James Jay Carney, PhD

Professor

Theology

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Contact

J.Carney@creighton.edu
College of Arts and Sciences
Christian Spirituality (Master of Arts)
Graduate School
Theology
African Studies
Spiritual Direction and Directed Retreats (Graduate Certificate)
DHHC - Dowling Hall/Humanities Center - 136

James Jay Carney, PhD

Professor

Theology

J.J. (Jay) Carney is Professor of Theology and African Studies and serves as the Amelia B. and Emil G. Graff Chair in Catholic Theological Studies at Creighton University. His scholarship has primarily focused on modern African Catholicism, and he is currently working on research projects on African Jesuits and Small Christian Communities in eastern Africa. Dr. Carney's first monograph, Rwanda Before the Genocide: Catholic Politics and Ethnic Discourse in the Late Colonial Era (Oxford University Press), won the African Studies Association's Ogot prize for best book in Eastern African studies. More recent works include For God and My Country: Catholic Leadership in Modern Uganda (Cascade); Contesting Catholics: Benedicto Kiwanuka and the Birth of Postcolonial Uganda (James Currey; co-authored with Jonathon Earle); The Surprise of Reconciliation in the Catholic Tradition (Paulist; co-edited with Laurie Johnston) and On the Eighth Day: A Catholic Theology of Sport (Cascade; co-authored with Max Engel and Matt Hoven). At Creighton, Dr. Carney teaches courses on the Christian Tradition, Sport and Spirituality, Reconciliation, and African Christianity, and he has also taken CU students to Tanzania and Rwanda. Prof. Carney holds a B.A. from the University of Arkansas, an M.Div. from Duke University Divinity School, and a Ph.D. in Church History from the Catholic University of America. He previously directed Creighton’s Christian Spirituality Program and served as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Professor at Uganda Martyrs University. 

Research Focus

Modern Catholicism in Africa; Church & State in Modern Africa; Political Theology; Missiology; Modern Catholic History; Sport and Theology; Social Reconciliation; Ignatian Spirituality and Jesuit History

