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should be an “emphasis on
SJU‟s Catholic Jesuit educa-
tion.” However, of the 21
U.S. Jesuit institutions with
an enrollment over 4,000
students, Saint Joseph‟s is
by far the largest (of only
three universities) that does
not offer graduate study in
theology, ministry, religious
studies or a related field.
A supportive note from
key leaders in the Diocese
of Camden—Most Rev.
Joseph Galante, Bishop of
Camden; Msgr. Dr. Roger
McGrath, Vicar General;
Sr. Roseann Quinn, Dele-
gate for Lifelong Forma-
tion; and Linda Robinson,
Director of Lay Ministry
Formation—praised the
proposed Masters degree
During the academic year
of 2010-2011, department
members developed a pro-
posal for a 36-credit Master
of Arts in Theology and
Society degree, hopefully to
begin in fall of 2012.
The program design has an
integrative approach to the
study of the various theo-
logical disciplines and to
theology‟s engagement with
society and culture.
Courses in Bible, historical
theology, ethics, systematic
theology, and interreligious
relations interlace with one
another, encouraging an
interdisciplinary grasp of
the study of theology. The
courses also explicitly relate
to the 21st century U.S.
and global contexts.
The proposal notes that the
program offers an essential
contribution to the mission
of SJU to “foster a lived
awareness of the challeng-
ing and mutually enriching
interaction between Chris-
tian faith and diverse con-
temporary culture.” In
keeping with SJU‟s Jesuit
character, the program
aims to prepare “men and
women with and for oth-
ers” by integrating the
study of theology with
current issues in and fea-
tures of American society.
In addition, the proposal
cites the university‟s 2010-
12 Bridge Plan that speci-
fies that to continue Saint
Joseph‟s “momentum to-
wards preeminence” there
Department Proposes Master of Arts in Theology and Society degree
Saint Joseph's University
Good News FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES SPRING 2011
From the Chair Dr. Shawn Krahmer
T h u r s d a y ,
April 11 - At
8 a.m. we left
for San Vin-
cente de Paul
School, run
jointly by Fe
y Alegria and Amanacer .
I was tired. This was just
another school. Except it
wasn‟t jus t another
school. None of them are,
really. It was a school for
street kids, all of whom
were rescued from the
streets, placed into the
proper age level shelter/
orphanage, provided with
bed and food, and then
bussed to school.
They were so thrilled to be
in a supporting, loving,
educational environment
that they were there, de-
spite the general strike. So
were their teachers. Public
schools were closed, buses
weren‟t running, but these
kids loved being there so
much they had made the
effort to walk to school
anyway. I am in awe of
those who possess the gifts
and tenacity to work with
these children and for
them.
There were posters all over
the building, a renovated
home, posters identifying
children‟s rights and re-
sponsibilities: “All children
have a right to food. Chil-
dren have a right to be
t r e a t ed w i th k i nd -
ness. They have a right to
know both their father and
their mother….”
The paragraphs above are a
small part of my reflections
from a recent study tour to
Bolivia with students in my
“Faith, Justice and Jesuit
Missions in Bolivia” class.
Each time I return to cam-
pus after this week abroad,
I find that I am further
changed. I feel the discon-
nect between how much I
possess and the generosity
of those who have less. I
have much less patience
with SJU students who
don‟t value the privilege of
the education they have the
chance to acquire. I also
know that I must keep
teaching this course, al-
though it isn‟t comfortable
and familiar territory or the
discipline in which I for-
mally trained. What else
can I do with such revela-
tory experiences if I don‟t
use them to teach theology,
so that there will be more
and more graduates of SJU
who understand and care
about the plight of the
poor?
for “integrating the study
of theology with contem-
porary issues and chal-
lenges in American society.
Such an integration is criti-
cal for those in leadership
roles in parishes, women
and men committed to
serving the Church and its
people in that sacred mar-
ketplace where society and
Church converge.”
The proposal has been
submitted to the Office of
the Provost to begin the
approval process to imple-
ment this exciting new
program of study.
A collaboration among Boston
College, Catholic Theological
Union, Katholieke Universiteit
Leuven, Lund University ,
Pontifical Gregorian University,
and Saint Joseph‟s University, the
book has already been praised as
“stunning in its scope, erudition,
and creativity, this work is
without parallel or peer” and “a
watershed contribution to a new
era in the Jewish-Christian
encounter.”
Dr. Philip A. Cunningham is the
US coordinator of a 5-year
international project that has just
published Christ Jesus and the
J e w i s h P e op l e Tod a y : N ew
Explorations of Theological Inter-
relationships. It asks the question:
“How might we Christians in
our time reaffirm our faith claim
that Jesus Christ is the Savior of
all humanity, even as we affirm
the Jewish people‟s covenantal
life with God?”
