Karen-Marie Yust
Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian
Education, Director of The Children's Spirituality Hub
Th.D., Harvard University
M.Div., Texas Christian University
B.A., Trinity University
M.Div., Texas Christian University
B.A., Trinity University
Biography
Dr. Yust's work focuses on nurturing spirituality and encouraging theological reflection intergenerationally and across the lifespan. An experienced pastor and Christian educator, she is ordained with dual standing in the United Church of Christ and Disciples traditions.
Dr. Yust wonders about new findings in young children’s moral development that suggest infants and toddlers have moral sensibilities that adults can cultivate through encouraging curiosity and expanding social ideals of kinship to encompass better our human diversity. Dr. Yust is also exploring the changing dynamics of congregational life and asking how these changes offer opportunities to develop new approaches to faith formation and new foci for educational ministries.
Research Interests
Her current research explores the effects of digital culture on spirituality, particularly among children, youth and young adults. She draws from findings in media studies, developmental psychology, and educational theory to describe how online participation shapes personal identity and communal relationships and then reflect theologically on how the Church might respond constructively to the realities of contemporary life.