Catholic Studies
Catholic Studies
Candler’s Catholic Studies program prepares leaders and scholars for ministry in the Catholic Church and research in the Catholic intellectual tradition. In a time when the center of U.S. Catholicism is shifting to the Southeast, Candler offers cutting-edge formation in one of the most diverse and rapidly expanding Catholic contexts in the country. Exploring the Catholic tradition alongside students and faculty from other Christian denominations uniquely equips Catholic lay ecclesial ministers and scholars for service and research in the ecumenical reality of the 21st century. Whether your vocation lies in parish, school, or hospital ministry or you are seeking world-class preparation for doctoral study, Candler’s Catholic Studies faculty is committed to close mentorship of Catholic students from a range of backgrounds and interests to help you tailor your work inside and outside of the classroom to your vocational goals in service to the church, the academy, and the world.
Catholic resources abound in and around Candler. Immerse yourself in the archives of Flannery O’Connor, housed at Emory’s Rose Library. Explore the largest collection of John August-Swanson artwork in the world, which adorns the walls of Candler. Delve into the Thomas Merton Collection or the Father Thomas Keating Collection, both at Pitts Theology Library. Pursue contextual education opportunities at neighboring Jesuit parish St. Thomas More, Atlanta’s new Cristo Rey High School, or Our Lady of Lourdes, the Mother Church of African American Roman Catholics in Atlanta. Take a weekend retreat at Ignatius House or Holy Spirit Monastery. Join in prayer with over 30,000 Catholics for the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s annual Eucharistic Congress. And learn from some the finest Catholic scholars and practitioners in the world as guest lecturers and visiting professors, including M. Shawn Copeland, E.J. Dionne, Nichole Flores, Roberto Goizueta, Diana Hayes, Sr. Elizabeth Johnson, Cardinal Kurt Koch, Timothy Matovina, Sr. Jamie Phelps, Andrew Prevot, and many more.
For more information on the Catholic Studies program, email Dr. Tony Alonso, Director of Catholic Studies, at antonio.alonso@emory.edu.
Candler students enrolled in the Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree program may select a concentration in Catholic Studies. The concentration requires 18 hours and provides students with a series of courses that will prepare them for leadership in Catholic parishes, schools, non-profits, and other contexts.
Considering an MTS, MRL, MRPL, ThM or a dual degree in theology and public health, bioethics, law, social work, development practice, or business? Whatever your degree program, Catholic students will receive close mentorship and one-on-one guidance from Candler’s Catholic Studies faculty to focus their coursework in ways that will prepare them well for future vocational endeavors in the church, the academy, and the world.
Dr. Tony Alonso, Aquinas Assistant Professor of Theology and Culture; Director of Catholic Studies
Dr. Antonio Eduardo Alonso works at the intersection of theology and culture, with a particular focus on worship and ritual practices. In 2019 he was awarded the Catherine Mowry LaCugna Award from the Catholic Theological Society of America for his essay "Listening for the Cry: Certeau Beyond Strategies and Tactics" (Modern Theology, 2017). Alonso's first book, Commodified Communion: Eucharist, Consumer Culture, and the Practice of Everyday Life (Fordham University Press, 2021) was awarded the 2021 Hispanic Theological Initiative Book Prize. In addition to his scholarly work, Dr. Alonso is a Latin Grammy-nominated composer of sacred music.
Dr. Susan Reynolds, Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies
Dr. Susan Reynolds’ work examines ritual practice in contexts of difference, marginality, and suffering. Her current project analyzes the role of ritual in the formation of community in racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse Catholic parishes, drawing on a five-year ethnographic study of a diverse Catholic parish in Boston. Her other research interests include immigration and border studies, Latinx theologies, and lived ecclesiology. She also writes and speaks extensively on the topic of theology and prenatal loss. Prior to academic work, Reynolds taught middle school in Brownsville, Texas. She has more than a decade of experience in campus, parish, and liturgical music ministry.
Other associated faculty members at Candler
Dr. Anthony A. Briggman, Associate Professor of Early Christianity
Dr. Steffen Lösel, Associate Professor in the Practice of Systematic Theology
Dr. Marie Friedmann Marquardt, Scholar-in-Residence
Candler’s affiliation with the Aquinas Center of Theology further enhances the Catholic presence at Emory and provides rich resources for the formation of Catholic leaders and scholars. Partnering with the university to provide a range of programmatic and academic offerings that engage the Catholic community in the Atlanta area, the vision of the Aquinas Center is to transform lives through the search for God’s wisdom. In recent years, the Aquinas Center has invited some of the most significant Catholic voices in the world to campus for public lectures, including John L. Allen, Jr., Sr. Simone Campbell, Sr. Joan Chittister, Ambassador Miguel Diaz, Fr. Bryan Hehir, Cardinal Walter Kasper, Sr. Helen Prejean, Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., and many more. Catholic Studies and the Aquinas Center collaborate closely on a wide range of projects and initiatives that enrich Catholic life on campus.
Learn more about the Aquinas Center.
Why would I choose Candler over a Catholic Institution for graduate study?
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Will Candler prepare me for lay ecclesial ministry in the Catholic Church?
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Will Candler prepare me for doctoral study?
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Will I receive funding?
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What is the difference between Catholic Studies at Candler, Catholic Studies at Emory, the University Catholic Center at Emory University, and the Aquinas Center for Theology?
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What is the liturgical and spiritual life at Candler like?
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What other Catholic resources are available around Candler?
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I'm pursuing an MDiv degree. Where would I complete my Contextual Education?
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"Because of its focus on contextualized learning, Candler’s MDiv program gave me the opportunity to work with Catholic ministries across the archdiocese. After working with world-renowned scholars, I feel prepared for further PhD studies in Systematic Theology." —Byron Wratee, MDiv ’18
"Being in the classroom with students from other Christian denominations is a rewarding experience that allows you to find commonalities in beliefs while simultaneously deepening your understanding of the Catholic tradition. In a pluralistic world, engagement with other faith traditions will be a part of any future career in the Church or the academy." —Sarah Kothe, MTS ’18
"Candler provides opportunities to gain foundational knowledge from an ecumenical Christian perspective, while also engaging with the Catholic intellectual tradition. This combination provides a broad and rich background for me, as a Catholic, to enhance my contribution to my parish and diocese." —Theresa Milazzo, MRPL, ‘19