Faculty &
Staff

Of one heart and one mind.
–Acts 4:32

The members of the graduate school strive to be a Christian community of teaching and learning.

This commitment begins with our faculty’s collegiality as brothers and sisters in Christ who seek to love the Lord with all their minds, as well as growing in wisdom and holiness through study, conversation, and reflection.

We seek to teach and live in full accord with the Catholic Faith as expounded by the Magisterium. We govern ourselves as an academic body in keeping with the directives of St. John Paul II’s apostolic constitution Ex corde Ecclesiae.

The faculty’s bond of charity in intellectual fraternity extends to the student body. Teaching, mentoring, and responding to students’ work are tasks central to the work of the faculty. The faculty also express a common pursuit of wisdom by means of academic research, writing, and speaking, as well as writing for popular audiences and speaking in apostolic contexts such as parishes. Given this bond of charity, our faculty is naturally generous with their time and make themselves available and accessible to both on-campus and distance-education students.


FACULTY

Faculty

Associate Professor of Theology | Chief Content Officer
Benjamin D. Akers, S.T.D.
Professor of Scripture & Theology
Michael Patrick Barber, Ph.D
Provost
Christopher Blum, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sacred Scripture
Mark Giszczak, Ph.D.
President
Tim Gray, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Theology and Catechetics
Arielle Harms, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Theology
Scott Hefelfinger, Ph.D.
Professor of Theology and Catechetics
Sean Innerst, D.Th.
Associate Professor of Theology
Elizabeth Klein, Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy and Theology
Jeffrey Lehman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Sacred Scripture
Israel McGrew, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Theology
Christopher Mooney, Ph.D.
Distinguished Research Professor of Sacred Scripture
Brant Pitre, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Theology and Catechetics
Lucas Pollice, M.T.S.
Associate Professor of Scripture and Theology
James Prothro, Ph.D.
Director of Advanced Formation for Educators, Visiting Professor of Philosophy
Andrew Seeley, Ph.D.
Academic Dean | Associate Professor of Theology
John Sehorn, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Theology
Carl Vennerstrom, Ph.D.
ben.akers@augustine.edu
Phone: (303) 937-4420

Benjamin D. Akers, S.T.D.

Associate Professor of Theology | Chief Content Officer

Dr. Akers is an associate professor of Theology and previously served as the assistant dean of the Augustine Institute Graduate School. He is also the chief content officer of the Augustine Institute’s FORMED.org platform, which is a streaming platform providing trustworthy and inspiring Catholic video, audio, and eBook content from the Augustine Institute, Ignatius Press, and more than 60 other partners. FORMED.org helps parishes, families, and individuals explore their faith anywhere. He joined the Augustine Institute in 2015.

Previously, Dr. Akers served as the director of the Denver Catholic Biblical and Catechetical Schools and was an adjunct for the St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. His experience living and studying in the heart of the Catholic Church in Rome, Italy, has inspired him to teach theology in a way that integrates history, art, literature, and spirituality.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

edward.sri@augustine.edu

Edward Sri, S.T.D.

Visiting Professor of Theology

After studying theology at Franciscan University (M.A. 1995) and at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome (S.T.L. 1998, S.T.D 2001), I was blessed to teach undergraduate students at Benedictine College for nine years (1997-2006) and to work with Curtis Martin to launch FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), which started there in 1998. As a professor at the Augustine Institute since 2006, I have taught classes in Scripture, Moral and Spiritual Theology, Mariology, the New Evangelization, Christian Marriage and the Theology of the Body. I also have served as content director for several of the Institute’s parish programs, including Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained and Beloved: Finding Happiness in Marriage and served as executive director of the Institute’s digital platform Formed.org in the year of its launch.

