Hannah Hemphill is joining Carroll College as an Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies for Fall, 2020.
Most recently Hannah served as Academic Director of the University of Notre Dame’s programs in Jerusalem and as Assistant Teaching Professor of Theology. She received a Ph.D. in Theology from Notre Dame (2019) with a dissertation on Saint Thomas Aquinas’s understanding of sacrifice. Hannah was a Fulbright recipient to Fribourg, Switzerland (2014), and she holds master’s degrees from St. Andrews (2003), Notre Dame (2005), and Oxford (2008). Her research interests include the thought of Thomas Aquinas, medieval theology and biblical exegesis, theories of redemption and atonement, Jewish-Catholic relations and dialogue, Eastern Churches, and the Holy Land.
Hannah met her husband Brian Barrett on her first day at Notre Dame. Brian also holds a Ph.D. from Notre Dame in Theology, with a specialty in Patristic theology. Together they initiated and directed Notre Dame’s Study Abroad programs in Jerusalem (2011-2014) and served Notre Dame’s mission to educate students in the Holy Land, which included organizing and conducting pilgrimages there. Brian will teach Latin at St. Andrew School this year and otherwise be on the hunt for Montana’s best coffee.
Hannah and Brian have two young children, Lucia (6) and Agnes (4). Lucia can’t wait to rock climb with her papa, and Agnes, having had her fill of Middle East winters, can’t wait to eat snow. As a family, they enjoy the outdoors, baking and cooking, and—in a time of pandemic—reading and rereading Chronicles of Narnia. They are excited to get to know the Helena Catholic community and become part of it.
Hannah will be teaching: CATH205, Truth and Culture, and CATH495, Catholicism Engaged.