Rebecca Berru-Davis

Dr. Rebecca Berru-Davis is an Assistant Professor of Theology at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She holds a PhD from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, focusing on Art and Religion with specialization in Latinx and Latin American Theologies. Her research explores the intersection of art, faith, and justice, particularly through ethnographic studies of marginalized communities. She has been a Hispanic Theological Initiative Fellow and a Louisville Institute Post-Doctoral Fellow at St. John’s University.

Education:

• PhD in Theology with specialization in Art and Religion from Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA

Research Interests:

• Latin American and U.S. Latina women’s creative expressions in religious contexts
• Ethnography of women’s art collectives in Lima, Peru and U.S.-Mexico border regions
• Historical contributions of Catholic women artists to liturgical movements
• Art as a medium for social justice and faith expression

Her project Picturing Paradise connects Global South and North communities through artistic expressions of faith. Her work emphasizes decolonizing theological methods and centering marginalized voices in religious discourse.

Awards:

• Hispanic Theological Initiative Fellowship
• Louisville Institute Post-Doctoral Fellowship

Her research bridges academic theology with community-based activism, focusing on how artistic practices shape religious identity and social justice efforts among underrepresented groups.