While various scholars and saints have influenced my thought, our most recent popes’ emphasis on the New Evangelization has shaped my teaching the most. I find St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis each, in their own way, to have shed much light on the present crisis we face in our secular, relativistic world. We have not only lost faith and our ability to reason well. We have lost what Pope Benedict called “the art of living.” And these recent pontiffs have also pointed out paths forward to engage the culture with the joy of the Gospel. I pray that my teaching and writing, whether in Scripture, Mariology, the virtues or the saints, will be of service to the new evangelization, helping equip my students to engage post-modernity and propose the timeless teachings of Christ in a timely way for our age.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Tim Gray, Ph.D.

President

Tim Gray is president of the Augustine Institute and a well-known Catholic speaker and author. Under Dr. Gray’s leadership, the Augustine Institute has established the largest Catholic graduate school of theology in the country, and has created best-selling programs including: Symbolon, a comprehensive program of faith formation for adults; The Search, a celebrated evangelization series; FORMED, a digital platform with a vast array of Catholic films, ebooks, and audio talks; and Signs of Grace, a sacramental preparation program for children.


Dr. Gray has a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from the Catholic University of America., and is the author of several books including Peter: Keys to Following Jesus and Praying Scripture for a Change: An Introduction to Lectio Divina. He is also the host of The Augustine Institute Show, a weekly live show that explores topics of the faith.


Tim and his wife, Kris, live in Littleton, Colorado. They have one son, a daughter-in-law, and a granddaughter.


Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Visiting Faculty

Visiting Assistant Professor of Theology
Gwen Adams, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor of History
Bronwen McShea, M.T.S., Ph.D.
Visiting Associate Professor of Scripture
Andrea Saner, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor of Theology
Edward Sri, S.T.D.
ben.akers@augustine.edu
Phone: (303) 937-4420

Benjamin D. Akers, S.T.D.

Associate Professor of Theology | Chief Content Officer

Dr. Akers is an associate professor of Theology and previously served as the assistant dean of the Augustine Institute Graduate School. He is also the chief content officer of the Augustine Institute’s FORMED.org platform, which is a streaming platform providing trustworthy and inspiring Catholic video, audio, and eBook content from the Augustine Institute, Ignatius Press, and more than 60 other partners. FORMED.org helps parishes, families, and individuals explore their faith anywhere. He joined the Augustine Institute in 2015.

Previously, Dr. Akers served as the director of the Denver Catholic Biblical and Catechetical Schools and was an adjunct for the St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. His experience living and studying in the heart of the Catholic Church in Rome, Italy, has inspired him to teach theology in a way that integrates history, art, literature, and spirituality.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

edward.sri@augustine.edu

Edward Sri, S.T.D.

Visiting Professor of Theology

After studying theology at Franciscan University (M.A. 1995) and at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome (S.T.L. 1998, S.T.D 2001), I was blessed to teach undergraduate students at Benedictine College for nine years (1997-2006) and to work with Curtis Martin to launch FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), which started there in 1998. As a professor at the Augustine Institute since 2006, I have taught classes in Scripture, Moral and Spiritual Theology, Mariology, the New Evangelization, Christian Marriage and the Theology of the Body. I also have served as content director for several of the Institute’s parish programs, including Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained and Beloved: Finding Happiness in Marriage and served as executive director of the Institute’s digital platform Formed.org in the year of its launch.

While various scholars and saints have influenced my thought, our most recent popes’ emphasis on the New Evangelization has shaped my teaching the most. I find St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis each, in their own way, to have shed much light on the present crisis we face in our secular, relativistic world. We have not only lost faith and our ability to reason well. We have lost what Pope Benedict called “the art of living.” And these recent pontiffs have also pointed out paths forward to engage the culture with the joy of the Gospel. I pray that my teaching and writing, whether in Scripture, Mariology, the virtues or the saints, will be of service to the new evangelization, helping equip my students to engage post-modernity and propose the timeless teachings of Christ in a timely way for our age.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Tim Gray, Ph.D.

President

Tim Gray is president of the Augustine Institute and a well-known Catholic speaker and author. Under Dr. Gray’s leadership, the Augustine Institute has established the largest Catholic graduate school of theology in the country, and has created best-selling programs including: Symbolon, a comprehensive program of faith formation for adults; The Search, a celebrated evangelization series; FORMED, a digital platform with a vast array of Catholic films, ebooks, and audio talks; and Signs of Grace, a sacramental preparation program for children.


