Stories

As the days grow longer and the pace of life changes, summer can offer a wonderful opportunity to dive into a good book. The trick is finding the right one. That is why we are excited to share a curated list of recent publications from JST-SCU – scholars and practitioners whose work not only shapes contemporary theological thought but also offers profound insights for everyday life.

Whether you're looking for fresh perspectives on current events, a deeper understanding of spiritual practices, or a new way to connect faith with justice, we hope this list offers something to spark your curiosity and enrich your summer. For a full list of our faculty’s publications, you can visit each faculty member’s page on our website.

Happy reading!

Exploring Faith & Ethics in Today's World - These books tackle pressing contemporary issues, offering a theological lens through which to understand and respond to the challenges of our time.

• A Christian and African Ethic of Women’s Political Participation: Living as Risen Beings by Léocadie W. Lushombo, i.t., Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics). This book surveys a broad panorama of Christian and African traditions to discover and assess the components that will illuminate and motivate a Christian and African ethic of women's political participation. The author advocates an interplay between the sacredness of every individual’s life, a salient principle of Christian ethics, and the collective consciousness of solidarity distinctive to African cultures.

• The Pope and the Pandemic: Lessons in Leadership in a Time of Crisis by Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator S.J., Ph.D. (Dean / Professor of Theology). Dean Orobator’s timely book examines Pope Francis's leadership during the global pandemic, offering a model of guidance and inspiration for navigating moments of profound crisis.

• Can You Be a Catholic and a Feminist? by Julie Hanlon Rubio, Ph.D. (Professor of Christian Social Ethics). Dr. Rubio dives into the often-complex relationship between Catholicism and feminism. She explores how a credible Catholic feminist identity is possible if we frankly acknowledge tensions between Catholicism and feminism, bring forward shared concerns, and embrace the future with ambiguity and creativity. This book is a thoughtful exploration for anyone interested in the intersection of faith, gender, and social justice.

• A Theology of Flourishing: The Fullness of Life for All Creation by Paul J. Schutz, Ph.D. (Associate Professor in the Religious Studies Department at SCU with a courtesy appointment at JST-SCU). Dr. Schutz invites readers to consider "flourishing" as a central concept for Christian theology and spirituality. This book explores how fostering the fullness of life for all creation can inspire robust action for ecological and social justice, offering a hopeful vision for our interconnected world.

Deepening Spirituality & Formation - These selections offer pathways to a richer spiritual life and a deeper understanding of foundational practices.

• Renewing Theology: Ignatian Spirituality and Karl Rahner, Ignacio Ellacuría, and Pope Francis by J. Matthew Ashley, Ph.D. (Professor of Christian Spirituality). Dr. Ashley's compelling study shows how academic theology can be renewed through a "living circulation" with spirituality, particularly Ignatian spirituality. Discover how prominent Jesuit theologians like Karl Rahner, Ignacio Ellacuría, and Pope Francis have drawn on Ignatian insights to address the challenges of modernity, offering a unique perspective on the enduring relevance of this spiritual tradition.
• Living Prayer: A Book of Hours for Renewing Creation by Alison Benders, J.D., Ph.D. (Senior Lecturer Emerita in Systematic Theology), Lisa Fullam (Professor Emerita of Moral Theology), and Gina Hens-Piazza (Professor of Old Testament Studies). This devotional text, a collaborative effort, offers a four-week cycle of morning and evening prayer drawing inspiration from the “ancient spiritual pattern of the liturgy of the hours.” Created with ecological and social justice in mind, it's a beautiful resource for anyone seeking to embody an ethic of care for our common home through daily prayer. It was also recently featured in The Christian Century’s list of “books worth reading.”

• Spiritually Informed Therapy by Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D. (Professor of Psychology with a courtesy appointment at JST-SCU). This text demonstrates how clinicians can incorporate cornerstone principles from Jesuit spirituality into professional and contemporary clinical psychotherapy practice. It underscores the benefits of introducing key faith-based principles into both secular and spiritually informed therapy to enrich client experiences.

Connecting Across Cultures & Disciplines - These books explore the intersections of faith with art, culture, and diverse communities.

