Announcing Dr. Ekaterina Lomperis as Inaugural Orr Family Chair in Medical Humanities & Christian Faith at Baylor University

The Medical Humanities Program is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Ekaterina Lomperis to the Inaugural Orr Family Chair in Medical Humanities & Christian Faith. Dr. Lomperis joins us from George Fox University, where she served as the Richard B. Parker Associate Professor of Theology and was honored with the 2024 Graduate Faculty Achievement Award for Research and Scholarship. Originally from Moldova, Dr. Lomperis earned her MDiv from Harvard University and her PhD from the University of Chicago.

The Orr Family Chair in Medical Humanities & Christian Faith was established through a generous gift from Scott and Susan Orr. This endowed position supports excellence in teaching, mentorship, and innovative research at the intersection of medicine and Christian faith.

“Dr. Lomperis’ work as a scholar and teacher exemplifies the holistic nature of healing at the heart of our program. She will help us imagine what is possible at the intersection of medicine, faith, and the humanities as we work together to shape our students to become the leaders we need them to be in all areas of healthcare.” says Dr. Lauren Barron, Director of the Medical Humanities Program. 

Dr. Lomperis’ research focuses on past and present intersections between medicine and Christianity, with particular attention to their historical, theological, and ethical dimensions. Within medical humanities, her areas of academic interest span Christian theologies of medicine, the relationship between medicine and Christianity in healthcare. 

Dr. Lomperis is the author of two influential books: The Reformations of Medicine: Early Modern Beginnings and Contemporary Possibilities (Fortress Press, 2025) and Essential Readings in Medicine and Religion (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017), co-authored with Gary Ferngren. Her work has been supported by numerous grants and fellowships, including two recent awards from the American Academy for the Advancement of Science.

This position’s pioneering emphasis on a greater integration between Christian theology, the study of religion, and medical humanities reflects some of my deepest intellectual passions. -Ekaterina Lomperis, PhD

 

Reflecting on her new role, Dr. Lomperis remarked “I am delighted to join Baylor University’s Medical Humanities Program as the Inaugural Orr Family Chair in Medical Humanities and Christian Faith. This position’s pioneering emphasis on a greater integration between Christian theology, the study of religion, and medical humanities reflects some of my deepest intellectual passions. I look forward to further expanding and shaping this interdisciplinary partnership in my new role.”