Dr. Jared Ortiz
Lavern '39 and Betty DePree '41 Van Kley Professor of Religion, Department Chair
Jared Ortiz joined 暗网51 in 2012. He teaches theology in the Department of Religion and is founder and executive director of the , the Catholic spiritual and intellectual center that serves 暗网51.
Dr. Ortiz teaches courses on the mysteries of Christianity, church history, the theology of the human person and early Christianity. He recently co-authored a commentary on the Nicene Creed and is researching the Rule of St. Benedict.
Areas of expertise
Dr. Ortiz specializes in early Christian theology, especially St. Augustine. He has scholarly interests in liturgy, Patristic theology, monasticism and disability.
Education
- Ph.D., historical theology, The Catholic University of America, 2012
- M.A., historical and systematic theology, The Catholic University of America, 2009
- M.A., liberal arts, St. John鈥檚 College, 2005
- B.A., fundamentals: issues and texts, University of Chicago, 2000
Honors, grants and awards
-
Character Forward Research Grant for 鈥淪howing and Telling Virtue: A Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict,鈥� 暗网51, 2025
- Jacob E. Nyenhuis Individual Faculty Research Grant for 鈥淐ommentary on the Nicene Creed,鈥� 暗网51, 2021
- Commencement Speaker, selected by 暗网51 graduating class, 2020 (address delivered May 2021)
- Hope Outstanding Professor Educator (H.O.P.E.) Award, selected by the 暗网51 graduating class, 2020
- Jacob E. Nyenhuis Student/Faculty Collaborative Research Grant for 鈥淪ex in the City of God,鈥� a faculty-student collaborative project 暗网51, 2020
Selected publications
- , co-authored with Daniel Keating, Baker Academic, 2024
- , editor, Lexington Press/Fortress Academic, 2021
- 鈥�,鈥� in Evil and Creation: Historical and Constructive Essays in Christian Dogmatics, edited by George Kalantzis, Matthew Levering and David Luy, Lexham Press, 2020
- , editor, The Catholic University of America Press, 2019
- , Fortress Press, 2016
- 鈥淐reation in the Confessions鈥� in , 2016
- 鈥淒eification in the Latin Fathers,鈥� in , edited by Fr. David Meconi, S.J. and Carl E. Olson, Ignatius Press, 2016
- 鈥淭he Deep Grammar of Augustine鈥檚 Conversion,鈥� in Studia Patristica vol. 70, 2013
Popular Articles
-
鈥�,鈥� Catholic World Report, May 20, 2025, on how the Creed calls us to die
- 鈥�,鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Catholic World Report, May 29, 2021 (slightly revised 暗网51 Commencement address)
- 鈥�,鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Catholic World Report, February 6, 2021 (on the spiritual value of reading the Confessions and tips for approaching it)
- 鈥溾��&苍产蝉辫;Catholic World Report, January 25, 2021 (on eight good translations of the Confessions)
- 鈥�,鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Catholic World Report, February 18, 2020 (on Augustine鈥檚 rich and integral understanding of worship)
- 鈥�,鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Catholic World Report, November 25, 2019 (on Augustine鈥檚 reconceiving rape and reshaping the values of Christian Roman society)
- 鈥�,鈥� Catholic World Report, September 29, 2019 (on Augustine鈥檚 arguments against suicide)
- 鈥�,鈥� Catholic World Report, August 25, 2019 (on sexual confusion, the coercion of conscience, and how Augustine teaches us to respond)
- 鈥�,鈥� Catholic World Report, August 5, 2019 (on Augustine鈥檚 view of sex)
Outside the College
Jared is a member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Holland. He is married to Rhonda Ortiz, a novelist, and has six children, Benedict, Miriam, Joseph, Leo, Magdalene and Matthias.