Department

Theology

Position

Professor

Books

  • Carney J. J, Catholic Church Growth in Independent Africa - Chapter 35 [Book Chapter] 2024
  • Carney J. J., Who Are My People? Love, Violence, and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa 2023
  • Pilarski Ahida Calderón, Vargas Niceta M, Roper Melinda A, Pilarski Ahida Calderón, De Anda Neomi, Nwachukwu MarySylvia, Silveira María del Pilar, Reid Barbara E, Carney J. J, Peracullo Jeane, Louis Wendy M, Vargas Niceta M, Peracullo Jeane, Maya Teresa, Carney J. J, Louis Wendy M, Nwachukwu MarySylvia, Reid Barbara E, Roper Melinda A, Silveira María del Pilar, De Anda Neomi, Daughters of wisdom 2023
  • Pilarski Ahida Calderón, Carney J. J, Daughters of wisdom 2023
  • Carney J. J, Engel Max T, Hoven Matt, On the eighth day 2022
  • Hoven Matt, Carney J. J, Engel Max T, On the eighth day 2022
  • Christian Interculture
    Carney J. J, “For You, Most Reverend Father, and for Our Archives” Recovering the Voice of Bishop Aloys Bigirumwami in Late Colonial Rwanda [Book Chapter] 2021
  • Earle Jonathon L, Carney J. J, Contesting Catholics 2021
  • Carney J. J., Catholicism and the making of politics in central Mozambique, 1940-1986 2020
  • Carney J. J, For God and my country 2020
  • Carney J. J., Encounters between Jesuits and Protestants in Africa 2019
  • Carney J. J, Johnston Laurie, , The surprise of reconciliation in the Catholic tradition 2018
  • Celtic Myth in the 21st Century: The Gods and Their Stories in a Global Perspective
    Carney James, Psycho-Cosmology: Mental Mapping in Táin Bó Cuailnge [Book Chapter] 2018
  • Carney J. J., 'The Bishop Is Governor Here': Bishop Nicholas Djomo and Catholic Leadership in the Democratic Republic of the Congo [Book Chapter] 2014
  • Rwanda Before the Genocide
    Carney J. J, Success Breeds Restlessness, 1950–1955 [Book Chapter] 2013
  • Rwanda Before the Genocide
    Carney J. J, Contested Categories [Book Chapter] 2013
  • Rwanda Before the Genocide
    Carney J. J, The Catholic Church and Postcolonial Ethnic Violence [Book Chapter] 2013
  • Rwanda Before the Genocide
    Carney J. J, The Irruption of Hutu-Tutsi Tensions, 1956–1959 [Book Chapter] 2013
  • Rwanda Before the Genocide
    Carney J. J, The Catholic Church and Political Revolution in Rwanda, 1959–1962 [Book Chapter] 2013
  • Rwanda Before the Genocide
    Carney J. J, Building a Catholic Kingdom in Central Africa, 1900–1950 [Book Chapter] 2013
  • Rwanda Before the Genocide
    Carney J. J, Epilogue: Lessons from Rwanda [Book Chapter] 2013
  • Rwanda Before the Genocide
    Carney J. J, Contested Categories: A Brief History of “Hutu” and “Tutsi” [Book Chapter] 2013
  • Rwanda Before the Genocide
    Carney J. J, Appendix II: Glossary [Book Chapter] 2013
  • Carney James Jay, Rwanda before the genocide: Catholic politics and ethnic discourse in the late colonial era 2013
  • Carney James, Beckett re-membered 2012
  • Beckett Re-Membered: After the Century
    Carney James, The Buzzing of B: The Subject as Insect in Beckett's Molloy [Book Chapter] 2012
  • Carney James, Kelly Fergus, O. Riordan Michelle, Essays in honour of James Patrick Carney 1999
  • Carney James, Scottish verse 1998
  • Carney James, Randall R. Dipert: 'Artifacts, Art Works, and Agency' (Book Review) 1994
  • Carney James, McCone Kim, Ó Corráin Donnchadh, Breatnach Liam, Sages, saints, and storytellers 1989
  • Blaithmaic Saint, Carney James, , The poems of Blathmac, son of Cu Brettan 1989
  • Carney James, Medieval Irish lyrics 1985
  • Proceedings of the Sixth International Congress of Celtic Studies
    Carney James, Early Irish Literature: The State of Research [Book Chapter] 1983
  • Celtic Studies: Essays in Memory of Angus Matheson
    Carney James, Two Poems from Acallam na Senorach [Book Chapter] 1968
  • Carney James, Medieval Irish Lyrics: Selected and Translated 1967
  • Blaithmaic Saint, Carney James, , The poems of Blathmac, son of Cú Brettan 1964

