Monica A. Coleman (born 1974) is a contemporary

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

associated with

process theology Process theology is a type of theology developed from Alfred North Whitehead's (1861–1947) process philosophy, but most notably by Charles Hartshorne (1897–2000), John B. Cobb (1925–2024), and Eugene H. Peters (1929–1983). Process ...

and

womanist theology Womanist theology is a methodological approach to theology which centers the experience and perspectives of Black women, particularly African-American women. The first generation of womanist theologians and ethicists began writing in the mid to ...

. She is currently Professor of Africana Studies and the John and Patricia Cochran Scholar for Inclusive Excellence at the

University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially known as UD, UDel, or Delaware) is a Statutory college#Delaware, privately governed, state-assisted Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Newark, Delaware, United States. UD offers f ...

, as well as the Faculty Co-Director Emerita for the Center for Process Studies. Her research interests include Whiteheadian metaphysics,

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

philosophical theology Philosophical theology is both a branch and form of theology in which philosophical methods are used in developing or analyzing theological concepts. It therefore includes natural theology as well as philosophical treatments of orthodox and het ...

, metaphorical theology,

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

and womanist theologies, African American religions,

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

, theology and sexual and

domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...

, and

mental health Mental health is often mistakenly equated with the absence of mental illness. However, mental health refers to a person's overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences how individuals think, feel, and behave, and how t ...

and theology. 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 Methodist denomination based in the United States. It adheres to Wesleyan theology, Wesleyan–Arminian theology and has a connexionalism, connexional polity. It ...

Education

Coleman grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she graduated from

Greenhills School Greenhills School is an independent college preparatory school (grades 6–12) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Awards and recognition Greenhills Upper School was recognized as one of six national Intel Schools of Distinction in 2007 for ...

. Coleman earned her

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

in Afro-American Studies from Harvard-

Radcliffe College Radcliffe College was a Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that was founded in 1879. In 1999, it was fully incorporated into Harvard Colle ...

in 1995, her

Master of Divinity For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and ...

and Certificate in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality from

Vanderbilt University Divinity School The Vanderbilt Divinity School and Graduate Department of Religion (usually Vanderbilt Divinity School) is an interdenominational divinity school at Vanderbilt University, a major research university located in Nashville, Tennessee. It is one of o ...

in 1998, and both her

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

and

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

in Philosophy of Religion and Theology from

Claremont Graduate University The Claremont Graduate University (CGU) is a private, all-graduate research university in Claremont, California, United States. Founded in 1925, CGU is a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium which includes five undergraduate and two grad ...

in 2004.

Ministry

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

. Part of Coleman's work has been training church staff and congregants on how to care for and support individuals who have experienced sexual violence. While she was a student at Vanderbilt University Divinity School in 1997, she created a ministry focused on sexual assault called "The Dinah Project" at Metropolitan Interdenominational Church in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

. 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 titled ''Bipolar Faith: a Black Woman’s Journey with Depression and Faith.''

Academic 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 PhD at Claremont Graduate University, Coleman became an assistant professor of religion at

Bennett College Bennett College is a private university, private historically black colleges and universities, historically black liberal arts college, liberal arts Women's colleges in the Southern United States, college for women in Greensboro, North Carolin ...

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the List of municipalitie ...

. 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 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. *
Creating Women's Theology: A Movement Engaging Process Theology
' (edited with Nancy Howell and Helene Tallon Russell). Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2011. *
Not Alone: Reflections on Faith and Depression - A 40-Day Devotional
'' Culver City, CA: Inner Prizes Inc, 2012.
''Ain't I A Womanist, Too?: Third Wave Womanist Religious Thought'', (edited).
Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2013.
''Bipolar Faith: a Black Woman's Journey with Depression and Faith''
Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2016.

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