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Elizabeth Johnson, born in 1941, is a Catholic nun of Irish descent and a feminist theologian. She is a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Theology at Fordham University, a Jesuit institution in New York City, and a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood. Johnson has served as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and is known for her feminist theological work, particularly her book Quest for the Living God, which sparked controversy within the Catholic Church due to its feminist themes. Johnson has been a critic of the male-dominated nature of the Catholic Church and has devoted her scholarship to raising the voices of women within the church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Elizabeth Ann Johnson |
| Nickname | Beth |
| Born | December 6, 1941 |
| Parents | Walter Johnson and Margaret Reed Johnson |
| Birthplace | Brooklyn, New York |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Education | Catholic University of America (CUA) |
| Degree | Doctorate in Theology |
| Alma Mater | Manhattan College |
| Occupation | Theologian, Author, Professor |
| Current Affiliation | Fordham University |
| Former Affiliations | Catholic University of America, Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood |
| Awards | Outstanding Leaderhip Award (2014), Fordham University’s Teaching Award (1998), Professor of the Year Award (2011) |
| Notable Works | Quest for the Living God, She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse |
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Elizabeth Johnson is a Catholic nun of Irish descent
Elizabeth Johnson, born in 1941, is a Catholic nun of Irish descent. She is a prominent theologian and author, known for her contributions to Catholic feminist theology. Johnson was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, in an Irish Catholic family. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, Long Island, New York, as a young adult and has been a sister for over 50 years.
Johnson received her doctorate in theology from the Catholic University of America (CUA) in 1981, becoming one of the first women to earn this degree. She taught at CUA for ten years before moving to Fordham University, a Jesuit institution in New York City. At Fordham, she was named Distinguished Professor in 1997 and received the Teaching Award in 1998 and the Professor of the Year Award in 2011. Johnson is also a past president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and the American Theological Society.
Throughout her career, Johnson has challenged traditional Catholic doctrines and advocated for women's equality within the Church. She has written numerous books, including "She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse" and "Quest for the Living God," which sparked controversy among some Catholic groups for its feminist themes. Despite criticism, Johnson's work has been widely acclaimed and has had a significant impact on Catholic theology and feminist thought.
In addition to her academic achievements, Johnson has served the Church in various capacities. She has been a theologian on the Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue, a consultant to the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Committee on Women in Church and Society, and a core committee member of the Common Ground Initiative, working to reconcile polarized groups within the Catholic Church. Elizabeth Johnson's dedication to her faith, scholarship, and social justice has left a lasting legacy in Catholic theology and feminist discourse.
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She is a feminist theologian and author of numerous books
Elizabeth Johnson is a Roman Catholic feminist theologian and author. She is a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Theology at Fordham University, a Jesuit institution in New York City, and a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood. Johnson was born on December 7, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in an Irish Catholic family. She joined the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Brentwood, Long Island, and began teaching in elementary school. Johnson was inspired to pursue theology by the Second Vatican Council, which urged members of the Catholic Church to overcome all forms of discrimination.
Johnson was one of the first women to earn a Ph.D. in theology, receiving her degree from the Catholic University of America (CUA) in 1981. During her studies, she observed a lack of female presence, which motivated her to advocate for more inclusive language and metaphors for God. Johnson's feminist theological approach involves deconstructing male images of God, exploring alternative Christian sources, and reconstructing the theological symbol. She was influenced by feminist theologians like Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza and Sandra M. Schneiders, and she co-founded the group "Women in Theology" with fellow graduate students.
Johnson has authored numerous books, including the groundbreaking "She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse" (1991), which won the Grawemeyer Award in Religion. This book integrates feminist categories such as experience and emancipation into classical Catholic theology, challenging institutionalized masculine conceptions of God. It has been described as "provoking" and "enlightening," offering valuable insights for people from all spiritual paths. Another notable work is "Quest for the Living God" (2007), which gained popularity in churches and universities but was controversially evaluated by the US Catholic Church as deviating from authentic Catholic teachings. Johnson has also written on topics such as God's relationship with non-human creation in "Ask the Beasts: Darwin and the God of Love," and Christology in "Consider Jesus: Waves of Renewal in Christology" (1990).
In addition to her books, Johnson has published over 100 essays in scholarly and popular journals, as well as chapters in anthologies. Her writing covers a range of subjects, including the mystery of God, Jesus Christ, Mary, saints, science and religion, human suffering, ethics, and issues related to women. Johnson's public service includes her work as a theologian on the Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue, a consultant to the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Committee on Women in Church and Society, and a core committee member of the Common Ground Initiative, which aims to reconcile polarized groups within the Catholic Church.
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Johnson is a professor emerita at Fordham University
Elizabeth Johnson is a Catholic nun and a prominent Roman Catholic feminist theologian. She is a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Theology at Fordham University, a Jesuit institution in New York City. Johnson was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in an Irish Catholic family. As a young adult, she joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, Long Island, New York.
