Judith Wolfe named Joseph Chair for Catholic Systematic Theology
University of St. Andrews Professor of Philosophical Theology Judith Wolfe has been named as Boston College鈥檚 Joseph Chair for Catholic Systematic Theology, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., has announced. She will begin her appointment in fall 2027, succeeding Richard Gaillardetz, who held the position from 2011 until his death in 2023.
A Catholic theologian, Wolfe focuses her scholarship and teaching on systematic and philosophical theology. Her main research interest is on eschatology (the 鈥渓ast things鈥�) and on the theological imagination of the world more broadly, with attention to the intersections of theology, philosophy, literature, art, and psychology. Her most recent books are The Theological Imagination聽(Cambridge University Press, 2024) and Theologians in Conversations (ed., Bloomsbury, 2026).
She is co-leader of a five-year project titled 鈥淭heologies of Catholicity,鈥� as well as 鈥淎rt as Revelation,鈥� a three-year initiative which has been the subject of a TEDx talk and a mini-documentary. She is also engaged in public theology, most recently about AI and apocalypticism for the Apple Top 100 podcast 鈥淪uspicious Minds.鈥�
鈥淎s the new Joseph Chair for Catholic Systematic Theology, Judith Wolfe will bring to Boston College an international reputation for outstanding scholarship grounded in theology鈥檚 openness to fruitful conversation with a range of disciplines, including philosophy, psychology, and the arts, along with a commitment to education as formation, helping students to grow in freedom, discernment, and the ability to live lives that respond to the needs of the world,鈥� said Fr. Kalscheur.
鈥淗er exploration of the theological imagination promises to make intriguing connections with a central dimension of Ignatian spirituality, and her dedication to being a theologian in service to the Church鈥攚ith a passion for exploring theology鈥檚 role within the academy and in conversation with a wider public鈥攚ill be very much at home here at Boston College. I look forward to welcoming her to 51成人动漫.鈥�
Judith Wolfe
鈥淚 am deeply honored to be named to the Joseph Chair for Catholic Systematic Theology,鈥� said Wolfe. 鈥淭he Theology Department at Boston College is one of the most exciting places in the world to do theology, combining intellectual reach, spiritual depth, and a sense of real community. It will be a joy to be part of this community, welcoming students into it and reaching out to and on behalf of the wider Church.鈥�
A native of Vienna, Wolfe completed undergraduate studies in literature and interdisciplinary honors studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and graduate studies at the University of Oxford, where she earned a MPhil in English literature and an M.A. and a DPhil in theology.
She has been on the faculty of St. Andrews, located in Scotland, since 2014 and has held honorary appointments at Blackfriars Hall, Oxford University, Australian Catholic University, and Durham University in the UK. Prior to joining St. Andrews, Wolfe taught at the University of Oxford and Bard College Berlin. She also does ongoing work with the Vatican鈥檚 Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Wolfe鈥檚 forthcoming book, Philosophical Myths of the End聽(Oxfor University Press), examines varieties of eschatological thought in European philosophy, and political and technological thought.
鈥淒r. Judith Wolfe is a very accomplished scholar and a very generative and creative thinker with visionary and forward-looking theological interests in Catholic systematic theology, which include theological aesthetics and eschatology, and which engage the philosophy of language and the European continental philosophy, particularly Martin Heidegger,鈥� said Theology Department Chair Andrea Vicini, S.J., the Michael P. Walsh Professor of Bioethics.
鈥淗er accomplishments over the past 15 years are remarkable,鈥� he continued, 鈥渨ith an impressive research record in publications, lectures, collaborative theological work, and grants. Her commitment to formative education and rigorous scholarship will further strengthen our department and greatly benefit both our undergraduates and graduate students. We look forward to welcoming her.鈥�
Professor of Theology Brian Robinette, who chaired the Joseph Chair for Catholic Systematic Theology search committee, added, 鈥淧rofessor Wolfe鈥檚 arrival at Boston College is a major statement in the world of philosophical and systematic theology. One rarely encounters a mind capable of moving so effortlessly and creatively across such a wide range of subjects. Already well known for her work on 20th-century philosophy, eschatology, and theological engagement with the arts, Professor Wolfe is also a tireless networker and a scintillating speaker with a notable public profile. She is ideally suited for the Joseph Chair for Catholic Systematic Theology and will bring both depth of leadership and a renewed sense of intellectual excitement at a time when theology in university settings is in need of innovative ways forward.鈥�
Established in 1986 through an anonymous donor, the Joseph Chair for Catholic Systematic Theology supports a respected research scholar in one of the disciplines of Catholic theology, to serve as an example and guide to doctoral candidates in theology, strengthening the teaching of Catholic theology at Boston College. The donor also created the Joseph Chair in Catholic Philosophy, Joseph Chair for Catholic Spirituality, the Joseph Chair in Catholic Philosophy, and the Joseph Chair for Theology.聽聽