Julia Brumbaugh, Ph.D., is a Catholic theologian at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, where she has taught since 2004. She holds a Ph.D. from Fordham University in contemporary systematic theology, where her dissertation work focused on the theology of tradition of Yves Congar in light of postmodern feminist challenges. She is co-editor with Natalia Imperatori-Lee of Turning to the Heavens and the Earth: Theological Reflections on a Cosmological Conversion: Essays in Honor of Elizabeth A. Johnson (Liturgical Press), which won the Catholic Book Association for second-place award for books in the area of Faith and Science in 2016.
Dr. Brumbaugh’s research questions and teaching commitments reach in several directions. One focus is about how to understand theological tradition in relation to contested questions within the Catholic Church, particularly those involving reform. She also has a growing interest in theologies of suffering, particularly questions related to the failure of theodicy, on the one hand, and the way that suffering gives rise to life’s most desperate searching for meaning, on the other. Her research questions and her teaching work converge in courses in 20th century theologies, suffering, Christian spiritual traditions, particularly Ignatian and Benedictine, and generally inviting students into the wisdom of Christian life and theology.
Dr. Brumbaugh is currently the Vice President of the College Theology Society and has served in the Catholic Theological Society of America as co-convener for the Women’s Consultation on Constructive Theology.