AMHS THEOLOGY TEACHER EARNS DOCTORATE

By Senior Emily Leiker

Archbishop Murphy’s freshman theology teacher, Sean Gross, recently earned his Ph.D. in Ethics and Social Theory from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. Prior to doctoral studies, he earned a BA in Spanish and philosophy from Saint Xavier University in Chicago, and then taught high school Spanish for two years in Mississippi. Dr. Gross then completed his Master of Theological Studies degree in moral theology at Boston College.

The doctoral program at the Graduate Theological Union required two years of classes, some at the University of California Berkeley, as well as five comprehensive exams and a book-length research project. After gaining approval by his committee, Dr. Gross conducted research on pastoral care approaches in Roman Catholic parishes, wrote up the results, and defended the project in front of the dissertation committee.

While completing his doctorate, he has been employed at Santa Clara University first as a resident minister and then starting in 2015 as a part-time lecturer. He began working at AMHS in 2016 and has since enjoyed merging his previous high school teaching experience with his theological training and college-level teaching.