Author’s Page Joshua Farris Dr. Joshua Farris is the 2019-20 Chester and Margaret Paluch Lecturer in Theology at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. He is concurrently serving as assistant professor of theology and Director of the Academy at Houston Baptist University. He has authored or edited five books, including The Soul of Theological Anthropology: An Exploration in Cartesian Ontology (Ashgate) and contributed articles and essays to such journals as: Heythrop Journal Neue Zeitschrift fur Systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie, Philosophy and Theology, Religious Studies, and Philosophy Now. Dr. Farris’ primary teaching focus is theology, great books, theological anthropology, and philosophical theology. During his time with us at Mundelein, he will be exploring he engagement of faith and culture around through philosophical theology. An additional focus will be on scholarly apologetics in American Protestantism, to help us understand the way efforts at the new evangelization are contextualized in the wider American religious culture. Dr. Farris’ took degrees in philosophy and religion, and church music at Missouri Baptist University. He went on to receive the Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His doctoral studies were in theology and religious studies at the University of Bristol. He did post-doctoral studies at Heythrop College of the University of London.
David P. Olson The Reverend David P. Olson is a priest of the Diocese of LaCrosse and Assistant Professor of Dogmatic Theology at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. Fr. Olson is the author of Christology in the Context of Interreligious Dialogue: Thomas Aquinas and Jacques Dupuis, A Comparative Analysis. He was previously pastor of Newman Catholic Parish in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in La Crosse and associate pastor of Saint Michael Parish in Wausau. He teaches in the areas of doctrine of God, ecclesiology and Christology. He holds a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin, and a S.T.D. from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
Martin A. Zielinski The Reverend Martin Zielinski is a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and associate professor of church history at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. He previously served as associate pastor of Saint Margaret of Scotland Parish in Chicago. His research has focused on American Catholicism and Catholic efforts to confront racism. His is the author of Doing the Truth: The Catholic Interracial Council of New York, 1945-1965. Father Zielinski served two terms as Dean of the Graduate School of Theology. He subsequently served as Vice President for Ongoing Formation where he developed the successful Pastoring Conferences, a year-long series of seminars for newly appointed pastors to acquaint them with their new responsibilities through initial training in leadership and governance. As a theological educator, Father Zielinski has been active with the National Association of Catholic Theological Schools, the American Catholic Historical Association and the U.S. Catholic Historical Society. He holds a Ph.D. from the Catholic University of America.