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Book Review: The Oxford Handbook of Sacramental Theology By Hans Boersma and Matthew Levering (eds.)

Confession and Reconciliation: Introduction

Confessing Sin, Proclaiming Reconciliation in Contemporary US Catholic Liturgy

Practical Sacramental Theology: At the Intersection of Liturgy and Ethics

"What happens when the Christian community gathers in faithful response to Christ's command at the Last Supper, Do this in remembrance of me"? Study of the biblical and early Christian notion of remembrance, the Greek word anamnesis, shows that the Church's ritual action of remembering our salvation in Christ not only inspires but demands action in the world. The problem remains, however, whether and how we are ale to practice such remembering in our society today..."

Anamnesis as Dangerous Memory: Political and Liturgical Theology in Dialogue (Pueblo Books) 

"In Divine Worship and Human Healing Bruce Morrill turns to the rites serving the sick, dying, deceased, and grieving to show why sacramental liturgy is so fundamental to the life of faith. Readers will appreciate both his compelling narratives from actual pastoral experience and his engagement with biblical, theological, historical, and social-scientific resources..."

Divine Worship and Human Healing: Liturgical Theology at the Margins of Life and Death

Dr. Bruce Morrill focuses his theological scholarship in the area of liturgy and sacraments, drawing upon a range of interdisciplinary resources in the fields of systematic and historical theology, ritual studies, cultural anthropology, and biblical studies. His other primary and strongly related interest is in political theologies, as they investigate the problems of suffering in social contexts.

His work has come together most comprehensively in his books, Practical Sacramental Theology: At the Intersection of Liturgy and Ethics (Cascade Books, 2021), Divine Worship and Human Healing: Liturgical Theology at the Margins of Life and Death (Pueblo/Liturgical Press, 2009), and Anamnesis as Dangerous Memory: Political and Liturgical Theology in Dialogue (Pueblo/Liturgical Press, 2000).

Other recent books include Encountering Christ in the Eucharist: The Paschal Mystery in People, Word, and Sacrament (Paulist Press, 2012) and The Essential Writings of Bernard Cooke: A Narrative Theology of Church, Sacrament, and Ministry (Paulist Press, 2016). His current research and writing projects include constructing a mystical-political theology (mystagogy) of the Easter Season.

Dr. Morrill is a past president of the North American Academy of Liturgy and currently serves as vice president (with presidential succession) of the International Jungmann Society for Jesuits and the Liturgy. He has lectured widely in North America, Europe, and Australia and has enjoyed appointments to visiting chairs and fellowships at a number of institutions in the USA, Belgium, and Ireland. Prior to coming to Vanderbilt, Professor Morrill was on the faculty of Boston College for fifteen years, where he served as Graduate Program Director in the Theology Department. Earlier this decade at Vanderbilt he was the founding director of the Doctor of Ministry in Integrative Chaplaincy program.

Bruce Morrill is a Roman Catholic priest and member of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). In Nashville he presides and preaches at area parishes, as needed, provides pastoral-liturgical ministry at state prisons (Riverbend Maximum Security Institute, Tennessee Prison for Women, and the Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility, and the Turney Center Industrial Complex), and serves as Spiritual Liaison for the local community of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps.

Easter

Cultural Anthropology

Sacramental Theology

Suffering

Roman Catholicism

Liturgy and Sacraments

Biblical Studies

Historical Theology

Ritual Studies

History of Christian holidays

Pope Francis

Jesuits

Holy Week

Eucharist

Bernard Cooke

Faculty Profile

Vanderbilt University News Profile

Pray Tell : Worship, Wit & Wisdom

The Mar-A-Lago 'Catholic' Event, March Madness, and an interview with Bruce Morrill

Vatican shift on gay blessings has 'deep pastoral implications,' say theologians

The history of religious traditions

You will never regret going to the funeral

In Germany, Vatican ban on blessing same-sex couples catches church 'in process'

4 reasons why the rush to reopen churches goes beyond politics

Why Joe Biden was denied communion at a church

What Is Urbi et Orbi? Here's the Meaning Behind the Pope's Easter Message

What Is Good Friday and Why Do We Celebrate It?

Before the digital age, how religious groups increased the numbers in their order

pope-francis-leader-of-the-roman-catholic-church-dies-at-88

Dr. Bruce Morrill is a leading expert on the papacy and available to help with coverage

Edward A. Malloy Chair in Roman Catholic Studies and Distinguished Professor of Theology

The world woke up to breaking news that Pope Francis had died at the age of 88.

Media across the globe are scrambling to discuss a wide variety of angles ranging from the history of the papacy, the purpose and process of the conclave and the future faced by the next pope leading the Catholic Church.

Bruce Morrill, a Roman Catholic priest and fellow Jesuit, is available to share his unique perspective on topics, including Pope Francis' legacy, the significance of this loss and the likely direction of the Catholic Church moving forward.

 Dr. Bruce Morrill focuses his theological scholarship in the area of liturgy and sacraments, drawing upon a range of interdisciplinary resources in the fields of systematic and historical theology, ritual studies, cultural anthropology, and biblical studies. His other primary and strongly related interest is in political theologies, as they investigate the problems of suffering in social contexts. Pope Francis died at the age of 88. We look back at his life, time as pope, and his legacy with Bruce Morrill, Distinguished Professor of Theology at Vanderbilt University and holds the Edward A. Malloy Chair in Roman Catholic Studies and a Jesuit priest - WWL First News   

Pope Francis, leader of the Roman Catholic Church, dies at 88

Bruce Morrill, S.J.

In Divine Worship and Human Healing Morrill turns to the rites serving the sick, dying, deceased, and grieving to show why sacramental liturgy is so fundamental to the life of faith. Readers will appreciate both his compelling narratives from actual pastoral experience and his engagement with biblical, theological, historical, and social-scientific resources. Morrill invites readers to discover how the liturgical ministry of healing discloses God's merciful love amid communities of faith.

Divine worship and human healing: Liturgical theology at the margins of life and death

Bruce Morrill, the Edward A. Malloy Professor of Catholic Studies at Vanderbilt University's Divinity School and a Jesuit priest, discusses the impact and appeal of Pope Francis, the first Jesuit priest appointed Pope in Vatican history. With the upcoming historical address by a Pope to the U.S. Congress set for September 2015,  Pope Francis's impact on the Catholic Church and the world already is significant and his popularity has skyrocketed. But, Morrill says not everyone among the Catholic hierarchy is happy. 
As a papal expert, Morrill can discuss the teaching and practices of Pope Francis, a fellow Jesuit, and the significance of a Jesuit pope. Morrill's most recent book is Encountering Christ in the Eucharist: The Paschal Mystery in People, Word, and Sacrament (Paulist Press, 2012). In his forthcoming book, The Essential Writings of Bernard Cooke: A Narrative Theology of Church, Sacrament, and Ministry (Paulist, 2016), Morrill presents Cooke as the Vatican-II-era change-agent of American Catholic theology and religious education that he was. In addition, Morrill is writing an analysis of sacramental ritual practice in U.S. Catholicism, comparing and contrasting clerical and lay perspectives.  In Nashville, he presides and preaches regularly at the Cathedral of the Incarnation and provides pastoral-liturgical ministry to men at Riverbend Maximum Security Prison. 
 

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The Impact of Pope Francis: ExpertVU

Prof. Bruce Morrill, Chair of Catholic studies and professor of theological studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School talks about the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the future of the Catholic church.
To learn more about Vanderbilt, visit http://www.vanderbilt.edu.

Vanderbilt Divinity Professor on Pope Benedict's resignation and the Catholic Church

Media Inquiry