Education:

• Ph.D. Practical Theology (Spirituality), Boston University, Boston, MA

• M.Div. Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ

• M.A. Religious Education, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ

• B.A. Biblical and Theological Studies, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

• Certificate in Spirituality Studies, Boston University, Boston, MA

Interests:

Dr. Jennifer Lewis is Assistant Professor of Spirituality and Director of the Masters of Arts in Spirituality an Certificate in Spirituality at Oblate School of Theology. She holds a  Ph.D. in Practical Theology from Boston University School of Theology and a Masters of Divinity and Masters of Arts in Religious Education from Princeton Theological Seminary. Her work focuses on historical and contemporary forms of contemplative practice, contemplative models of teaching, feminist theology and women’s spirituality, and embodiments of calling, vocation, and discernment, including callings to Sabbath and racial justice. Her dissertation project explored Julian of Norwich’s writings — in conversation with feminist theology and scholarship on contemplative practice and pedagogies — to identify foundations for a feminist approach of contemplative religious teaching and learning. From 2021-2025, Jennifer served as the Project Coordinator for Creative Callings, a Boston University grant project focused on focused on nurturing creative vocational reflection in Boston-area congregations (https://www.creativecallingsproject.org/). She is currently working on a book project entitled Contemplative Formation in a Feminist Key: Envisioning a Feminist Contemplative Pedagogy in Conversation with Julian of Norwich.

Publications:

• Lewis, Jennifer. “Cultivating Empathy for Earth: Integrating Empathy into Ecological Religious Education.” Religious Education, Vol. 120, No. 2 (2025): 1-15. doi:10.1080/00344087.2024.2448389

• Lewis, Jennifer. “Moved to Mercy: A Practical Theological Examination of Sight and Sound in Motivating Merciful Action.” Practical Matters Journal, Issue 14 (May 2021). http://practicalmattersjournal.org/?p=4688.

•  Lewis, Jennifer. “Theological Education for Sense-sational Leadership: Cognitive Science, Christian Agility, and the Case for Sensory Theological Education.” The Wabash Center Journal on Teaching, Vol. 2, No. 2. (May 2021). https://doi.org/10.31046/wabashcenter.v2i2.1499

•  Lewis, Jennifer. “Girl Power Gone Right in Exodus 1-2: Miriam as Model for Contemporary Youth.” Journal of Youth and Theology, Vol. 18, No. 19 (2019): 1-17.

• Lewis, Jennifer. “Embarking on the Journey of Interreligious Dialogue.” Geneva, Switzerland: Lutheran World Federation, 2015. 26 pp. https://www.lutheranworld.org/content/resource-embarking-journey-interreligious-dialogue 

• Osmer, Richard R. and Jennifer Lewis. “The Korean Presbyterian Church of Westchester: A Portrait.” The Confirmation Project. Princeton Theological Seminary. October 2, 2015. https://theconfirmationproject.com/gallery/westchester/