Mr. C. Colt  Anderson, Ph.D.

Acedemic Dean, Associate Professor - Spirituality Department

BS, University of Georgia
MA, University of Georgia
PhD, Marquette University

Biography

Colt Anderson is a theologian and church historian who has spent most of his career looking at the intersection between three areas of concern: the communication of the Gospel (evangelization), how to reform the church, and the importance of an eschatological perspective for Christian life. After spending several years as a scriptwriter and film producer, he has tried to find ways to recover the proper place of narrative in theology as a means to communicate the Catholic tradition to contemporary people. His publications have concentrated on ways to heal the growing divisions among members of the Catholic Church by drawing upon models of leadership from historical figures such as Gregory the Great, Peter Damian, Bernard of Clairvaux, Bonaventure, and others. Anderson has focused his research on the origins of the Franciscan movement as a means to understand the important development of lay ministry in the Church. He lectures nationally on issues related to spirituality, ecclesial reform, and evangelization.

Professional Activity

Prior to joining the Union, Anderson was chosen by the Vatican to be a member of the Apostolic Visitation of the U.S. Seminaries. He is the recipient of a 2008 Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada Book Award for history. He has served as a judge for Theological Studies, as an editorial advisor for Chicago Studies, and on the editorial board for New Theology Review. He has also been involved in the Roman Catholic/ Jewish Dialogue for Ecumenical Institute of Chicago (2000-2007) and the United States Roman Catholic/Pentecostal Dialogue (2004). Dr. Anderson is a member of the American Catholic Historical Association, Catholic Theological Society of America, American Academy of Religion, Medieval Sermon Society, Society for the Study of the Bible in the Middle Ages, and The Medieval Academy of America.

Publications

Books The Great Catholic Reformers: From Gregory the Great to Dorothy Day (New York: Paulist Press, 2007). Christian Eloquence: Contemporary Doctrinal Preaching (Chicago: Hillenbrand Press, 2004). A Call to Piety: Bonaventure’s Collations on the Six Days (Quincy, Illinois: Franciscan Press, 2002). Articles and Essays: “Early Franciscan Preaching,” in Franciscan Evangelization: Striving to Preach the Gospel (St. Bonaventure, NY: The Franciscan Institute, 2007): 33-54. “An Eleventh Century Scandal,” 192 America (Jun 6-13 2005): 20-23. “A Catholic and Ecumenical Response to the Left Behind Series," Journal for Pentecostal Studies, 13.2 (2005): 209-230. “Franciscan Reform of the Church,” in “Go Rebuild My House:” Franciscans and the Church Today (St. Bonaventure, NY: The Franciscan Institute, 2004) 39-64. “When Magisterium Becomes Imperium: St. Peter Damian on the Accountability of the Bishops,” Theological Studies, 65 (2004) 741-766. “Bonaventure and the Sin of the Church,” Theological Studies, 63 (2002) 667-689.

Media