Publications

  • de la Ferriere Artaud, Earle Jonathon L., Carney J. J., Contesting Catholics: Benedicto Kiwanuka and the Birth of Postcolonial Uganda 2025
  • American Catholic studies
    Carney J. J, Geopolitics of Global Catholicism: Politics of Religion in Space and Time by Petr Kratochvíl (review)
    136:2, p. 76 - 78 2025
  • Schloesser Stephen, Schwaller John Frederick, Carney James Jay, Hoang Tuan, John T. McGreevy, Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis 2024
  • Religious studies review
    Carney J. J., African Christian Cosmopolitanism and the Legacy of Apolo Kivebulaya
    50:2, p. 297 - 299 2024
  • Schloesser Stephen, Hoang Tuan, Faggioli Massimo, Schwaller John Frederick, Carney James Jay, Catholicism: A Global Historyfrom the French Revolution to Pope Francis 2024
  • Theological studies (Baltimore)
    Carney J. J., The People Who Do All Things Together: Living Base Ecclesial Communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
    85:2, p. 262 - 286 2024
  • The Catholic historical review
    Schloesser Stephen, Carney James Jay, Faggioli Massimo, Schwaller John Frederick, Hoang Tuan, McGreevy John T, Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis by John T. McGreevy (review)
    110:3, p. 559 - 573 2024
  • Carney J, Book Review: Who Are My People? Love, Violence, and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa, by Emmanuel Katongole 2023
  • Carney J. J., The genocide against the Tutsi, and the Rwandan Churches. Between grief and denial. By Philippe Denis. (Religion in Transforming Africa.) Pp. xiv + 344 incl. 1 map and 2 tables. Woodbridge–Rochester, NY: James Currey, 2022. £70. 978 1 84701 290 6 2023
  • Carney J. J., Competing Catholicisms. The Jesuits, the Vatican and the making of postcolonial French Africa. By Jean Luc Enyegue sj. (Religion in Transforming Africa.) Pp. xx + 301 incl. 18 figs and 1 map. Woodbridge–Rochester, NY: James Currey, 2022. £65. 978 1 84701 2023
  • Carney J. J., The mission of Apolo Kivebulaya. Religious encounter and social change in the Great Lakes, c. 1865-1935 2022
  • Carney J. J., Revival and Reconciliation: The Anglican Church and the Politics of Rwanda. By Phillip A. Cantrell II. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2022. xi + 223 pp. $79.95 hardcover 2022
  • International bulletin of mission research
    Carney J. J., Global Catholicism: Diverse, Troubled, Holding Steady
    46:1, p. 25 - 34 2022
  • Carney J. J., Religion, colonization and decolonization in Congo, 1885-1960 2022
  • Carney J. J., Church, State and colonialism in southeastern Congo, 1890-1962 2020
  • Journal of religious history
    Carney J. J., Benedicto Kiwanuka and Catholic Democracy in Uganda
    44:2, p. 212 - 229 2020
  • Journal of religious history
    Carney James J., Introduction to June 2020 Special Issue: Christianity and Politics in Twentieth-Century Africa
    44:2, p. 147 - 148 2020
  • Carney J. J., Imitating Christ in Magwi: An Anthropological Theology 2020
  • Evolutionary studies in imaginative culture
    Carney James, Hard Truths and Comforting Fictions: Does Narrative Actually Construct Identity?
    3:1, p. 37 - 40 2019
  • International bulletin of mission research
    Carney J. J., Modern Roman Catholic Mission and the Legacy of Uganda's Emmanuel Cardinal Nsubuga
    43:2, p. 159 - 168 2019
  • Carney J. J., Living Salvation in the East African Revival in Uganda 2018
  • Fides et historia
    Carney J.J, MISSIONARY DISCOURSE AND RACIAL IMAGINATION IN COLONIAL RWANDA
    50:2, p. 66 2018
  • Church history
    Carney J. J., The Politics of Ecumenism in Uganda, 1962-1986
    86:3, p. 765 - 795 2017
  • Journal of Ecclesiastical History
    Carney James Jay, The Forgotten Martyrs? the Missionaries in the Storm of the Rebellion of the Simbas in the Congo in 1964-1966
    68:3, p. 669 - 671 2017
  • Supplement Series for the Journal of Religion & Society
    Carney James Jay, Faithful Citizenship in the USA and Uganda: A Comparative Analysis of Recent Catholic Pastoral Letters on Politics
    14, p. - 2017