Faculty Publications
Major New Book in Catholic-Jewish Relations Published
Faculty on hand were (back row,
r to l): Drs. Bruce Wells, Shawn
Krahmer (chair), Gerard Jacobitz,
Gerald Beyer and (front row far
left) James Caccamo.
New Honor Society Members Inducted
On April 27 the Department
inducted several new members
into the Alpha Xi chapter of
the National Honor Society for
Re l i g iou s S tud i e s and
Theology, Theta Alpha Kappa.
In the front row (r to l) are
inductees Lori Ann Rizzo,
Jamila Smith, Angela Siegel
(this year‟s Undergraduate
Achievement Award winner),
and Emily Holmes.
Gerald J. Beyer
“Poland in 1980 and Wisconsin in
2011: History Rhymes,” Politics
Daily, Feb 24, 2011,
“Conference on Race and the
Church Asks: Are All Welcome?”
Nat’l Catholic Reporter, Feb 17, 2011.
“Neither Socialist nor Libertarian:
Pope Benedict‟s Caritas in Veritate
on the Proper Role of Government
in the Economy,” Josephinum Journal
of Theology 17/1 (2010): 157-67
“The Pope or the Tea Party?” (with
John Gehring), Nat’onal Catholic
Reporter, Oct 19, 2010.
“Przydałby się nam Tischner
dzisiaj,” Gazeta Wyborcza, June
28, 2010. (Newspaper interview on
the 10th anniversary of the death of
Fr. Jozef Tischner, the Solidarity
movement‟s philosopher/chaplain.
Also, a TV interview on the legacy
of Tischner‟s thought on “Religia
TV,” Poland, June 20, 2010.
James F. Caccamo
Living Worship (co-author), a two-
disc, multimedia educational soft-
ware program for teaching worship
in seminary or M.Div. settings. Disk
1 studies worship in a congregation,
while Disk 2 offers interviews of
leading liturgists.
David Carpenter
“Tapas” in Brill's Encyclopedia of
Hinduism. Volume 2. Sacred Texts and
Language, Ritual Traditions, Arts,
Concepts: 865-869.
Peter Clark, S.J.
“Concierge Medicine: Medical,
Legal and Ethical Perspectives,”
with J. Friedman, D. Crosson, &
M. Fadus, Internet Journal of Law,
Healthcare and Ethics 7/2.
“Heroin Addiction: An Ethical
Analysis of New York City‟s Her-
oin Manual,” Journal of Health 12/1.
“Surgical Vaccine: Should Male
Circumcision Be Mandatory in
Sub-Saharan Africa?” with J. Eis-
enman, S. Szapor in Bioethics: Issues
and Dilemmas, T. Pace, ed.
“Telemedicine: Medical, Legal and
Ethical Perspectives,” with K.
Capuzzi & J. Harrison, Medical
Science Monitor 16/12.
[continued on back page]
Page 2 GOOD NEWS
Faculty Tenure
was awarded to two
department members
this spring !
Gerard Jacobitz,
Assistant Professor,
specializes in
Systematic Theology.
Bruce Wells
studies Hebrew Bible.
He was also promoted
to the rank of
Associate Professor.
Congratulations!
Drs. Bruce Wells, Gerard Jacobitz
Joining the faculty on a fulltime
basis this fall is the department‟s
new ass‟t professor of Catholi-
cism in America, Dr. Katie Oxx.
Her academic work integrates
the history of American Catholi-
cism into the study of American
religious history, paying special
attention to the variegated inter-
actions between Catholics and
Protestants of various sorts,
particularly in Philadelphia.
Indeed her research into the
religious history of Philadelphia
will be a notable asset to the life
of the SJU community.
Since completing her doctorate
in 2006, she has revised her
dissertation on the relations
between religious communities
in early national Philadelphia
into a wider exploration of the
role of space and place in the
context of lived urban religion.
She is currently
studying five
early Catholic
churches to map
Catho l i c i sm ‟s
emergence in
Philadelphia.
Dr. Oxx has served as an adjunct
professor at SJU and already is
known as a creative and engaging
teacher.
Welcome aboard!
Unions and Social Policy in Eastern
Europe Symposium,” Indiana Uni-
versity, Oct 22, 2010.
“On the Possibility of Human Soli-
darity: Insights from Evolutionary
Perspectives,” Catholic Theological
Ethics in the World Church Confer-
ence, Trento, Italy, July 2010.