• The Varieties of Nonreligious Experience: Atheism in American Culture by Jerome P. Baggett, Ph.D. (Associate Dean / Professor of Religion and Society). This book offers a fascinating exploration of the breadth of social, emotional, and spiritual experiences of atheists in America. Drawing on questionnaires and interviews with more than five hundred American atheists, it uncovers what they think about morality, what gives meaning to their lives, and how they feel about religious people.

• Imaging Pilgrimage: Art as Embodied Experience by Kathryn Barush, D. Phil. (Thomas E. Bertelsen, Jr. Professor of Art History and Religion). Dr. Barush’s acclaimed book explores the dynamic ways in which the arts shape culture and community, especially through the lens of pilgrimage. With a multidisciplinary approach, it delves into themes of material religion, multiculturalism, and spiritual expression, offering a fascinating journey for anyone interested in pilgrimage studies, material culture, and the place of religion within contemporary art.

• Eusebius the Evangelist: Rewriting the Fourfold Gospel in Late Antiquity by Jeremiah Coogan, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity). This scholarly work analyzes Eusebius of Caesarea’s fourth-century reconfiguration of the Gospels as a window into broader questions of technology and textuality in the ancient Mediterranean. It reveals how Eusebius' innovative use of textual technologies transformed readers' encounters with Gospel text on the page for over a millennium.

• Católicos Mexicoamericanos (Spanish translation of Mexican-American Catholics) by Eduardo C. Fernández, S.J., S.T.D. (Professor of Pastoral Theology and Ministry). Dr. Fernández's publication draws on his own experience, offering pastoral strategies for accompanying Mexican-American Catholics in becoming more active members of the Church. This book insights into the theological and lived experiences of Mexican-American and Hispanic Catholics, demonstrating a commitment to culturally contextualized theological inquiry that will resonate with a wide readership.

• A Symphony of Distances: Patristic, Modern, and Gendered Dimensions of Balthasar’s Trinitarian Theology by Christopher M. Hadley, S.J., Ph.D. (Associate Professor of Systematic Theology). This book provides an overview of Hans Urs von Balthasar's use of distance imagery with regard to personal distinctions in the Holy Trinity. It offers a critical analysis of him as a modern Catholic theologian, exploring how the metaphor of 'distance' integrates all of Balthasar's theological thought.

• The Rule of the Association and Related Texts by James Nati, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible & Early Judaism) with John J. Collins. This book provides text, translation, and commentary on the Rule of the Association, a primary description of the sectarian community from the Dead Sea Scrolls, and related fragmentary texts. It offers a substantial introduction that locates the Rule in the context of the sectarian movement and ancient Judaism.

Nurturing Health, Well-being & Pastoral Care - These selections address practical and spiritual support for individuals and communities facing significant life challenges.

• Walking Through the Valley of Dementia: A Self-Paced Spiritual Retreat for Care Partners by Therese Fisher, M.T.S., ‘24 (JST-SCU Alumna). An alumna of JST-SCU, Therese Fisher offers a self-paced retreat designed to support care partners of individuals living with dementia. This book provides spiritual exercises and scriptural reflections to help navigate the challenges of caregiving, offering nourishment and sustenance on a demanding journey.

• The Meal That Reconnects: Eucharistic Eating and the Global Food Crisis by Mary E. McGann, R.S.C.J., Ph.D. (Adjunct Associate Professor of Liturgical Studies). Dr. McGann's award-winning book invites readers to a more profound appreciation of the sacredness of eating, the planetary interdependence that food and the sharing of food entails, and the destructiveness of the industrial food system that is supplying food to tables globally. She presents the food crisis as a spiritual crisis—a call to rediscover the theological, ecological, and spiritual significance of eating and to probe its challenge to Christian eucharistic practice. Drawing on the origins of Eucharist in Jesus’s meal fellowship and the worship of early Christians, McGann invites communities to reclaim the foundational meal character of eucharistic celebration while offering pertinent strategies for this renewal.

We hope this summer reading list provides you with engaging opportunities to deepen your understanding of theology, faith, ethics, and the human experience. These works are a small sample of the vibrant intellectual life at JST-SCU and our faculty's commitment to exploring the most pressing issues of our time. We hope you enjoy the ongoing conversation!