  • Journal of Religion and Society
    Carney James Jay, From Categorization to Communion: Ethnic Identity and Catholic Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda, p. 189 - 201 2016
  • Theological Studies
    Carney James Jay, A generation after genocide: Catholic reconciliation in Rwanda
    76:4, p. 785 - 812 2015
  • International Bulletin of Missionary Research
    Carney James Jay, A Trinitarian Theology of Religions: An Evangelical Proposal
    39:2, p. 98 - 98 2015
  • Pro Ecclesia
    Carney James Jay, The Sacrifice of Africa: A Political Theology for Africa
    24:3, p. 403 - 407 2015
  • Horizons
    Carney James Jay, Conflict, Conquest, and Conversion: Two Thousand Years of Christian Missions in the Middle East
    41:1, p. 181 - 183 2014
  • Modern Theology
    Carney James Jay, The People Bonded Together by Love: Eucharistic Ecclesiology and Small Christian Communities in Africa
    30:2, p. 300 - 318 2014
  • National Catholic Reporter
    CARNEY JAMES J., O'Keefe John J., A bishop and his people's plight
    50:12, p. 19 - 20 2014
  • Supplement Series for the Journal of Religion & Society
    Carney James Jay, 14. The Danger of Description: The Ethnic Labeling of the Poor in Colonial Rwanda
    Supplement 10, p. 229 - 241 2014
  • International Bulletin of Missionary Research
    Carney James Jay, Christianity, the Papacy, and Mission in Africa
    37:4, p. 236 - 236 2013
  • Journal of Church & State
    Carney James Jay, Displacing the State: Religion and Conflict in Neoliberal Africa [Review]
    55:1, p. 149 - 151 2013
  • Journal of Religion in Africa
    Carney James Jay, Beyond Tribalism: The Hutu-Tutsi Question and Catholic Rhetoric in Colonial Rwanda
    42:2, p. 172 - 202 2012
  • Studies in World Christianity
    Carney James Jay, Far from having unity, we are tending towards total disunity: The Catholic Major Seminary in Rwanda, 1950-1962
    18:1, p. 82 - 102 2012
  • International Bulletin of Missionary Research
    Carney James Jay, Theology and Practice of Mission: God, the Church, and the Nations
    36:2, p. 100 - 100 2012
  • Canadian Journal of African Studies
    Carney James Jay, 'Christianity and Genocide in Rwanda' (book review)
    45:1, p. 173 - 176 2011
  • Modern theology
    Carney J. J., ROADS TO RECONCILIATION: AN EMERGING PARADIGM OF AFRICAN THEOLOGY
    26:4, p. 549 - 569 2010
  • Carney James, If You Don't Have Time to Read It 2004
  • Carney James, Playing the POW card 1999
  • Carney James, Book reviews -- Wittgenstein, Ethics and Aesthetics: The View From Eternity (SUNY Series in Ethical Theory) by B. R. Tilghman 1992
  • Éigse
    Carney James, THE DATING OF EARLY IRISH VERSE TEXTS
    19, p. 177 1982
  • Éigse
    Carney James, Linking Alliteration: 'Fidrad Freccomail'
    18:2, p. 251 1981
  • Éigse
    Carney James, ASPECTS OF ARCHAIC IRISH
    17, p. 417 1977
  • Clogher record
    Carney James, Eochaidh Ó hEoghusa, Poet to the Maguires of Fermanagh
    3, p. 187 - 211 1975
  • Studies (Dublin)
    Carney James, Society and the Bardic Poet
    62:247/248, p. 233 - 250 1973
  • Ériu
    Bieler Ludwig, Carney James, The Lambeth Commentary
    23, p. 1 - 55 1972
  • Éigse
    Carney James, The So-called 'Lament of Creidhe'
    13:3, p. 227 1970
  • Ériu
    Carney James, The Ó Cianáin Miscellany
    21, p. 122 - 147 1969
  • Éigse
    Carney James, THE SO-CALLED 'LAMENT OF CRÉIDHE'
    13, p. 227 1969
  • Éigse
    Carney James, NOTES ON EARLY IRISH VERSE
    13, p. 291 1969
  • Journal of the County Louth Archaeological Society
    I. D. Mac, Carney James, Irish Texts Society, Cumann Na Scribheann Gaedhilge: Vol. XLVII. The Poems of Blathmac Son of Cú Brettan, Together with the Gospel of Thomas and a Poem on the Virgin Mary
    15:4, p. 358 - 358 1964

Awards

  • 2015 Bethwell A. Ogot Book Prize
    Awarded to the best book in East African studies published in 2014. The award was given to my book "Rwanda Before the Genocide: Catholic Politics and Ethnic Discourse in the Late Colonial Era" (Oxford University Press, 2014).
    African Studies Association