James F. Caccamo
"Creating Helpful Discussions
about Worship" & “Teaching Wor-
ship Planning: Content and Con-
text," (with T. Johnson) at the Cal-
vin Institute for Christian Worship's
"Calvin Symposium on Worship,”
Grand Rapids, MI, Jan 28-29, 2011.
Founded the Technology Ethics
Interest group in the Society of
Christian Ethics to spur research on
technology ethics from the per-
spective of Christian tradition. At
the SCE's January 2011 conference
in New Orleans, the Group held its
first meeting on “Deepwater Hori-
zon: Technology, Failure, and the
Ethics of Engineering.”
Peter Clark, S.J.
"Extraordinary Scholarly & Service
Contributions Beyond the Class-
room,” Assoc. of Catholic Colleges
& Universities, Washington, D.C.,
Jan 31, 2011.
Gerald J. Beyer
“Can Poland‟s Solidarity be Global-
ized? Insights from Evolutionary
Biology,” Internat‟l Conf: “Ethical
Pluralism and Global Solidarity” at
Metropolitní Univerzita Praha, Pra-
gue, Czech Republic, Apr 29, 2011.
“Solidarity by Grace or Nature
Alone? Catholic Theology in Dia-
logue with Evolutionary Biology on
the Possibility of Human Solidar-
ity,” Inaugural Lecture of Gudorf
Chair in Catholic Theology and
Culture Lecture Series, University of
Dayton, March 10, 2011.
“Celebrating the 31st Anniversary
of the Pastoral „Brothers and Sisters
to Us.‟” Keynote at the Archdiocese
of Cincinnati‟s Forum on Race:
“Are All Welcome? Race in the
Church Today.” University of Day-
ton, Jan 29, 2011. Close to 300
people attended the event, the first
time a U.S. Archdiocese devoted an
entire day to the topic of race. The
organizing committee cited Beyer's
2009 America article "Why Race Still
Matters: Catholics and the Rise of
Obama," as the catalyst that sparked
their preparation of the event.
The Ideals & Discourse of Solidar-
ność: From Communism towards a
Republic of Equals. Paper at the
“Solidarities of Communism: Trade
"Ethical Decision-Making in
Catholic Hospitals Today," Holy
Redeemer Hospital, Meadowbrook,
PA, Mar 10, 2011.
"Ethical Decision Making at the
End-of-Life," Old St. Joseph's
Parish, Philadelphia, PA, Mar 6 and
Neighborhood Hospice, West
Chester, PA, Feb 14, 2011.
Philip A. Cunningham
“The Catholic Church and the
Inquisition,” with Rabbi A. Iser,
Congregation Brith Achim, King of
Prussia, PA, May 15, 2011.
"Theological Implications of
Archbishop Bustros‟ Interview,"
Anti-Defamation League, New
York, Mar 24, 2011.
Corrector for a doctoral defense at
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in
Belgium: D. Bolton “Justifying Paul
Among Jews and Christians? An
Investigation of the New Perspec-
tive on Paul in Light of Jewish-
Christian Dialogue,” Feb 14, 2011.
“Theology of Jewish-Christian
Relations Today: An Assessment of
Academic and Ecclesiastical Think-
ing,” Consultation: Christian Self-
Understanding in the Context of
Judaism, World Council of
Churches, Istanbul, June 18, 2010.
Department Welcomes Dr. Katie Oxx
Faculty Presentations and Activities
Page 3 SPRING 2011 “By its very nature, a
University develops culture
through its research, helps
to transmit the local
culture to each succeeding
generation through its
teaching, and assists
cultural activities through
its educational services. It is
open to all human experience
and is ready to dialogue with
and learn from any culture.
A Catholic University shares
in this, offering the rich
experience of the Church's
own culture. In addition, a
Catholic University, aware
that human culture is open
to Revelation and
transcendence, is also a
primary and privileged place
for a fruitful dialogue
between the Gospel and
culture. “
- Pope John Paul II,
Ex Corde Ecclesiae,
Apostolic Constitution on
Catholic Universities
Millicent Feske
“Rachel‟s Lament: The Impact of
Infertility, Pregnancy Loss, and
Newborn Death on the Religious
Faith of Ordinary Christians,” an-
nual meeting of the American Acad-
emy of Religion, Atlanta, GA, Nov
1, 2010.
Allen Kerkeslager
“How to Start a Program to Protect
the Environment, Improve Commu-
nities, and Create Jobs: Learning
with the Genesee River Wilds Pro-
ject,” Wheeling Jesuit University,
Mar 2010.
“The Edict of Flaccus and the Vio-
lence in Alexandria in 38 CE,” an-
nual meeting of Society of Biblical
Literature, Atlanta, GA, Nov 21,
2010.
