Steven A. Schoenig

Steven A. Schoenig, S.J., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Saint Louis University’s College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on medieval religious history, particularly the interplay between ecclesiastical institutions and cultural expressions. He holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University (2009), along with advanced degrees from Weston Jesuit School of Theology and Fordham University. His work emphasizes the symbolic and structural roles of liturgical practices, canon law, and papal authority in medieval Europe.

Research Interests: Schoenig studies the cultural dimensions of medieval religious life, including the papacy, church councils, monasticism, and the cult of saints. His book Bonds of Wool: The Pallium and Papal Power in the Middle Ages (2016) examines how the pallium—a liturgical vestment—served as a tool for papal control over bishops. He is currently editing the Collectio Britannica, a key medieval canon law collection.

Awards and Memberships: He has received the John Nicholas Brown Prize (2020) for his first book and the Kathryn E. Kuhn Award (2024) for service. He belongs to organizations like the Medieval Academy of America and EPISCOPUS, studying episcopal power and medieval canon law.

Teaching: Schoenig teaches courses ranging from medieval liturgy to canon law, including graduate seminars on the Carolingian era and medieval eschatology. His classes blend textual analysis with historical context, emphasizing primary sources.