Eleonore Stump

Eleonore Stump is the Robert J. Henle Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University, where she has taught since 1992. She also holds honorary positions at Wuhan University, the Logos Institute at University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and is a professorial fellow at Australian Catholic University.

Professor Stump is a leading philosopher in the Thomist tradition whose work focuses on the intersection of philosophy and Christian theology. Her research spans philosophy of religion, contemporary metaphysics, and medieval philosophy, with particular emphasis on the problem of evil, theodicy, and the works of Thomas Aquinas. Her magnum opus, Wandering in Darkness, presents a narrative approach to the problem of evil, arguing that suffering enables deeper personal relationship with God rather than merely serving character development.

Stump's philosophical approach emphasizes personal relationship as central to Christianity, viewing suffering as something that, while inherently awful, can open individuals to deeper connections with God and others. This perspective draws on her expertise in medieval philosophy, particularly the works of Thomas Aquinas. She uniquely integrates philosophical analysis with narrative elements from biblical stories, poetry, and literature to address profound questions about suffering and divine love.

Her work on divine impassibility presents a nuanced Thomistic perspective, arguing that while God in his divine nature does not suffer, the incarnate Christ—being one person with two natures—does experience suffering in his human nature, and since this person is divine, God does weep with humanity. Her contributions have significantly shaped contemporary discussions in philosophy of religion, particularly in how scholars approach the phenomenological dimensions of suffering.