The Reverend Dr. Meg Stapleton Smith is an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church and an Adjunct Professor of Theology and Ethics at Fordham University (Bronx, NY). In addition to serving St. John’s Memorial Episcopal Church in Ellenville as the Priest-in-Charge, she is also the Priest-in-Charge at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Monticello, NY. In addition to serving both of these churches half time, Rev. Meg teaches one class a semester at Fordham, where she has been teaching since 2018.
Rev. Meg holds a PhD in Theological and Social Ethics from Fordham University. She graduated from Yale Divinity School in 2016 with a M.A.R. in Ethics, and holds a B.A. in Theology from Boston College with concentrations in Faith, Peace, and Justice Studies and Catholic Studies. While at Boston College, Rev. Meg studied abroad in both El Salvador and Rome. After graduating from Boston College, and prior to her time at Yale Divinity School, she was Director of Campus Ministry and a Religion teacher at Notre
Dame Cristo Rey High School in Lawrence, M.A. As an academic, Rev. Meg is principally interested in exploring the contemporary retrieval of virtue ethics from a feminist and liberationist perspective. Her work explores how the intersection of these two fields might serve as a challenge for both virtue ethics and liberationist thought, as well as guide how we think about Christian social ethics and sexual ethics today. Rev. Meg is also interested in the role of experience in moral decision making, the development of conscience, contemporary approaches to natural law, and the ethical implications of queer theology. She is currently the editor of an upcoming volume on the work of feminist philosopher Mary Daly under contract with Cambridge University Press. As her academic work progresses, she is interested in thinking more about how Roman Catholic theology has impacted congregational life in the Episcopal Church. Rev. Meg has been appointed to the Bishop’s Theology Committee in the Episcopal Diocese of New York.
As a professor, Rev. Meg has taught the following courses: Introduction to Bioethics, Queer Interpretations of Sacred Texts and Traditions, Catholic Social Teaching, Faith and Critical Reason, The Bible and Social Justice, and Church in Controversy. For her dedication to teaching, Rev. Meg received Fordham’s “Beacon Exemplar Award” twice, which is given in recognition of outstanding dedication to inspiring, supporting, and motivating students. Rev. Meg is deeply passionate about congregational life and seeks to embody the joy of the Gospel in her ministry. After living and serving as a priest in Connecticut, she moved to Stone Ridge, NY with her wife, Rev. Marcella Gillis, and their cat, Kyrie Eleison in 2021. Rev. Marcella is the Rector of Christ the King Episcopal Church in Stone Ridge, NY.
For pastoral care, please reach out to Rev. Meg at stjohnsellenville@gmail.com
