Christopher J. Ashley
Systematic Theology
Theology Consortium
Contact
3041 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
ca2465@columbia.edu
Education
M.Div, Harvard Divinity School, 2010
Thesis: "Inverted Virtue: Theological Reflections on Edwardian Homosexuals", supervised by Mark Jordan
B.A., Literature, Yale University, 2005
Thesis: "Being Here: Hermeneutics as Divine Intervention in a South African Bible Study", supervised by Jeremy Hultin
Biography
Christopher J. Ashley is a Ph.D student in Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary. His program began in the fall term of 2010, with a declared interest in the theology of liturgical blessing. He is particularly interested in those blessings that stand in place of an unavailable sacrament, such as replacing the eucharist for non-communicants, or marriage for same-sex couples. That project, as currently projected, entails work in the dogmatic areas of pneumatology and eschatology; in sacramental theology; and in the Hebrew Bible and its Christian reception history, with a focus on the Genesis narratives and the Psalms.
More broadly, Chris is interested in how theology addresses the lives of communities: their ordering, bounding, and flourishing. Under that rubric lies his work in Black church studies, critical theories of power, community organizing, Anglican polity, and queer ethics.
In private life, Chris practices choral singing, aikido, and baseball and soccer fandom. He is a member of St Michael's Church in Manhattan Valley, New York City.
Advisor: Christopher Morse
Publications
Articles
"Liberation and Postliberalism." Union Seminary Quarterly Review, v. 64, no. 2-3 (forthcoming 2012).
Book Chapters
"Diversity and Episcopal Governance in Recent Anglican Constitutions." In The Open Body: Essays in Anglican Ecclesiology, ed. Charles M. Stang and Zachary Guiliano (New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2012), pp. 63-78.
"Mission @ The Crossing: Where Real Church Meets Real Life." With E. Marie Harkey, Stephanie Spellers, and Kirsten Wesselhoeft. In Ancient Faith, Future Mission: Fresh Expressions in the Sacramental Traditions, ed. Steven Croft, Ian Mobsby, and Stephanie Spellers (New York: Seabury Books, 2010), pp. 144-156.
Presentations
"Liberation and Postliberalism." Presented at the USQR Graduate Students' Conference, "The Future of Liberation Theology", Union Theological Seminary (February 2012).
"Practices of Prophecy and Discernment in Angels in America." Presented at the American Academy of Religion, Gay Men and Religion group (November 2011).
"Diversity and Episcopal Governance in Recent Anglican Constitutions." Presented at the New England Anglican Studies Conference, Harvard Divinity School (April 2011).
"Social and Theological Power in Reinhold Niebuhr and Saul Alinsky." Presented at the Mid-Atlantic Region/New England-Maritimes regional conference of the American Academy of Religion, Contemporary Theology section (March 2011).
Courses
Journey of Transformation, Seton Hall University (Fall 2012)
Teaching Fellow
Patterns of Preaching (Fall 2012) with Barbara K. Lundblad
Foundations in Christian Theology II (Spring 2012, Spring 2013) with Christopher L. Morse
Preaching for Social Transformation (Fall 2011, Spring 2013) with Barbara K. Lundblad
God and the Other in Relational Theologies (Fall 2011) with John J. Thatamanil
LGBTQ Social Ethics (Spring 2011) with Kelby Harrison