contemporary life, and to critically analyze the church from the perspective of its own stated ideals.
- TESP 4: The Christian Tradition
- TESP 50: Catholic Theology: Foundations
- TESP 81: Being Human
- TESP 144: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism
- PMIN 205: Ecclesiology (Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministry)
“‘Why All The Fuss About The Body?’ Mary Douglas’s Grid-Group Theory and Catholic Ecclesiology.” Theological Studies, June 2025
“Bodies That Matter: The USCCB, The Eucharistic Revival, and ‘Gender Ideology.’” Worship, July 2025.
“Pope Francis’ Ecclesial Ethics: Mercy, Subsidiarity, Justice,” in The Moral Vision of Pope Francis: Expanding the US Reception of the First Jesuit Pope (Georgetown University Press, 2024).
“Beyond ‘Women in the Church’: Gender and Ecclesiology Since Vatican II,” in Revitalizing the Renewal: The Sixtieth Anniversary of Vatican II (Orbis Press, 2024).
“The Diaconate: How Doers Get More Done.” Ecumenical Trends, June 2022.
“The Potential of Ecclesial Metaphors in Systematic Ecclesiology.” Horizons, June 2022.