Johnson received her bachelor's degree from Brentwood College and a master's degree from Manhattan College in 1964. She later became one of the first women to earn a Ph.D. in theology at the Catholic University of America (CUA) in 1981. During her studies, Johnson observed the lack of female presence, noting that she never had a woman professor or read a female author. Despite this, she describes her experience at CUA as "rich, respectful, and collegial."
After completing her doctorate, Johnson taught at CUA for ten years before moving to Fordham University in 1991. At Fordham, she played a crucial role in building the University's theology department, helping it become one of the best in the country. Johnson was named Distinguished Professor in 1997 and received the "Teacher of the Year" award in 1998. She has also been recognized with Fordham University's Teaching Award and the Professor of the Year Award in 2011.
Johnson's scholarship and theological work are significantly influenced by the Second Vatican Council, which encouraged members of the Catholic Church to move beyond social and cultural discrimination based on sex, race, religion, and other factors. This empowerment led Johnson to pursue a broader range of possibilities for Catholic women, both religious and lay. She has served as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and the American Theological Society, contributing to various dialogues and committees within the Catholic Church.
Johnson is also an award-winning author, and her book "Quest for the Living God" (2007) gained popularity in churches and university religion courses. However, it also received criticism from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, who issued a doctrinal evaluation that it did not align with "authentic Catholic teaching." Despite this controversy, Johnson is widely respected, and her writings are highly regarded within theological circles.
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She was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in theology at CUA
Elizabeth A. Johnson, a Catholic nun, was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in theology at the Catholic University of America (CUA) in 1981. Johnson was born into a Catholic family in Brooklyn, New York, and joined the religious order of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Brentwood, Long Island, New York. She was inspired by the witness of her teachers, who were also Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, and decided to join their order.
Johnson completed her graduate theological studies at Manhattan College and went on to teach at both the high school and university levels. She earned her Ph.D. in theology from CUA, where she also taught for ten years before moving on to Fordham University. Johnson's experience at CUA was described as "rich, respectful, and collegial", but she also noted the absence of female professors and authors in her education. This inspired her to help form a group called "Women in Theology" while at CUA.
Johnson has had a distinguished career as a theologian, serving as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and the American Theological Society. She has also been a consultant to the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Women in Church and Society and a core committee member of the Common Ground Initiative, which aims to reconcile polarized groups within the Catholic Church. In addition, Johnson has written several influential books, including "Quest for the Living God" (2007), which became popular in churches and university religion courses.
Johnson's scholarship is deeply rooted in the Second Vatican Council's call to overcome discrimination within the Catholic Church, and she has been a vocal critic of what she sees as the Church's misguided priorities. She has faced criticism from some Catholic groups and bishops for her stance on certain theological issues, but she remains a highly respected and prominent figure in Catholic theology.
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Johnson has been criticised by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops
Elizabeth Johnson is a Roman Catholic feminist theologian and a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood. She is a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Theology at Fordham University, a Jesuit institution in New York City. Johnson has served as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and the American Theological Society. She has also been a theologian on the national Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue, a consultant to the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Committee on Women in Church and Society, and a core committee member of the Common Ground Initiative.
> does not take the faith of the Church as its starting point. It effectively precludes the possibility of human knowledge of God through divine revelation and reduces all names and concepts of God to human constructions that are to be judged not on their accuracy [...] but on their social and political utility.
The bishops' statement outlines seven categories of problems with the book, including that it questions core elements of traditional Christian theology, such as the understanding of God as "incorporeal, impassible, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent". The bishops also asserted that the book is marred by "misrepresentations, ambiguities, and errors" and fails to "accord with authentic Catholic teaching on essential points".
In response to the criticism, Johnson issued a public rebuttal, articulating the role of theology in the church, clarifying her own theological methods and positions, and charging that her book was "thoroughly misunderstood and consistently misrepresented in the committee's statement". She also expressed concern about the process, noting that she was never invited to engage in a conversation with the committee before its public critique.
The public criticism by the bishops created a substantial increase in sales of 'Quest for the Living God' and further strained relations between the church hierarchy and Catholic theologians.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Elizabeth Johnson is a Catholic nun. She is also a theologian and a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Theology at Fordham University, a Jesuit institution in New York City.
Sister Elizabeth Johnson is known for her work as a feminist theologian and for her contributions to Catholic feminist theology. She has written numerous books, including "She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse" and "Quest for the Living God".
Sister Elizabeth Johnson was born on December 6 or 7, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York, to an Irish Catholic family. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, Long Island, New York, after graduating from high school and became a certified teacher.
Sister Elizabeth Johnson has been critical of the Catholic Church's male dominance and its treatment of women. She has also questioned traditional views of Mary, such as the idea that she was "humble and obedient." In addition, she criticised the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church for its use of Scripture "in a fundamentalist way."
Sister Elizabeth Johnson received the 2014 Outstanding Leaderhip Award from the LCWR. She is also a regular contributor to U.S. Catholic Magazine and continues to teach and write about theology.
