Pearl Barros’ Work in Enhancing Theological Perspectives
Since her return to the department as a faculty member, 2005 Religious Studies alum Dr. Pearl Maria Barros has redesigned courses such as “The Christian Tradition,” “Women in Christian Traditions,” and “Feminist Theologies” to include theological perspectives informed by decolonial, postcolonial, and queer theories and disabilities studies. She has also introduced a new course into our curriculum, “Sexuality and Spirituality in Latinx Literature and Theologies” that examines the relationship between Chicanx writers and Latinx Catholic theologians. The course is proving to be a favorite amongst students who are excited to study theology from an interdisciplinary lens. Dr. Barros was recently invited to be one of the main speakers for the Women’s Working Group in Constructive Theology panel at the Catholic Theological Society of America’s upcoming 2018 Conference. Her paper is entitled, “Grace and its Transformations.” Additionally, she is currently finishing an entry for the Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception on “Misogyny in the New Testament.” Her other current project is an article examining Pope Francis’s call for a “theology of women” and how this call is reflective of the relationship between power and sexuality in the church. In Spring 2018, Dr. Barros will be offering a course on “Women in Christian Traditions” in the JST’s new online MTS program. She will also be leading days of theological reflection for members of the Diocese of Monterey who are discerning a call to the permanent diaconate.