Meghan J. Clark

Associate ProfessorAssistant Chair
Ph.D. in Theological Ethics, Boston College (2009)B.A. Fordham University (2003)

Meghan J. Clark, Ph.D., is an associate professor of moral theology at St John’s University (NY).  At St. John’s, Dr. Clark engages students inside and outside the classroom on diverse topics in moral theology and Catholic social thought. She is a senior fellow of the Vincentian Center for Church and Society and serves as a faculty expert for the Holy See’s Mission to the United Nations. In 2015, Dr. Clark was a Fulbright Scholar to the Hekima Institute for Peace Studies and International Relations at Hekima University College, Nairobi, Kenya. She has conducted fieldwork on human rights and solidarity in Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania. In May 2018, she was a Visiting Residential Research Fellow at the Centre for Catholic Studies at the University of Durham (UK). 

She is author of The Vision of Catholic Social Thought: the Virtue of Solidarity and the Praxis of Human Rights (Fortress Press, 2014) and co-editor of Public Theology and the Global Common Good: The Contribution of David Hollenbach (Orbis, 2106), both of which were awarded first place prizes from the Catholic Press Association Book Awards. She contributed the commentary on Caritas in Veritate in the 2nd edition of Modern Catholic Social Teaching: Commentaries and Interpretations (Georgetown University Press, 2017).  Active in public theology, she is a columnist for US Catholic magazine and contributes to America Magazine and Millennial Journal.

Additionally, she is on the faculty advisory board for Catholic Relief Services “CRS University” for university engagement. From 2010-2013, she served as a Consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Domestic Justice. From 2012-2018, she was on the Board of Directors of America Media.  She received her Ph.D. in Theological Ethics from Boston College (2009) and her BA summa cum laude in cursu honorum in philosophy and theology from Fordham University (2003). 

Research Interests:

Dr. Clark’s research interests are: Catholic social thought, human rights, solidarity, and global development. A social ethicist, she focuses on questions of global health, economic development, participation, violence against women, and justice in theological ethics. She has a particular interest in interdisciplinary research for human rights and development, particularly women’s empowerment. 

Book:

The Vision of Catholic Social Thought: The Virtue of Solidarity and the Praxis of Human Rights (Fortress Press, April 2014)
       *First Place, Catholic Social Teaching, Catholic Press Association Book Award 2015

Public Theology and the Global Common Good: Essays in Honor of David Hollenbach, co-edited with Kevin Ahern, Kristin Heyer, and Laurie Johnston (Orbis Press, September 2016)

*First Place, Faithful Citizenship/Religious Freedom, Catholic Press Association Book Award 2017

Articles and Chapters: 

“Military Sexual Assault as Political Violence & Challenge to Christian Ethics” Journal of Moral Theology, Forthcoming June 2018

“Scandal: Olivia Pope, Pope Francis & Catholic Social Thought” Political Theology, Available online, print: forthcoming.

“Local Listening and the Babies of Sudan,” From Aid to Accompaniment Lead Author: Paul Farmer; Edited by Jennie Block, OP and Steve Reifenberg (Public Affairs, Forthcoming).

“Commentary on Caritas in Veritate,” in Modern Catholic Social Teaching: Commentaries and Interpretations 2nd edition (Georgetown University Press). Edited by Kenneth R. Himes, OFM 2017

“Introduction: Social Ethics under the Sign of the Cross,” Public Theology and the Global Common Good: essays in Honor of David Hollenbach, Orbis Press, Forthcoming September 2016

“Seeking Solidarity for Development: Insights from Catholic Social Thought for Implementing the UN Agenda” Journal of Catholic Social Thought, volume 13, issue 2, Summer 2016.

“Learning to be in Solidarity with: Vulnerability & Experience Required,” Journal for Peace & Justice Studies, vol 24, no 2, p. 50-72. (2015)

 “Using Twitter to Practice Christian Ethics: Technology and Accompaniment,” Teaching Theology and Religion, volume 17:3, July 2014.

“Anatomy of a Social Virtue: Solidarity and Corresponding Vices,” Political Theology, volume 15, no 1, 2014.

“The Complex but Necessary Union of Charity and Justice: Insights from the Vincentian Tradition for Contemporary Catholic Social Teaching” Vincentian Heritage Journal, Volume 31:2.2012, p. 25-39.

“Reasoned Agreement versus Practical Reasonableness:  Grounding Human Rights in Maritain and
 Rawls,” Heythrop Journal, July 2012, Volume 53, Issue 4, Pages 551–723.

“Love of God and Neighbor: Living Charity in Aquinas' Ethics,” New Blackfriars, Vol 92, Issue 1040, July 2011, p. 415-430.

“Crisis in Care: Family, Gender and the Need for Subsidiarity in Care Giving,” Journal of
 Catholic Social Thought
, Volume 7 Issue 1, Winter 2010, p. 63-81.

“Integrating Human Rights: Participation in John Paul II, Catholic Social Thought  and Amartya Sen,” Political Theology, Vol.8.No3, 2007, p. 299-317.

Selected Public Theology:

“The Examined Life” columns in US Catholic can be found here.

Articles in America Magazine can be found here.

Video: Biblical Foundations of Catholic Social Teaching (Salt &Light TV/America)

“Solid Foundations: Grounding social justice in our common humanity,” (Book excerpt) America Magazine, December 22-29, 2014

“Solidarity is Our Word: My Humanity is Bound up in Yours,” Millennial @Distinctly Catholic National Catholic Reporter Online Guest Blog,

“One Human Family,” published in Big Heart Open to God: A Conversation with Pope Francis (HarperOne, 2013).

“Government Shutdown is a Big Deal for Needy Women and Children,” with Nichole Flores (St. Anselm College), Washington Post: On Faith op-ed, 10/4/13 

“Knowledge is Power: The Ethical Ambiguity of Evidence Based Medicine,” in Global Health Lancet Global Health Blog (reviewed submission)

Preference for Equality: How Economic Disparity Threatens Our Health,” America Magazine, October 29, 2012

“Vincent de Paul’s Recipe for Solidarity: Charity, Justice, and Organization” Catechetical Leader (22:5).November 2011