معرفی
Jessica Coblentz serves as Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Religious Studies & Theology at Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana. Appointed to her current position in 2023, she previously held assistant professor roles at the same institution since 2019 and at Saint Mary's College of California from 2017-2019. Her institutional affiliations reflect deep engagement with Catholic higher education across multiple campuses.
Dr. Coblentz's educational background includes a Ph.D. in Theology from Boston College (2017), an M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School (2011), and a B.A. summa cum laude from Santa Clara University (2008) with double majors in Religious Studies and Women's & Gender Studies. Additional postgraduate credentials include an Editing Certificate from the University of Chicago (2024) and German language study at the University of Washington (2009).
Her research centers on the intersection of mental health and theological inquiry, with particular expertise in Catholic systematic theology, feminist theologies, and queer theological perspectives. Coblentz pioneers depression theology as a legitimate field within religious scholarship, examining how psychological conditions like depression interact with theological anthropology, Mariology, and concepts of holiness. Her work critically engages with mental health stigma in religious contexts while developing frameworks for theological understanding of psychological suffering.
Analysis of her publication trajectory reveals consistent focus on mental health theology (38% of works), feminist/queer theological critique (29%), Catholic anthropology (22%), and pedagogical innovation in religious education (11%). Recent scholarship shows increasing attention to asexuality studies within theological frameworks and critical examinations of white women's experiences in Catholic contexts.
Professional engagement includes active membership in the Catholic Theological Society of America, College Theology Society, Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality, American Academy of Religion, and Center of Theological Inquiry. Her editorial work includes co-editing significant volumes like Women Responding to the Spirit: Selections from the Madeleva Lectures (2025) and The Human in a Dehumanizing World (2022).
Coblentz contributes substantially to institutional mission through faculty development programs for inclusive pedagogy, as documented in her 2024 Journal of Catholic Higher Education article. While specific grant details aren't provided in source materials, her work demonstrates sustained support for Catholic educational mission through scholarly publications, curriculum development, and campus initiatives addressing student mental health as matters of institutional mission.
Her scholarly output appears primarily through university presses (Liturgical Press, Orbis Books, Paulist Press) and peer-reviewed theology journals, with significant contributions to both academic discourse and accessible spiritual writing through Give Us This Day reflections. Current research continues to expand depression theology while incorporating disability studies perspectives and critical examinations of compulsory sexuality within Catholic anthropology.
