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Institute of Pastoral Studies

Peter L. Jones, PhD

Interim Dean, Associate Dean & Clinical Professor

Peter Jones, PhD, teaches courses related to theology and ministry, Catholic social ethics and moral theology, and Christian doctrine. Since joining IPS in 2013, he has combined classroom teaching with academic leadership and program development, bringing particular attention to the formation of adult learners preparing for ministry and service in the Church and the world. His teaching is marked by accompaniment, critical and constructive theological reflection, and a deep commitment to helping students connect the Christian tradition to their own vocations, communities, and contexts of practice. His broader interests include synodality, pastoral formation, liberation theology, and the relationship between faith, ethics, and public life. In all of his work, he seeks to help form leaders who are creative, compassionate, and courageous in service to church and society.

Education

  • Ph.D. – Southern Methodist University
  • M.T.S. – Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University
  • B.B.A (business management) – Texas Christian University

Research Interests

  • Theology and Ethics
  • Political Economies
  • Social Theory and Cultural Studies
  • Theological Anthropology

Professional/Community Affiliations

  • American Academy of Religion

  • Society of Christian Ethics

  • Catholic Theological Society of America

Courses Taught

  • Introduction to Theology and Ministry
  • Social Ethics in the Catholic Tradition
  • Liberation Theology
  • The Church and Its Mission
  • Christian Doctrine
  • Doctrine in Art and Architecture
  • Christology
  • Moral Theology
  • Theologies of Suffering

Comments from Students:

Peter, I have enjoyed taking classes with you these two years and have learned so much from all our discussions and materials that we’ve gone through in class. Thank you for your enthusiasm, dedication, and service.

Peter Jones is absolutely amazing. He has pushed me in my thinking about so many things from theology to ethics to social justice—then allowed me the space to process my thoughts both in and out of the classroom. He’s been an incredible mentor to me, and working with him is one of the highlights of my time at Loyola.

Peter is a wonderful teacher, and I admire his style. He makes difficult subjects understandable, but knows them incredibly well so that if someone tries to question his 'understandable' answer, he has the facts, canons, and supporting documents in his pocket (or rather, brain) to work with whatever level of learning each student requires. And, he loves Star Wars. So how can he NOT be an excellent teacher?

I appreciate the different mediums that Dr. Jones used including videos, articles and PowerPoint decks. This made the course richer by adding other perspectives in addition to those of the authors of our textbooks. The choice in the materials was relevant to what's going on today so that helped me with applying the learning immediately. He also challenged my thinking and I have learned a tremendous amount.