Degrees
- D.Phil. Oxford University 1976
- MA Graduate Theological Union 1971
- MDiv Franciscan School of Theology 1972
- BA San Luis Rey College 1968
“For me, history, theology, and ministry are inseparable. Whether in the classroom, the pulpit, the office, or in the community, our work can be an act of worship.”
An Oxford-educated historian, Joe is a widely respected scholar, teacher, and speaker in the history of American Catholicism and the development of Franciscan theology and spirituality. Past president of the American Catholic Historical Association (2007-2008), he authored the seminal work Living Stones: The History and Structure of Catholic Spiritual Life in the United States (1989, 1996). His most recent book is When Values Collide: The Catholic Church, Sexual Abuse, and the Challenges of Leadership (2010). He is also general editor of the Franciscan Heritage Series, which makes available to contemporary audiences the spiritual, theological, and social inheritance of St. Francis of Assisi. Apart from his teaching duties, Joe has served in various administrative posts throughout his career: nine years as Provincial Minister for the Franciscan Friars of the Saint Barbara Province, two stints as Academic Dean at the Franciscan School of Theology, Chairman of the Commission for the Retrieval of the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition (CFIT, 2000-2013), and President of the Franciscan School of Theology (2011-2016).