Umeyye Isra Yazicioglu
“Perhaps Their Harmony is Not that
Simple: Said Nursi‟s Interpretation
of the Relationship between Modern
Science and the Qur‟an,” American
Academy of Religion Annual Meet-
ing, Oct 30-Nov.1 2010.
“Abraham, Sarah and Hagar in the
Muslim Tradition,” at The Jewish
Community Center in Manhattan,
Oct. 2010.
Philip A. Cunningham
"The Triune One, the Incarnate
Logos, and Israel‟s Covenantal Life"
with D. Pollefeyt in Cunningham, et
al, eds., Christ Jesus and the Jewish
People Today: New Explorations of
Theological Interrelationships, 183-201.
"Jews and Christians from the Time
of Christ to Constantine‟s Reign" in
A. Lindemann & R. Levy, eds.,
Antisemitism: A History, 47-62.
"John Paul II, Lower Manhattan &
the Power of Religious Symbolism,"
Jewish Exponent, Sept 16, 2010.
Faculty Publications (continued from p. 2)
The Department of Theology and Religious Studies is committed to a rigorous presentation of the methods
and content of both the scholarly study of Christian Theology and the academic discipline of Religious
Studies. We view these combined disciplines as an important component within the liberal arts curriculum
of a Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit tradition. We therefore take seriously our charge to engage
students in the serious and critical study of religious experience, practice, thought and inquiry, both
historically and in the contemporary world.
Phone: 610-660-1850 Fax: 610-660-3217 E-mail: porreca@sju.edu
Saint Joseph's
University
Visit Us at:
www.sju.edu/
academics/cas/
theology
Department of Theology & Religious Studies
Chair: Dr. Shawn Krahmer, BE209 Admin Ass‟t: Ms. Joni Porreca, BE218
New Course
THE 337-HON: Jewish and
Christian Interpretations of the
Bible. [Prof. Philip Cunningham
and Rabbi Alan Iser.]
This course examines why the
Bible has been a source of conflict
between Christians and Jews, and
why that is currently changing—as
seen in recent official Catholic
instructions.
Allen Kerkeslager
“Athletics,” “Cyprus,” “Cyrenaica,”
“Gymnasium;” articles in J. Collins
& D. Harlow, eds., Dictionary of
Early Judaism (Eerdmans, 2010).
Bruce Wells
"The Hated Wife in Deuteronomic
Law," Vetus Testamentum 60:131-146
"Competing or Complementary?
Judges and Elders in Biblical and
Neo-Babylonian Law," Zeitschrift für
altorientalische und biblische Rechts-
geschichte 16: 77-104.
Department Member Spearheads Environmental Strategic Plan
Meet Our Faculty:
Gerald J. Beyer Associate Professor, Social Ethics
James F. Caccamo Associate Professor, Social Ethics
David Carpenter Associate Professor, History of Religions
Peter Clark, S.J. Professor, Ethics
Philip A. Cunningham Professor, Catholic-Jewish Relations
Mario Farrugia, S.J. Assistant Professor, Systematics
Millicent Feske Assistant Professor, Systematics
Vincent Genovesi, S.J. Professor, Ethics
Gerard Jacobitz Assistant Professor, Systematics
Allen Kerkeslager Associate Professor, Religions of the Ancient World
Shawn Madison Krahmer Associate Professor, Historical Theology (Chair)
Kathleen Oxx Assistant Professor, Catholicism in America
Bruce Wells Associate Professor, Hebrew Bible
Umeyye Isra Yazicioglu Assistant Professor, Islam
Dr. Allen Kerkeslager is the prin-cipal editor of the recently com-pleted "Triple Divide Trail Sys-tem Strategic Plan." The strate-gic plan promotes water resource conservation, natural flood con-trol, outdoor recreation, fishery replenishment, education, and economic revitalization spanning about 230 miles from Rochester, NY to Williamsport, PA.
"Triple Divide Trail" describes the trail's passage over a triple continental divide separating the headwaters of three watersheds of national import: the Allegheny River, which empties into the Ohio River and thereby the Mis-sissippi River; the Genesee River, which empties into Lake Ontario; and Pine Creek, the largest tribu-tary of the Susquehanna River‟s West Branch and so is a major feeder of Chesapeake Bay.
Since the plan com-bines and builds on existing projects, many of its features have already been adopted by state, regional, and local planning agencies in both states.
The plan is available in PDF format on the website of the Genesee River Wilds Project:
www.geneseeriverwilds.org
Dr. Bruce Wells ran in the 5-mile Narberth Run on Apr. 23, 2011. He finished an impressive 147th out of 513 runners in a time of 41 minutes exactly. His com-ment? “I was beaten by one 7-year-old, two 9-year-olds, and one dog.”
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