ROME — Father Andrew Summerson, administrator of St. Mary Parish in Whiting, Indiana, successfully defended his doctoral thesis in patristic theology at the Pontifical Patristic Institute “Augustinianum” May 21.
His work focused on the theology of the Church Fathers. He wrote on seventh-century Father Maximus the Confessor’s perspectives on Biblical interpretation and its role in understanding human emotion in relationship to the Divine.
He is the first U.S. Byzantine Catholic priest to receive a doctorate from this institute and the first U.S. Byzantine Catholic to earn a doctorate from Rome in more than 30 years.
Father Summerson, 32, said he looks forward to using his theological training to help form his parishioners and for the good of the church.
Caption:
Father Andrew Summerson (right) poses with his doctoral adviser, renowned philosopher John Rist, after his successful doctoral defense in Rome May 21. (Photo: Laura Ieraci)
As published in Horizons, June 17, 2018. Sign up for the e-newsletter.