Dr. Gray has a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from the Catholic University of America., and is the author of several books including Peter: Keys to Following Jesus and Praying Scripture for a Change: An Introduction to Lectio Divina. He is also the host of The Augustine Institute Show, a weekly live show that explores topics of the faith.


Tim and his wife, Kris, live in Littleton, Colorado. They have one son, a daughter-in-law, and a granddaughter.


Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Staff

Chaplain
Fr. James Claver, SCJ
Servants of Christ Jesus
Assistant Dean | Registrar
Kathryn Gillette
Director of Admissions & Marketing
Rachel Gilmore
Admissions Counselor
Anna Wessel
Associate Registrar
Savannah Fisher
ben.akers@augustine.edu
Phone: (303) 937-4420

Benjamin D. Akers, S.T.D.

Associate Professor of Theology | Chief Content Officer

Dr. Akers is an associate professor of Theology and previously served as the assistant dean of the Augustine Institute Graduate School. He is also the chief content officer of the Augustine Institute’s FORMED.org platform, which is a streaming platform providing trustworthy and inspiring Catholic video, audio, and eBook content from the Augustine Institute, Ignatius Press, and more than 60 other partners. FORMED.org helps parishes, families, and individuals explore their faith anywhere. He joined the Augustine Institute in 2015.

Previously, Dr. Akers served as the director of the Denver Catholic Biblical and Catechetical Schools and was an adjunct for the St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. His experience living and studying in the heart of the Catholic Church in Rome, Italy, has inspired him to teach theology in a way that integrates history, art, literature, and spirituality.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

edward.sri@augustine.edu

Edward Sri, S.T.D.

Visiting Professor of Theology

After studying theology at Franciscan University (M.A. 1995) and at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome (S.T.L. 1998, S.T.D 2001), I was blessed to teach undergraduate students at Benedictine College for nine years (1997-2006) and to work with Curtis Martin to launch FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), which started there in 1998. As a professor at the Augustine Institute since 2006, I have taught classes in Scripture, Moral and Spiritual Theology, Mariology, the New Evangelization, Christian Marriage and the Theology of the Body. I also have served as content director for several of the Institute’s parish programs, including Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained and Beloved: Finding Happiness in Marriage and served as executive director of the Institute’s digital platform Formed.org in the year of its launch.

While various scholars and saints have influenced my thought, our most recent popes’ emphasis on the New Evangelization has shaped my teaching the most. I find St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis each, in their own way, to have shed much light on the present crisis we face in our secular, relativistic world. We have not only lost faith and our ability to reason well. We have lost what Pope Benedict called “the art of living.” And these recent pontiffs have also pointed out paths forward to engage the culture with the joy of the Gospel. I pray that my teaching and writing, whether in Scripture, Mariology, the virtues or the saints, will be of service to the new evangelization, helping equip my students to engage post-modernity and propose the timeless teachings of Christ in a timely way for our age.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Tim Gray, Ph.D.

President

Tim Gray is president of the Augustine Institute and a well-known Catholic speaker and author. Under Dr. Gray’s leadership, the Augustine Institute has established the largest Catholic graduate school of theology in the country, and has created best-selling programs including: Symbolon, a comprehensive program of faith formation for adults; The Search, a celebrated evangelization series; FORMED, a digital platform with a vast array of Catholic films, ebooks, and audio talks; and Signs of Grace, a sacramental preparation program for children.


Dr. Gray has a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from the Catholic University of America., and is the author of several books including Peter: Keys to Following Jesus and Praying Scripture for a Change: An Introduction to Lectio Divina. He is also the host of The Augustine Institute Show, a weekly live show that explores topics of the faith.


Tim and his wife, Kris, live in Littleton, Colorado. They have one son, a daughter-in-law, and a granddaughter.


Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.