Monica A. Coleman (born 1974) is a contemporary

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

associated with process theology and womanist theology. She is a Professor o
Africana Studies at the University of Delaware
She is Faculty Co-Director Emerita for the Center for Process Studies. Her research interests are in Whiteheadian metaphysics,

constructive theology Constructive theology is the redefinition of what historically has been known as systematic theology. The reason for this reevaluation stems from the idea that, in systematic theology, the theologian attempts to develop a coherent theory running t ...

, philosophical theology, metaphorical theology,

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

and womanist theologies, African American religions,

African traditional religions The traditional beliefs and practices of African people are highly diverse beliefs that include various ethnic religions.Encyclopedia of African Religion (Sage, 2009) Molefi Kete Asante Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptura ...

, theology and sexual and domestic violence and mental health and theology.

Education

* A.B. – Harvard-Radcliffe Colleges * M.Div. – Vanderbilt University Divinity School * Cert. Religion, Gender and Sexuality – Vanderbilt University Divinity School * M.A. – Claremont Graduate University * Ph.D. – Claremont Graduate University

Ministry

Monica Coleman accepted a call to ministry at nineteen years of age. Reverend Coleman is an ordained elder in the

African Methodist Episcopal Church The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the AME Church or AME, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian theology and has a connexional polity. The African Methodist Episcopal ...

. A part of Coleman's work has been to train church staff and congregants on how to care for and support individuals who have undergone sexual violence. It was while she was a student at Vanderbilt University Divinity School in 1997 that she created a ministry focused on sexual assault at Metropolitan Interdenominational Church in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2004, Coleman published ''The Dinah Project: A Handbook for Congregational Response to Sexual Violence.'' This work provides personal narrative about being a survival of sexual assault while also offering a resource guide to assist churches in caring for those who have experienced sexual violence. Coleman has written about her mental health journey in a spiritual memoir, ''Bipolar Faith: a Black Woman’s Journey with Depression and Faith.''

Career

Since 2019, Monica Coleman has worked as a Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Delaware. In 2020, Coleman became the Coordinator of the African American Public Humanities Initiative at the University of Delaware. In 2004, after completing her Ph.D. at the

Claremont School of Theology Claremont School of Theology (CST) is an American graduate school focused on religion and theology and located in Claremont, California. CST is fully recognized and approved as one of thirteen official theological schools of the United Methodi ...

, Coleman became an assistant professor of religion at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina. Coleman served as the Director of the Womanist Religious Program at Bennett. After two years, Coleman accepted the role of assistant professor of systematic theology at Luther School of Theology at Chicago. In 2008, she returned to Claremont, California to serve in the role of assistant professor of religion at the Claremont Graduate University. She became a professor of constructive theology and African American theology at Claremont School of Theology. Coleman taught at Claremont for ten years. It was during her time at Claremont that she became co-director of the Center for Process Studies. Coleman made another career move to become the professor of africana studies and director of graduate studies at the University of Delaware in 2019. Coleman's work and pedagogy examines African American religious pluralism through lived experiences seen in memoirs and texts outside of what are traditionally considered in the study of religious pluralism. She discusses that the theology, culture, spirituality, and the communal contributions of religious differences of African Americans are not included in most conversations about religious pluralism in the West. She maintains that those who study religion would gain a richer understanding of pluralism and religious differences in their contexts by learning about African American pluralism.

Authored and edited works

''The Dinah Project: A Handbook for Congregational Response to Sexual Violence'', Pilgrim Press, 2004.''Making a Way Out of No Way: A Womanist Theology'', Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008
*

', (edited with Nancy Howell and Helene Tallon Russell), Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2011. *

', Culver City, CA: Inner Prizes Inc, 2012.

* ttps://fortresspress.com/bipolarfaith ''Bipolar Faith'', Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2016.ref>

References

External links

Monica Coleman's Personal WebsiteCenter for Process Studies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coleman, Monica Process theologians 1974 births Living people Womanist theologians Claremont Graduate University faculty Radcliffe College alumni Vanderbilt University alumni Claremont Graduate University alumni American women non-fiction writers