About the Beirne Chair and Director

Jason E. King, Ph.D., is the Beirne Chair of Catholic Studies and Director of the Center for Catholic Studies at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. As a Catholic ethicist and theologian, his work explores the relationship between theology, education, culture and public life.

Jason King speaking at a podium.

King’s scholarship has addressed a wide range of topics, including Catholic higher education, marriage and family, environmental ethics, theological education, work and the cultural influence of figures such as Mr. Rogers.

He is the author or editor of several books, including Faith with Benefits: Hookup Culture on Catholic Campuses (Oxford University Press), Love, Sex, and Families: Catholic Perspectives (Liturgical Press) and The Green Mister Rogers: Environmentalism in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (University Press of Mississippi). His current book project, The Soul of Catholic Higher Education (Bloomsbury), examines how Catholic colleges and universities can respond to the challenges facing higher education while remaining faithful to their distinctive mission.

Much of his recent work focuses on the purpose and outcomes of Catholic higher education. He directs the Holistic Impact Report (HIR) Study, a national research project examining how Catholic colleges and universities shape graduates’ lives.

In addition to his academic work, King writes and speaks regularly for broader audiences. His essays have appeared in America, Church Life Journal, The Conversation, The Chronicle of Higher Education, the San Antonio Express-News and other outlets. He has delivered invited lectures and workshops at universities, dioceses, professional associations and church organizations across the United States and abroad, with recent presentations focusing on the value and future of Catholic higher education.

King currently serves as President of the College Theology Society and is Editor Emeritus of the Journal of Moral Theology.

Back to top