Christine Thomas

Christine Thomas serves as Professor and Cordano Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara's Department of Religious Studies, where she also directs the Ancient Mediterranean Studies Program. With over two decades of academic leadership, she bridges Religious Studies, Classics, History, Art History, and Anthropology through interdisciplinary collaboration.

• Ph.D., Harvard University
• Junior Fellow, Harvard Society of Fellows (1993-1996)

Her research pioneers the integration of archaeological evidence with religious studies, focusing on Early Christianity's urban context and material dimensions of Roman Imperial religion. Thomas revolutionized understanding of Anatolian religious landscapes through 20 years of Southwestern Turkey fieldwork, demonstrating how spatial analysis reveals hidden Christian communities and hybrid religious identities. She examines how objects, spaces, and practices construct religious meaning in multicultural Roman cities like Ephesus and Corinth.

Thomas' publication trajectory shows consistent innovation in methodological approaches, evolving from textual analysis of early Christian literature toward material culture studies. Her recent work emphasizes geophysical survey techniques to de-center traditional Pauline narratives and examines how monumental architecture expressed religious identity at urban boundaries. The recurring themes include the interplay between local Anatolian traditions and Roman Imperial religion, death ritual as social commentary, and spatial strategies for religious distinction.

• Junior Fellow, Harvard Society of Fellows (1993-1996)
• Visiting Scholar, Phi Beta Kappa Society (2013-2014)

As Director of the Ancient Mediterranean Studies Program and leader of the Colloquia on Material Culture and Ancient Religion (COMCAR), Thomas fosters international scholarly collaboration through Mediterranean archaeological site seminars. She has secured significant institutional support through endowed chairs and society affiliations, enabling sustained fieldwork at Ephesos and Metropolis. Her academic leadership includes service on the Society of Biblical Literature Executive Committee (2010-2016) and development of interdisciplinary grant-funded research initiatives connecting archaeology with religious studies.

Thomas directs the Colloquia on Material Culture and Ancient Religion (COMCAR), organizing advanced study seminars at major Mediterranean archaeological sites. Her research team integrates archaeologists, classicists, and religious studies scholars to develop new frameworks for analyzing religious materiality, with ongoing projects examining Ephesian urban topography and Anatolian funerary practices.